Human nature and goodness › Goodness of will

Foot's central moral concern is goodness of will. A person's will concerns what they choose, the ends they pursue, and the considerations to which they respond. This is different from possessing an effective body, a successful career, or an ability that others admire.

Imagine two people who return borrowed equipment. One returns it because the owner needs it and the agreed time has arrived. The other returns it only after discovering that the equipment can be tracked. The outward result is similar, but the explanation of the action differs. An account of character can ask whether the person recognizes another's claim, rather than looking only at the completed return.

This is an illustration of the kind of question Foot's approach makes available. It does not establish a complete verdict about either person's character from a single act. Someone can misunderstand an agreement, overlook a relevant fact, or act from several motives. Those differences matter to evaluating the will.

It would consequently be a serious mistake to identify moral goodness with being an impressive specimen. An injury can restrict what a person can physically do without making their choices dishonest or unjust. The question of moral defect concerns the relevant exercise of will. A comparison between forms of evaluation does not erase distinctions among their objects.