The idea of what is good has been at the center of philosophical discussion since the beginning of philosophy. Whether the word good refers to an outcome (a utilitarian “good”) or to a motivation (“a moralistic ‘good'”), it is one of the most controversial and fundamental concepts in the field. Despite this, philosophers have proposed several different definitions of the term good, each of which has profound implications for the way we think about ethics and politics.

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Using the word good in this sense is common in informal speech and writing, especially after linking verbs like taste, smell, look, feel, and be: Everything tastes good. The biscuits smell good. You’re looking good today. It is less common in formal and edited writing, where the adverb well is used: He did well on the test; she’s feeling good about her new job.

A related concept is that of a good life. Many people would agree that living a happy and fulfilling life is a good thing, but few know how to define what makes a good life or how to achieve it. The notion of a good life has been debated by philosophers and religious thinkers for millennia.

One school of thought is that it depends on the individual: what is a good life for one person may not be a good life for another. This perspective is often called objectivist or utilitarian ethics, and it has influenced much of modern economic theory. Another approach is based on moral principles and was developed by Immanuel Kant and other Enlightenment philosophers. This is known as deontology, and it has influenced the development of many laws and government policies. A third approach, formulated by John Rawls in his book A Theory of Justice, prioritizes social arrangements and goods based on their contribution to justice, aiming for a just and fair world. It is an ethical approach that is often viewed as the most reasonable of the three.