Major Ethical Philosophies

  • Period: 427 BCE to 347 BCE

    The Republic by Plato

    is to first explicate the primary notion of societal, or political, justice, and then to derive an analogous concept of individual justice.
  • Period: 384 BCE to 322 BCE

    Teleological Philosophy by Aristotle

    from the Greek word "telos" means "end". What conduces to the attainment of his good or end will be a "right" action on man's part; the action that is opposed to the attainment of his true good will be a "wrong" action.
  • Period: 1201 to 1500

    The master principle of natural law by Thomas Aquinas

    good is to be done and pursued and evil avoided.
  • Period: to

    Deontological Theory by Immanuel Kant

    "It is impossible to think of anything at all in the world, or indeed even beyond it, that could be considered good without limitation except a good will."
  • Period: to

    Utilitarianism by Jeremy Bentham

    is a theory of morality, which advocates actions that foster happiness or pleasure and opposes actions that cause unhappiness or harm.