Philippa Foot

This interview with philosopher Philippa Foot explores her journey in moral philosophy, what we typically call “ethics,” and her development of a theory of “natural goodness.” ​ Foot’s idea of natural goodness is largely about evaluating living things based on how well they fulfill the needs of their species’ way of life. When it comes to humans, our “way of life” includes not just physical needs but also mental and moral capacities, such as reasoning, decision-making, and caring for others. An instantiation of courage, a virtue, contributes to our natural goodness. Whereas selfishness, a vice, detracts from it. So, natural goodness is a way of judging whether something (a trait, action, or characteristic) helps or hinders a living being in fulfilling its life needs.

Her work challenges contemporary moral philosophy by proposing a new way to think about morality through the lens of natural goodness and human flourishing. She critiques the idea that morality is merely an expression of personal attitudes, an idea that preceded her, arguing instead that moral judgments are tied to human needs and the natural evaluation of living things. ​ Drawing inspiration from thinkers such as Wittgenstein, Anscombe, and Aquinas, Foot connects moral goodness to practical rationality, suggesting that virtues are essential to a fulfilled human life. ​