Adjectives such
as 'bad' or 'good' used for value judgments always evaluate
something specific - they characterize
what they describe as predicate. Unlike the adjective 'good', the word 'good' in
the phrase 'The Common Good' does not qualify anything. It is a noun and intrinsic value that denotes something desirable. As it does not qualify any
specific object or project it could be regarded as an all-encompassing Meta
Value. This diagram shows a practical use of The Common Good as a guiding
principle: anything that creates it or
adds to it is morally desirable and anything that detracts from it or destroys
it is not. The word 'common' that limits the meaning of the noun 'good' is
taken to mean 'civilization as a whole', though it would be possible to specify
a local community also. Only factors that influence the common good DIRECTLY
have been shown. These factors could serve to formulate goals to prompt desirable
action and are very suitable for exploration via the use of systems thinking.