Abstract

Mario Bunge calls his ethical system agathonism, to signify “seeking the good”. For Bunge the good is above all else the satisfaction of human needs. In this way, human needs act as the foundation stone of Bunge’s ethical system. The aim of this chapter is to reset the foundation stone of agathonism, while allowing the valuable portions of the edifice to remain. Space limitations leave fulfilment of the latter as an exercise for the reader. Consequently, this chapter is mostly of a critical nature. New characterizations of rights, moral duties, and the relation between rights and duties are proposed.