Ethical Ideas of the Ancient World

Introduction

The first ethical teachings appeared in the ancient Greece 2500 years ago. Greek philosophers had different opinions about morals; some of them considered that Lord is a source of morality; other scholars considered a man as a source of morality. For example, the philosophers - sophists said that moral is not the laws of God, moral as rules established by man, which have a relative character.

Democritus (V-IV centuries BC) is a Greek philosopher. He believed that happiness is the main goal of human in life. Democritus noted that a person with the help of morals will acquire happiness and good. And morality will acquire with the help of education; a basis of happiness is morality and knowledge [1].

Socrates (V - IV centuries BC) is a famous thinker of ancient Greece. The ethical ideas of Socrates were as follows: the task of ethics is to improve the best qualities in a person; ethics should help a person to achieve well; the source of happiness is the Lord; knowledge is the basis of kindness, and illiteracy is the basis of immorality; truth and kindness are connected [2].

Commentary

Plato (V-IV centuries BC) is a Greek scientist -philosopher. He developed the ethical teachings of his teacher Socrates. In his book “The State” he said following: “The purpose and task of the state is to find and unite truth and beauty; the highest point of morality is happiness, which a person can find through feelings” [3].

Aristotle (IV centuries BC) is a Greek encyclopedic scientist and founder of ethics science. He wrote some books on ethics, like «Ethics” or “Big Ethics”, “Little Ethics” or “Ethics of Eudemon”. In his books, he wrote about the appearance, development and essence of morality. Aristotle notes that ethics is a special practical science about morality, a purpose of which is to study the path of human kindness and happiness. He denies the ethical teachings of his teacher Plato says that a person only with the help of the mind, intellect achieves happiness. He noted follow: “The goal of the state is to educate virtuous citizens” [4].

Epicurus (IV-III centuries BC) is a materialist-philosopher, enlightener. He opposes being a divinity of morals. He says that a person’s life should not consist from suffering, fear, reaction; it should consist of calmness, enjoyment spiritual feeling, friendship so that it contributes to the development best qualities of a person [5].

In the ancient world, in Homer’s poem “Iliad” and “Odyssey”, in the book of Hesiod “Works and Days” and in Lucretius’s poem “On Nature”, are shown the best manners of mankind.

The instructions of great people of the ancient world were following: • Respect your elders.

• Get ready to serve your parents.

• Talk about the Lord as he exists.

• Restrain yourself and do not cross the line.

• Man is the measure of all things.

• The intellect is the most exact science.

• It is better to die with intellect than to live madly.

• Lord is in our hearts.

• The language of truth is simple, truth is deep.

• One cannot enter the same river twice.

Conclusion

Thus, ancient Greek scientists fought for freedom, justice, the happiness of the people with their ideas, and they were against the slave society, exploitation and private property. In their views, they expressed the goal and dreams of working people. The ethical ideas of ancient thinkers are the foundation of ethics science. These ethical ideas also are important in present. Thanks to these ideas developed philosophical-ethics ideas in after-time.