Ancient Greek Ethics and Moral Philosophy

Socrates

Father of Western ethics; emphasized knowledge and virtue.

Plato's dialogues

Literary works recording Socratic philosophy.

Knowledge

The only good; leads to right actions.

Ignorance

The only evil; causes bad actions.

Self-awareness

Awareness of relevant facts about oneself.

Virtue

Essential for happiness; involves right conduct.

Happiness

Ultimate goal achieved through self-knowledge.

Aristotle

Philosopher who emphasized nature and self-realization.

Nature

Acts purposefully; aligns with human potential.

Self-realization

Awareness of one's nature and talents.

Moderation

Virtue of balance; avoids extremes.

Courage

Moderate virtue between cowardice and recklessness.

Virtue ethics

Doing right at the right time and reason.

Cynicism

Philosophy advocating a simple life aligned with nature.

Diogenes of Sinope

Cynic philosopher; lived simply in a tub.

Hedonism

Ethic of maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain.

Cyrenaic Hedonism

Focus on immediate pleasure without future concern.

Epicureanism

Moderate pleasure-seeking; avoids negative consequences.

Stoicism

Philosophy promoting self-mastery and emotional control.

Epictetus

Stoic philosopher; valued contentment and peace of mind.

Material attachments

Detrimental to mental integrity and equilibrium.

Pyrrhonian Skepticism

Philosophy questioning the ability to discern good and bad.

Self-interest

Primary motive in human behavior according to Pyrrho.

Humanism

Emphasizes dignity and rationality in moral decisions.

Thales

Early philosopher contributing to humanist thought.

Xenophanes

Philosopher emphasizing universal human qualities.

Anaxagoras

Philosopher known for rationality in ethics.

Pericles

Influential leader in ancient Greek humanism.

Protagoras

Early Greek thinker advocating humanistic freethought.

Democritus

Philosopher known for atomic theory of matter.

Thucydides

Historian who documented the Peloponnesian War.

Humanistic Freethought

Beliefs formed by science, logic, not tradition.

St. Thomas Aquinas

Merged Aristotelian philosophy with Christian theology.

Virtues

Excellences or perfections of human powers.

Eudaimonia

Final goal of human actions; happiness.

Telos

Ultimate aim or purpose of human actions.

Beatitude

Supernatural union with God; final happiness.

Moral Obligation

Duty to act based on moral reasoning.

Good Will

Acting out of moral duty, not consequences.

Moral Agent

Person accountable for discerning right from wrong.

Moral Responsibility

Obligation to avoid causing unjustified harm.

Moral Agency

Assigned to those responsible for their actions.

Children's Moral Capacity

Limited ability to act as moral agents.

Mental Disabilities

Can affect moral agency in adults.

Extreme Situations

Circumstances where moral agency may be relinquished.

Kantian Ethics

Morality based on duty, not outcomes.

Christian Morality

Obedience to God's commandments without seeking rewards.

Aquinas' View on Happiness

Achieving happiness requires intellectual and moral virtues.

Transformation by God

Necessary for achieving divine beatitude.

Aquinas' Virtue Theory

Virtues enable understanding and pursuit of happiness.

Moral Duty

Recognizing and acting upon moral obligations.

Consequentialism

Ethical theory focusing on outcomes of actions.

Aristotelian Eudaimonism

Philosophy emphasizing happiness as life's ultimate goal.

Moral Agent Accountability

Expectation to act responsibly for one's actions.

Personhood

Qualities defining an individual as a person.

Personality

Unique characteristics distinguishing one person from another.

Consciousness

Capacity to feel pain and experience awareness.

Reasoning

Ability to solve complex problems logically.

Self-motivated activity

Independent actions not controlled by external factors.

Capacity for communication

Ability to convey messages in various forms.

Self-awareness

Recognition of one's own self-concepts.

Intellect

Understanding the nature of things and proposing ideas.

Will

Rational appetite desiring intelligible goods.

Human act

Action from deliberate free will of a person.

Ethics

Study of moral principles guiding human conduct.

Knowledge

Deliberate awareness influencing human actions.

Freedom

Ability to choose actions without external constraints.

Voluntariness

Essential quality of acts performed by will.

Moral act

Human act that is voluntary, deliberate, and conscious.

Acts of man

Involuntary actions performed by virtue of nature.

Deliberation

Awareness of choices and their implications.

Free act

Action determined solely by the will.

Essential Elements of Human Act

Knowledge, freedom, and voluntariness are required.

Animal instincts

Natural behaviors driven by biological urges.

Moral theology

Study of morality within a religious context.

Sinful act

Human act that violates moral standards.

Physical act

Actions performed without moral deliberation.

Human nature

Characteristics defining humans beyond animal instincts.

Choice

Deliberate decision-making process in human acts.

Adultery

Moral act involving infidelity in marriage.

Rescue act

Human act performed to save another individual.