Major Ethical Philosophers

Confucius ( 551 BCE - 479 BCE)

551 BCE

Confucius was a Chinese philosopher of the spring and autumn periods. Established the philosophical and ethical system Confucianism. He emphasized in his ideology for a better society the concept of a self-disciplined leader, and he saw harmony as of the utmost importance as it encourages prosperity and, eventually, harmonious relationships. He said, "What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others."

Socrates (470 BCE - 399 BCE)

470 BCE

"True knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing." One of the founding figures of Western philosophy was Socrates. He was renowned for his use of the Socratic Method, which formed the basis for Western logic and philosophy and involved asking students questions rather than providing them with answers. Though he did not claim to be aware of virtue himself due to ignorance, he had the belief that it might be known. According to him, Ignorance is the cause of evil.

Plato (428 BCE - 348 BCE)

428 BCE

Plato was an ancient Greek philosopher and considered to be one of the greatest and most influential minds in the Western thought. Plato is best known for his Idealism. He believed that virtue comes from the form of "The good" as the standard for behavior discovered above all other. As he said, "Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws."

Aristotle (348 BCE - 322 BCE)

348 BCE

Aristotle was an ancient Greek philosopher and a polymath. According to his philosophy, acting in harmony with nature and in moderation—the "Golden Mean"—is how one should practice virtue. As he said, "We are not studying in order to know what virtue is, but to become good, for otherwise there would be no profit in it."

Epicurus (341 BCE - 270 BCE)

341 BCE

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." Epicurus was an ancient Greek philosopher who presents a strong argument that pleasure, if properly understood, goes hand in hand with virtue. According to him, the only intrinsically beneficial thing for humans is pleasure, and that pain is fundamentally bad.

Immanuel Kant (1724 - 1804)

1724

One of the foremost thinkers associated with the Enlightenment was the German philosopher Immanuel Kant. He argue that the only good is goodwill. His philosophy, goodwill was for rational being to follow their duty and act in accordance with moral law. And, the central construct of moral law is the categorical imperative. As he quoted, "Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law."

Jeremy Bentham (1748 - 1832)

1748

Jeremy Bentham, an English philosopher, economist, and jurist, was one of the first and foremost proponents of utilitarianism, which evaluate actions based on their consequences. A theory of morality which advocates actions that encourage happiness or pleasure and oppose actions that cause sadness or harm with the aim of improving the society as a whole. As he said, "It is the greatest good to the greatest number which is the measure of right and wrong."

John Rawls (1921 - 2002)

1921

The American philosopher who adheres to the liberal tradition argues for the idea of justice as fairness. There must be a morally justifiable basis to discriminate; otherwise, everyone must be treated equally, regardless of their age, sex, ethnicity, money, or position in society. As he said, "The principles of justice are chosen behind a veil of ignorance."