Principia Ethica by G. E. Moore

"Everything is what it is, And not another thing. " Bishop Butler

1. It is very easy to point out some among our everyday judgments, with the truth of which Ethics is undoubtedly concerned. Whenever we say, "So-and-so is a good man," or "That fellow is a villain"; whenever we ask, "What ought I to do? " or "Is it wrong for me to do like this? "; whenever we hazard such remarks as "Temperance is a virtue and drunkenness a vice" -- it is undoubtedly the business of Ethics to discuss such questions and such statements; to argue what is the true answer when we ask what it is right to do, and to give reasons for thinking that our statements about the character of persons or the morality of actions are true or false. In the vast majority of cases, where we make statements involving any of the terms "virtue," "vice," "duty," "right," "ought," "good," "bad," we are making ethical judgments; and if we wish to discuss their truth, we shall be discussing a point of Ethics.