Publication Details

Abstract

This article examines the relationship between morality and the meaning of life in Susan Wolf’s work within contemporary analytic ethics. Starting from her critique of “moral saints,” the analysis explores a model where moral and non-moral values coexist. Wolf treats meaning as an independent dimension of a flourishing life, arising from the convergence of subjective engagement and objective value. The core of the study focuses on the link between morality and meaning by distinguishing between “positive” and “negative” morality. Drawing on M. Rüther’s framework, it evaluates five theses: identity, irrelevance, necessity, contribution, and sufficiency. The analysis concludes that positive morality, when paired with subjective interest, functions as a sufficient condition or contributory factor for meaning. Conversely, negative morality—refraining from projects with negative value—serves as a necessary condition, as the violation of fundamental moral constraints fundamentally undermines a life’s meaningfulness.