Major Ethical Philosophies

  • 1600 BCE

    Realism

    Realism
    Considered as the antithesis of idealism, whereby "the Universe exists whether the mind perceives it or not"
  • 400 BCE

    Idealism

    Idealism
    Oldest philosophy of Western culture. It refers to world of mind, ideas , where reason is primary. "I think therefore I am"
  • 1225

    Neo-theism

    Neo-theism
    Based on the idea that God is real, acts in the universe, and is knowable through the senses and reason.
  • Pragmatism

    Pragmatism
    Considers thought as an instrument or tool for prediction, problem solving and action, and rejects the idea that the function of thought is to describe, represent, or mirror reality. Also known as experimentalism, a philosophical belief that the way to truth is through experiments.
  • Existensialism

    Existensialism
    It is a philosophy that emphasizes individual existence, freedom and choice. It is the view that humans define their own meaning in life, and try to make rational decisions despite existing in an irrational universe.
  • Analytic Philosophy

    Analytic Philosophy
    It is sought to clarify and define philosophies. A philosophical practice that is characterized by an emphasis on argumentative clarity and precision, often making use of formal logic, conceptual analysis, and, to a lesser degree, mathematics and the natural sciences.