ABSTRACT
Moral philosophy, as practised by philosophers of acknowledged eminence, has been advocacy as well as explanation. Theology is a brand of metaphysics; and in religion and moral philosophy alike, metaphysics is used to explain the preaching of a way of life. A metaphysical ‘explanation’ of ethics may take the form of giving a general description of an ideal state of affairs in which a recommended way of life is standard practice; and perhaps also a description of the very different state of affairs that results from neglecting to follow the recommended way of life. Greek drama expresses the belief in fate that superseded earlier belief in the gods, and it depicts the conflict between man and ‘the Idea’. It is obvious enough that other forms of literature can similarly be the vehicle of philosophic thought.
