Under these circumstances, the case for the common good seems rather powerful. But there’s a problem: We don’t agree about what it involves. At a very general level, we all want to pursue goals like health, prosperity, and the diffusion of knowledge. But it gets hard when we confront tradeoffs among genuinely desirable purposes.

Early in the pandemic, then-president Trump made the case for ending lockdowns by tweeting that “WE CANNOT LET THE CURE BE WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM ITSELF.” The statement encouraged tension with advisors, including National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases chief Anthony Fauci, who believed stricter measures were justified to stop the spread of the virus. Both men, and the factions they led, believed they were pursuing the common good, which includes economic and social wellbeing as well as physical health. But different assessments of the costs and benefits pointed toward very different policies.

Debates about school closures are another example. Teachers unions maintained that health risks to school staff, students, and families outweighed the value of in-person instruction. Many parents disagreed, pointing out the low rate of infection and mildness of symptoms among children and expressing fears about isolation and learning loss. Both positions could plausibly be understood as efforts to achieve the common good. Again, though, the practical conclusions were in tension.