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399 BCE
Socrates (469-399 BC)
Greek philosopher Socrates established the foundation for Western logic and philosophy with his Socratic method. “THE ART OF MEASUREMENT” – Socrates believed that people only did wrong when at the moment the perceived benefits seemed to outweigh the costs. “No one commits an evil act knowingly and doing wrong arises out of ignorance.” Another philosophy of Socrates is "True knowledge exist in knowing that you know nothing -
348 BCE
Plato (428-348 BC)
He founded the academy and is the author of Philosophical works of unparalled influence in western thought. A virtue-based, eudaemonistic view of ethics is upheld by Plato. In which he asserts that "the only way we can hope to be happy is by being good." He also believe that "Knowledge is virtue" -
322 BCE
Aristotle (384-322 BC)
Aristotle believed that wisdom was good, but that virtuous behavior was neither automatic nor a gift.
any combination of good qualities. “THE GOLDEN MEAN PRINCIPLE” was his idea which pertains to be happy and live a life of moderation “All human actions have one or more these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsions, habit, reason, passion, desire.” -
Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)
The first great figure in modern moral philosophy. His theory is Moral Positivism. This theory holds that the basis/source of all moral laws is the laws of the State. “Good is that which is an accordance of the laws of the State; bad is which is forbidden by the State.” -
Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)
He referred to "The Categorical Imperative," which he regarded to be the highest moral standard. His ethical philosophy is an illustration of deontological moral theory, which holds that whether an action is right or bad does not depend on its effects but rather on whether it satisfies a duty. -
Jeremy Betham (1748-1832)
Bentham was an English philosopher, economist, jurist and legal reformer. He is the founder of modern utilitarianism or Consequence-based Theory, a theory about ethical action and a proposed method for deciding how one should choose the right ethical act. One of his famous quote is "It is the greatest good to the greatest number of people which is the measure of right and wrong." -
Joshua Stuart Mill (1806-1873)
John Stuart Mill was an English philosopher. He was a classical utilitarian alongside with Jeremy Bentham. His ethical theory is most extensively articulated in his classical text Utilitarianism (1861). Its goal is to justify the utilitarian principle as the foundation of morals. This principle says actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote overall human happiness “Society between equals can only exist on the understanding that the interests of all are to be regarded equally.” -
John Rawls (1921-2002)
John Rawls was an ethical philosopher, best known for his defense of egalitarian liberalism in his work. “A Theory of Justice” (1971) that defends “justice as fairness” “Each person is to have an equal right to the most extensive basic liberty for others” “Social and economic inequalities are to be arranged so that they both (a) reasonably expected to be everyone’s advantage (b) attached to positions and offices open to all…”