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| The early dialouges (between Socrates and another individual or group) focused on "How we ought to live" and "How can we know how we ought to live?" Identified five cardinal virtues: bravery, temperance, piety, wisdom, and justice. Thought the mass of humanity incapable of deciding between and the good and the bad. |
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| Tutored a young boy who became Alexander the Great and later founded the Lyceum. Major writings included Nicomachean Ethics, Eudemian Ethics, and Madna Moralia. Virtue is a just right point between excess and defect. |
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| A key figure in bridging the gap between the philosophies of the ancient societies of Greece and Rome and some of the popular philosophies of the West. No human action in itself is either good or evil. Intention determines the morality of an individual's actions |
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| Identified how one ought to live and how one ought not to live in The Prince, but recognized that the human condition does not always permit the application of these qualities. Separate one's public ethics from one's private ethics. Follow the Un-Golden Rule and be sly like the fox and vicious like the lion. |
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| Believed in the power of knowledge; mankind has an enormous capacity to learn and apply what is learned toward the betterment of the human condition. This philosophy emphasizes self-control through the use of reason. Each individual possesses six human powers: undestanding, reason, imagination, memory, appetite, and will. Need to curb one's reflexive appetite! |
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| Francois Marie Arouet Voltaire |
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| Writing on a great range of subjects, the deist considered himself a sensible man--Un home sensible. His notion that "good of the greatest number is the immutable law of virtue" was later popularized by others. This champion of free speech, a free press, and civil liberties, was often in trouble and even found himself in Bastille prison. Recommended a balance between the heart and the mind. |
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| This philosopher never traveled farther than 40 miles of him home and urged students at the University of Konigsberg to think for themselves. The book, Critique of Pure Reason, rejected the abandonment of freedom and responsibility implied by those who viewed the universe as an enormous machine, arguing instead that humans have the ability to reason and can act as moral agents. Morality is not grounded in pleasure or pain, rather one should find the moral absolutes. Act on that which you would will to become a universal law. |
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| An adherent to Jeremy Bentham's philosophy of utilitarianism. Pleasure and happiness are what everyone desires and has the right to obtain, yet we must seek higher pleasures than those of mere sensation (seek happiness instead). His modification of the original Bentham idea yeilds yet another variation beyond act utilitarians and rule utilitarians: philosophical utilitarianism--the belief that the good or well-being of individuals is the only ethical good. Ask yourself what whould be best for the greatest number of people. |
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| This social philosopher (rather than a pure philosopher) believed that morality is a product of society, so judgements of ethical right and wrong are justifiable only in the context of the society within which they are made. At any given time, the moral principles considered absolute by individuals are really reflections of what society and morality considers to be absolute. The approach may be called cultural ethical relativism. |
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| Perhaps a student's dream professor, this philosopher who popularized existentialism didn't take attendance, gave no exams, and assigned no grades. Each of us must accept the responsibility of making choices; we are shaped not by other factors but by ourselves. Man is condemned to freedom. Wrote Being and Nothingness. |
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| Detested what was happening in Russia and moved to the United States in the 1920's. This modern rationalist developed the philosophy of objectivism with rational self-interest as its central tenant: "Man ought to live for himself, not for others." The idea of radical capitalism can be found in the book Atlas Shrugged. |
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| This philosophical historian and philosopher felt there should be no universally applicable rules of ethics. Identity develops through self-formation and, along with the development of self, attention must be paid to the notion of power, which produces reality. Exposing the inner workings of power may for a time render that power temporarily less effective and less dangerous. One should begin with the fundamental basis of truth. |
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| Males and females have fundamentally different ways of looking at moral problems. Women's moral voices are voices of care. Ethical problems should be disscussed and open to all. Be wary of the abuse of moral notions |
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| Consider an ethical dilemma in light of the Eightfold Path, remembering that one's goal is to gain enlightenment and end suffering. |
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| God is important in defining moral norms; the self and the community is important in defining moral responsibility. One key principle is agape. |
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| Aquinas' ethical ideology can best be described as a Christian view of ethics. Moral good action is conducive to man's attainment of the ultimate end, or final happiness. Ethical behavior stems from appropiate human action, action guided by the four cardinal virtue: prudence, justice, temperance, and courage. |
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He was concerned with the problem of natural right--the existence or non-existence of common ethical standards by which men should live their lives.
He felt that men should be bound by certain moral rules and that their actions should contribute to an ordered society. Author of Leviathan. Rise above self interest; promote justice and strive for mutual accomodation; fulfill your obligations". |
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| Author of Ethics. He advises is to develop out own code of morality, memorize it, and apply it in day-to-say situations. Use reason to determine the proper course of action. Determine the good, set aside emotion, and solve the problem faithfully. |
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He was called the greatest pessimist. His ethical theory has it fundamental base three concepts--the will, character, and pleasure (or happiness)
Think carefully about any action you may be inclined to take. Acknowledge the infuence of the will but use experience to achieve a balance and act with compassion so that you respect yourself and others. |
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| His crossed three academic disciplines: philosophy, psychology, and education. His approach was simple: create a climate in which students can experience and practice moral decision making. Challenge them to use their own thinking and to consider the thinking of others in their growth process. Created six stages of moral judgement. His focus on justice an on autonomous decision making, especially the notion that one ought to act on principle above all, was very much a philosophy for his time. |
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