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Period: 469 BCE to 399 BCE
Socrates
One of the greatest paradoxes that helped his students explore was whether weakness of will – doing wrong when you genuinely knew what was right – truly existed. 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. -
Period: 428 BCE to 348 BCE
Plato
Plato’s main concern is to challenge the views most people have about goodness, for it is here that they go disastrously wrong in trying to live happy lives. 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. -
Period: 384 BCE to 322 BCE
Aristotle
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. Aristotle further argued that most virtues fall at a mean between extreme character traits. -
Period: to
Thomas Hobbes
Thomas Hobbes believes that human beings are basically selfish creatures who would do anything to improve their position. According to Hobbes, people would act on their evil impulses if left alone for themselves; therefore, they should not be trusted to make decisions on their own. In addition, Hobbes felt that like people, nations are selfishly motivated. Hobbes’ moral positivism anticipates the chaotic outcome if laws are not abided. -
Utilitarianism
The utilitarian ethics is best explained by the maxim, “Do whatever produces the greatest good for the greatest number.” 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. 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.