Essay on Goodness is easier to recognize than to define
Answers
Goodness is easier to recognise than define primarily because it is a very subjective matter. It is impossible to define a trait or characteristic in objective terms. There are many factors that affect the degree of ‘goodness’, including the act, the people involved, the situation at hand and the timeliness of the act. For instance, offering someone a glass of water will not be considered an act of goodness under normal circumstances, though it might be considered as a courteous act. However, offering a poor beggar or a vendor a glass of water on a sultry summer day does constitute an act of goodness, because of the situation of the person. Timeliness also plays an important role. Helping an old person cross the street is an act of goodness, but volunteering to help the person cross the road when he is already being helped is not an act of goodness. Thus, even if it is the same situation, there are a multitude of factors that help decide whether it is an act of goodness or not. Hence, given the complexity of ‘goodness’, it can safely be said that it is extremely difficult to define it in rigid terms.