Full Idea
Ethics is the normative science that studies the objective conditions that lead to flourishing of persons.
Clarification
'Normative' activities lay down rules
Gist of Idea
Ethics is the science of the conditions that lead to human flourishing
Source
Owen Flanagan (The Problem of the Soul [2002], p. 17)
Book Reference
Flanagan,Owen: 'The Problem of the Soul' [Basic Books 2003], p.17
A Reaction
This is a nice slogan for the virtue theory account of the nature of ethics. I think it is the view with which I agree. I am intrigued that he has smuggled the word 'science' in, which is a nice challenge to conventional views of science.