Morality and Practicality

In Section 1 (pp. 1.3:80-3) we observed that a correct theory must work in practice. In particular, a correct ethical theory must work for human beings in reality—that is, the moral and the practical are one and the same.

We often heard it said of an idea: "It's right in principle, but it just won't work in reality." Let us examine the only two possibilities:

  1. If the idea really cannot work in reality, then the principles on which it is based cannot be correct: they must not have been derived from reality by a valid, objective process. In short, the idea is wrong even in principle.      Next page
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