Major Philosophies

SOCRATES

469 BCE

He seemed to think otherwise: people only did wrong when at the moment the perceived benefits seemed to outweigh the costs. Hence, the development of personal ethics is mastering what he called “the art of measurement,” correcting the distortions that skew one’s analyses of benefit and cost. 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.

PLATO

428 BCE

Most people think that virtue is a minor good, or even an impediment to living a happy life. Plato considers this to be incorrect; it is only by being virtuous that we can hope to be happy. What is your concept of the good life? Are you willing to compromise your value on an honest way of providing support to your family by accepting bribes? Only you and time will tell the answer. And when it does come, hopefully, it would be a good choice which is a reflection of your values.

XENOCRATES

394 BCE

Xenocrates believed in human beings having threefold existence, mind, body and soul. It is not clear whether he was the instigator of this belief. He also believed that people die twice, once on Earth, then for a second time on the Moon when the mind separates from the soul and travels to the Sun

ARISTOTLE

384 BCE

The ethics of Aristotle is concerned with action, not as
being right in itself irrespective of any other consideration, but
with actions conducive to man’s good. Aristotle sets himself
to discover what this good is and what the science
corresponding to it is. Aristotle argued that virtues are good habits that we acquire, which regulate our emotions. In response to a natural feeling of fear, one should develop the virtue of courage, which allows a person to be firm when facing danger or fear.

DIO CHRYSOSTOM

40

Dio was also taught by the Stoic teacher Musonius Rufus The lost essay Is the Cosmos Perishable? was probably a serious Stoic text, and there is no need to deny the seriousness of his "on trust and distrust. Other texts deal with the nature of "public opinion" and "fortune". Several texts are of a moralistic nature, like "the Euboean", which concludes that the poor can live a good life.

THOMAS AQUINAS

1225

Saint Thomas Aquinas believed that the existence of God could be proven in five ways. Saint Thomas Aquinas also uniquely addressed appropriate social behavior toward God. In so doing, he gave his ideas a contemporary some would say timeless everyday context. Thomas believed that the laws of the state were, in fact, a natural product of human nature, and were crucial to social welfare.

WILLIAM OF HEYTESBURY

1313

He linked interests in logic, mathematics, and physics. He formulated the Mean Speed Theorem offering a proper rule for uniformly accelerated motion, later developed by Galileo. His works anticipated nineteenth-century mathematical analyses of the continuum.

THOMAS HOBBES

1588

Thomas Hobbes believes that human beings are
basically selfish creatures who would do anything to improve
their position. We all believe that the purpose of the government is to protect the rights of its people, preserve justice and enforce the laws. It is a must for every nation to have someone who would manage and administer them. Hence, the creation of laws and the obedience of its subjects are important in the order and maintenance of peace in countries