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The Metaphysics of the Good
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10059 |
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Section : |
MODERN THOUGHT
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Date : |
4 / 1986 |
8,982 Words |
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Ivor Leclerc
Ivor Leclerc is Fuller E. Callaway Professor of Metaphysics
and Moral Philosophy, Emeritus, Emory University. |
In the inquiry into this topic it is desirable at the outset to enter into some linguistic examination, for this will facilitate, not only the avoidance of possible confusions because of the diversity of senses in which the word "good" is used, but also the recognition of where exactly life the philosophical issues with respect to the "good."
In its predominant usage the word "good" (as also agathos, bonus, and their cognates in modern European languages) is an adjective, but the English word, on which we will here concentrate, sometimes also occurs in an adverbial and in a substantial usage. The Oxford English Dictionary (O.E.D.) defines good as: "The most general adj. of commendation, implying the existence of a high, or at least satisfactory, degree of characteristic qualities which significance in this are: (1) the generality of the adjective; (2) that it is one of "commendation"; (3) that the object of the commendation is certain "characteristic qualities"; (4) that the adjective does not connote the attribution of the qualities absolutely, but rather relatively, comparatively, in degree; and (5) that the qualities are distinguishable in respect to being admirable either (a) in themselves, or (b) as useful for some purpose.
In this characterization of the adjective its philosophical relevance is signified by its generality. But wherein exactly that generality lies becomes a question. Does it pertain to the factor of "commendation," or to the "qualities"? It might be to the former, since the word "good" always implies "commendation." But on the other hand, "good" also carries the connotation of the qualities in question being ones of "worth," i.e., they are "worthy of commendation." That is to say, it is the qualities which, by their "worth," elicit the commendation. However, to pursue this we have to take account of some complications in regard to the meaning of the word "good."
Some of this comes to the fore in an examination of the word "worth." "Worth" means "having a specified value," originally a pecuniary value, the word later coming also to be used in a generalized sense of "the relative value of a thing in respect of its qualities of the estimation in which it is held." Highly relevant here is the word "value," a synonym of "worth"--more especially relevant because of the prominence of this word in philosophical discussions of the "good." The noun "value"--deriving from the Old French valu, past participate of valoir (from Latin valere, "to be strong") meaning "to be strong, to be of worth"--in its earliest usage in English meant the amount of some commodity, medium of exchange etc. which renders it of
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