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Major Ethical Philosophies

  • Plato
    423 BCE

    Plato

    Plato held that moral values are objective in the sense that they exist in a spirit-like realm beyond subjective human conventions.
  • Socrates
    384 BCE

    Socrates

    According to Socrates, "no one commits an evil act knowingly and doing wrong arises out of ignorance." 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.
  • Aristotle
    384 BCE

    Aristotle

    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 (Roa, 2007).
  • Thomas Hobbes

    Thomas Hobbes

    The principle of Utilitarianism is used in Cost-Benefit Analysis, for example, more benefit, less cost, is a good action. It can also be used in the resolution of Labor-Management conflicts.
  • Utilitarianism

    Utilitarianism

    The 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.