Major Ethical Philosophies timeline

551 BCE

Short Description

Confucius was a Chinese philosopher who emphasized the cultivation of virtues and respect for authority as a means to achieve social harmony. His teachings on ethics and social relationships continue to have a lasting impact on Chinese culture and philosophy.
551 BCE

Li, which refers to proper behavior and etiquette, and emphasizes the importance of maintaining social harmony.
551 BCE

Ren, which is often translated as "humaneness" or "benevolence," and involves treating others with compassion and respect.
551 BCE

Filial piety, which involves respecting one's parents and ancestors, and is seen as the foundation of all social relationships.
551 BCE

Confucius believed that individuals should strive for personal and moral excellence, and that this could be achieved through education and self-cultivation.
551 BCE

He also believed in the importance of a just and ethical government, where leaders lead by example and prioritize the welfare of their citizens.
Period: 551 BCE to 479

Confucius
470 BCE

Short Description

Socrates was a major figure in ancient Greek philosophy who focused on the cultivation of good character traits and the development of wisdom as a means to achieve happiness. His teachings on virtue ethics and critical thinking, as well as his Socratic method, continue to be studied and applied in modern ethical philosophy.
470 BCE

Socrates emphasized the importance of critical thinking, logical argumentation, and questioning assumptions.
470 BCE

He believed that knowledge could only be attained through questioning and dialogue.
470 BCE

Socrates encouraged individuals to constantly examine their beliefs and ideas in order to arrive at true knowledge.
470 BCE

Socrates emphasized the pursuit of wisdom as the ultimate goal of human life.
470 BCE

He believed in the importance of living a simple life, free from material possessions and distractions.
Period: 470 BCE to 399 BCE

Socrates
428 BCE

Short Description

Plato (428/427 BCE – 348/347 BCE) was a philosopher who developed the theory of Forms and a major proponent of virtue ethics. According to Plato, the ultimate reality is composed of abstract objects or Forms, and knowledge of these Forms is necessary for living a virtuous life
428 BCE

The theory of Forms, which posits that there is a realm of abstract concepts and ideas that exist beyond the physical world.
428 BCE

The idea that knowledge is innate, and that individuals must actively seek to remember what they already know.
428 BCE

Plato believed that individuals should strive to live a life of excellence, and that this could be achieved through the cultivation of virtues such as wisdom, courage, and justice.
428 BCE

He also believed in the importance of a just society, where individuals are guided by reason and the pursuit of the common good, rather than self-interest.
428 BCE

Plato's emphasis on reason, knowledge, and the pursuit of truth has had a lasting impact on philosophy and continues to be studied and debated today.
Period: 428 BCE to 328 BCE

Plato
384 BCE

Short Description

Aristotle was a prominent philosopher who developed the ideas of virtue ethics and natural law ethics. He believed that the ultimate goal of human life was to achieve eudaimonia through the cultivation of virtues and living in accordance with natural law.
384 BCE

Virtue Ethics, which emphasizes the importance of cultivating good character traits, such as honesty, courage, and compassion, as the key to living a good life.
384 BCE

Natural Law Ethics, which holds that there are objective moral principles that are inherent in human nature and can be discovered through reason.
384 BCE

Eudaimonia, which is the ultimate goal of human life according to Aristotle, and is achieved through living a life of excellence and virtuous action.
384 BCE

He believed that individuals are inherently social and that society should be organized around the common good rather than individual interests.
384 BCE

Aristotle's ideas on ethics, politics, and metaphysics continue to be influential and widely studied today.
Period: 384 BCE to 322 BCE

Aristotle

Short Description

Li, which refers to proper behavior and etiquette, and emphasizes the importance of maintaining social harmony.

Ren, which is often translated as "humaneness" or "benevolence," and involves treating others with compassion and respect.

Filial piety, which involves respecting one's parents and ancestors, and is seen as the foundation of all social relationships.

Confucius believed that individuals should strive for personal and moral excellence, and that this could be achieved through education and self-cultivation.

He also believed in the importance of a just and ethical government, where leaders lead by example and prioritize the welfare of their citizens.

Confucius

Short Description

Socrates emphasized the importance of critical thinking, logical argumentation, and questioning assumptions.

He believed that knowledge could only be attained through questioning and dialogue.

Socrates encouraged individuals to constantly examine their beliefs and ideas in order to arrive at true knowledge.

Socrates emphasized the pursuit of wisdom as the ultimate goal of human life.

He believed in the importance of living a simple life, free from material possessions and distractions.

Socrates

Short Description

The theory of Forms, which posits that there is a realm of abstract concepts and ideas that exist beyond the physical world.

The idea that knowledge is innate, and that individuals must actively seek to remember what they already know.

Plato believed that individuals should strive to live a life of excellence, and that this could be achieved through the cultivation of virtues such as wisdom, courage, and justice.

He also believed in the importance of a just society, where individuals are guided by reason and the pursuit of the common good, rather than self-interest.

Plato's emphasis on reason, knowledge, and the pursuit of truth has had a lasting impact on philosophy and continues to be studied and debated today.

Plato

Short Description

Virtue Ethics, which emphasizes the importance of cultivating good character traits, such as honesty, courage, and compassion, as the key to living a good life.

Natural Law Ethics, which holds that there are objective moral principles that are inherent in human nature and can be discovered through reason.

Eudaimonia, which is the ultimate goal of human life according to Aristotle, and is achieved through living a life of excellence and virtuous action.

He believed that individuals are inherently social and that society should be organized around the common good rather than individual interests.

Aristotle's ideas on ethics, politics, and metaphysics continue to be influential and widely studied today.

Aristotle