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469 BCE
SOCRATES (469-399 BCE)
- Ethics is mastering what he called “the art of measurement,” correcting the distortions that skew one’s analyses of benefit and cost.A person will commit only moral evil if he lacks moral knowledge.Sometimes, a person may have knowledge but he deliberately commits an evil act to satisfy his hidden motive.
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428 BCE
PLATO (428-348 BC)
- Ethics is referred to as a concern to act rightly and live a good life. Plato’s main concern is to challenge the views most people have about goodness, for it is here that they go disastrously wrong in trying to live happy lives. Most people think that virtue is a minor good or even an impediment to living a happy life. -
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384 BCE
ARISTOTLE – (384-322 BC)
-The ethics of Aristotle is concerned with action, not as
being right in itself irrespective of any other consideration, but
with actions conducive to man’s good.
- Aristotle argued that virtues are good habits that we acquire, which regulate our emotions. He argued that most virtues fall at a mean between extreme character traits.
- Aristotle’s “The Golden Mean Principle” states that to be happy, live a life of moderation. In everything that we do, we must avoid extremes -
THOMAS HOBBES (1588)
- Thomas Hobbes believes that human beings are basically selfish creatures who would do anything to improve their position.
- People would act on their evil impulses if left alone for themselves; therefore, they should not be trusted to make decisions on their own.
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JEREMY BENTHAM & JOHN STUART MILL (1800)
- Utilitarian ethics is best explained by the maxim, “Do whatever produces the greatest good for the greatest number.” -The theory argues that what makes an act right is its consequences and not the motive of the action. The effects or consequences determine the goodness or badness of an action.
- An act is good if and when it gives good results if it works, if it makes you successful, and if it makes you attain your purpose. Otherwise, it is bad.
