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Single Idea 22499

[filed under theme 23. Ethics / B. Contract Ethics / 5. Free Rider ]

Full Idea

We know perfectly well that it is not true that the best life would consist in successfully pretending friendship: having friends to serve one but without being a real friend oneself.

Gist of Idea

We all know that just pretending to be someone's friend is not the good life

Source

Philippa Foot (Natural Goodness [2001], 7)

Book Ref

Foot,Philippa: 'Natural Goodness' [OUP 2003], p.102


A Reaction

For some skallywags the achieving of something for nothing seems to be very much the good life, but not many of them want to exploit people who are seen to be their friends.


The 14 ideas from 'Natural Goodness'

Moral reason is not just neutral, because morality is part of the standard of rationality [Foot, by Hacker-Wright]
Moral virtues arise from human nature, as part of what makes us good human beings [Foot, by Hacker-Wright]
Moral evaluations are not separate from facts, but concern particular facts about functioning [Foot]
Practical rationality must weigh both what is morally and what is non-morally required [Foot]
Good actions can never be justified by the good they brings to their agent [Foot]
All criterions of practical rationality derive from goodness of will [Foot]
Virtues are as necessary to humans as stings are to bees [Foot]
Sterility is a human defect, but the choice to be childless is not [Foot]
Wisdom only implies the knowledge achievable in any normal lifetime [Foot]
Someone is a good person because of their rational will, not their body or memory [Foot]
Deep happiness usually comes from the basic things in life [Foot]
Happiness is enjoying the pursuit and attainment of right ends [Foot]
We all know that just pretending to be someone's friend is not the good life [Foot]
Refraining from murder is not made good by authenticity or self-fulfilment [Foot]