Five great men of ethical philosophy
Posted on 2006-01-18 at 15:34
Aristotle
This philosopher is associated with an ethical theory known as virtue ethics. Virtue ethics essentially states that virtue is good. He, of course, lists those virtues so as to resolve any ambiguity. Those virtues consist of characteristics that are between extremes. Whereas neither cowardice nor fearlessness is praise-worthy, bravery or courage is, for instance. Ultimately the proper exercise of character, exemplified in virtue will bring happiness, which is the one true ultimate end. Therefore, the good is defined as the activity of the soul in accordance with virtue. Practicing virtue builds it, making it a self-feeding cycle.
Jeremy Bentham
This philosopher is associated with an ethical theory known as utilitarianism. Bentham's brand of utilitarianism, classical hedonism, essentially affirms the belief that pleasure is the only intrinsic value while pain is the only intrinsic evil. These two factors should drive all moral decisions in that we should always seek to produce the greatest good---measured, using Bentham's hedonistic calculus, by its intensity, duration, certainty, propinquity, fecundity, purity, and extant---for the greatest number of people while seeking to inflict the least pain to the least number of people.
Thomas Aquinas
This philosopher is associated with an ethical theory known as natural law theory. Natural law theory essentially states that which is natural is good. Natural is defined as God's purposes. Man's natural inclinations, in this system, are as follows in order of inclination: self preservation, procreation, social existence, intellectual curiosity. Since it is concerned with purpose, this theory is teleological. Since it based on the idea of one true God and His true purposes, it is absolutist. Since it is concerned with purpose, intent is paramount, rather than consequences. Aquinas, believes that man's natural ends are essentially good, and that all those ends all eventually point to a contemplation of God---God being the end of every intellectual substance, according to Aquinas.
J.S. Mill
This philosopher is associated with an ethical theory known as utilitarianism. Mill's brand of utilitarianism, what has been called eudaimonistic utilitarianism, affirms a position somewhat similar to Bentham's brand, in that both believe in the greatest good for the greatest number. Mill, however, seeks to establish a qualitative difference between pleasure and happiness (hence the term eudaimonistic)and even between qualities of happiness. Put most succinctly by Mill himself, "It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied."
Friedrich Nietzsche
This philosopher is associated with an ethical theory known as perspectivism. He affirms that there are essentially two types of morality: slave and master. Through this system, Nietzsche attempts to demonstrate a need to "revaluate" our values. Being a relativist, he sees all good and evil as a matter of perspective.
Immanuel Kant
This philosopher is associated with an ethical theory known as deontological ethics. Deontological ethics affirms the primacy of duty in the practice of the good. For Kant, this requires establishing a way to know duty, thus reason is applied to the categorical imperative (writting in the language of logic that would be "Premise, therefore not not Premise"). Since he states that by definition all people are morally responsible, they can and should always apply this imperative to moral situations to determine moral correctness. Being autonomous requires that morality be exercised since it is only in obeying a conception of a law that we exercise freedom. Also, the Will plays a vital part in his theory because he establishes that only the Will can actually be good, thus intention, rather than consequence, becomes the central moral pivot.