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Timeline of Major Ethical Philosophies

By RjNaVi
  • Socrates "Founder of the western philosophy"
    469 BCE

    Socrates "Founder of the western philosophy"

    Socrates was an Athenian philosopher whose questions and opinions clashed with Athenian politics and society at the time. Socrates worked to question the foundational beliefs that were prevalent in Greece at the time, and he encouraged other citizens to do the same. One of the most perplexing issues he helped his students grapple with was whether Willpower flaws lead to wrongdoing when you truly believe what is right exists.
  • Plato
    428 BCE

    Plato

    Plato is considered one of the greatest philosophers of all time, and many scholars consider him to be the most important philosopher of Western civilization. Moral values, according to Plato, are objective in the sense that they exist outside of subjective human conventions in a spirit-like realm. Plato's main concern is to challenge most people's views on goodness, because it is here that they go horribly wrong in their attempts to live happy lives.
  • Aristotle "The First Teacher” & “The Philosopher.”
    384 BCE

    Aristotle "The First Teacher” & “The Philosopher.”

    Aristotle's ethics is concerned with action rather than words.
    being correct in and of itself, regardless of other factors, but
    with actions that are beneficial to mankind Aristotle sets out to determine what this good is, as well as the science that corresponds to it. He also argued that virtues are learned good habits that govern our lives. In response to a natural fear, one should cultivate the virtue of courage, which allows one to remain calm in the face of danger or fear.
  • Thomas Hobbes

    Thomas Hobbes

    According to Thomas Hobbes, humans are essentially selfish creatures who will do anything to improve their position. Hobbes believed that if people were left to their own devices, they would act on their evil impulses; therefore, they should not be trusted to make decisions on their own. Furthermore, Hobbes believed that nations, like people, are motivated by self-interest. Each country, in his opinion, is constantly fighting for power and wealth.
  • John Stuart Mill

    John Stuart Mill

    The maxim "Do whatever produces" best explains utilitarian ethics. The theory contends that it is the consequences of an action, not the motive for the action, that determine whether or not it is right. The goodness or badness of an action is determined by its effects or consequences. An action is good if and when it produces positive results, if it works, if it leads to success, and if it helps you achieve your goals. Otherwise, it's a disaster.