Christine Korsgaard, Harvard University

The Human Good

One of the oldest questions in philosophy is “What is the best life for a human being?” After considering some prominent ancient and recent views about that question, I propose that we approach the question using a relatively simple method that most philosophers have neglected. We should ask what in general is involved in something’s (some condition, state, or activity, including a certain kind of life) being good for some entity (some object, animal, or person), and then applying this answer to the human case. This method, I argue, yields a surprisingly intuitive answer.

Discussion Club is a lecture series hosted by the Sage School of Philosophy