"Modern Moral Philosophy" (essay)

"Modern Moral Philosophy" is an influential essay by G.E. Moore that examined how moral principles are defined and justified. Moore questioned traditional views that morality is based solely on divine commands or social utility, emphasizing instead that moral qualities like "good" are fundamental and can’t be reduced to other concepts. He called for careful analysis of moral language and argued that moral judgments are based on intrinsic qualities rather than feelings or consequences alone. The essay helped shape contemporary ethical thought by encouraging clearer, more precise reasoning about what makes actions morally right or wrong.