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Chapter 1
What Is Morality?
We are discussing no small matter, but how we ought to live.
SOCRATESE, AS REPORTED BY PLATO IN THE REPUBLIC (CA. 390 B.C.)
1.1. The Problem of Definition
Moral philosophy is the attempt to achieve a systematic understanding of the nature of morality and what it requires of us--in Socrates's words, of "how we ought to live," and why. It would be helpful, therefore, if we could begin with a simple, uncontroversial definition of what morality is. But that turns out to be impossible. There are many rival theories, each expounding a different conception of what it means to live morally, and any definition that goes beyond Socrates's simple formulation is bound to offend one or another of them.
This should make us cautious, but it need not paralyze us. In this chpater I will describe what I call the "minimum conception" of morality. As the name suggests, the minimum conception is a core that every moral theory should accept, at least as a starting point. We will begin by examining some recent moral controversies. The features of the minimum conception will emerge from our consideration of these examples.
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the light that burns twice as bright
burns half as long
and you have burned so very, very brightly
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