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Period: 469 BCE to 399 BCE
SOCRATES
Socrates' views are opposing the Athenian politics and society. Socrates worked to compare and contrast the foundational beliefs widespread in Greece at the time, and he encouraged other citizens to do the same. He appeared to believe instead that: people only did wrong when the claimed usefulness seemed to increase the benefits at the time. For instance, If a person lacks moral knowledge, he will only commit moral evil. -
Period: 428 BCE to 348 BCE
PLATO
Plato argued that moral values are objective in the sense that they exist outside of subjective human norms in a spirit-like realm. Plato's major goal is to challenge most people's notions about goodness, because it is here that they go horribly wrong in their attempts to live happy lives. For example, it depends on a person how they interpret what a good life is. Accepting bribes forces you to give up your value for an honest way of supporting your family. Only time will tell. -
Period: 384 BCE to 322 BCE
ARISTOTLE
Aristotle's ethics is concerned with action, not with actions that are right in and of oneself, but with actions that are beneficial to man. According to Aristotle, virtues are good habits that we develop in order to regulate our emotions. For example, in response to a natural fear, one should cultivate the virtue of courage, which allows a person to remain firm in the face of danger or fear.