a life well lived

I'm reading a book by Ronald Dworkin called Justice for the Hedgehogs. I confess that some of the theory and topics of discussion are beyond my current academic training, but I find it fascinating anyway. For instance, he asks the question, What is the character of a life well lived? Dworkin says that ethics is the study of how to live well, and morality is the study of how we must treat other people. According to his view, we each have a sovereign ethical responsibility to make something of value of our own lives, and that we must treat this as a challenge; that it is objectively important how we live. So what do I need to do to make something of my own life? And what do I want to make of it? Questions that deserve some thought.

This is a tall order, but for some reason it resonates with me. He says that we must find the value of living in living well, just as we find value in loving or painting or singing, etc. Dignity and self-respect are essential to living well, and he refers to Kant's thesis that we cannot adequately respect our own humanity unless we respect humanity in others.

I have some ideas about what this means, but I think I'll hold my thoughts until I've read past the introduction. I expect to glean only about 10% of what this book offers, but that will be riches to me. Meanwhile Cardozo awaits my return.