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For Martha Nussbaum, as well as for Cavell or Murdoch, moral philosophy reliesheavily on detailed analysis of literary texts. This paper shows that this use of literaturein ethics, far from being only illustrative, is consistent with a set of substantialthesis on the nature of moral thought and on the method appropriate for moral philosophy.Nussbaum considers that some literary texts are instances of moral philosophybecause she sees the individuality of beings and things, as well as conflicts, as crucialelements in ethics, and also because she attributes to emotions a cognitive aspect.These characteristics shed some light on some particularities of her own style, suchas a remarkable use of the first person.