Category of Purity in the Ethical Science

Abstract

The article is devoted to comprehensive analysis of purity concept which the author considers to be one of key importance in ethics together with such ethical concepts as good, evil, duty, ideal, etc. It is relevant to both human life and ethical knowledge. The author distinguishes purity from the concepts of moral principle and rule, showing that purity is basic and determines the moral quality of both principles and rules. Category of purity is studied in three main perspectives: a) human life; b) ethical science; c) moral principles and rules. First, purity is understood in terms of intentions, motives and thoughts, informed by conscience. Second, it is regarded as freedom from all kinds of invasions from outside ethics such as politics, sociology, etc. Thus purity provides strict correspondence of ethics to its own meaning as a study on ought. Third, purity is considered as appropriate cognition of moral principles and rules and ways of their implementation.