Curated category
Concepts in ethics
- VirtueThe ancient Romans used the Latin word virtus to describe all excellent qualities of men. This term derived from vir, their word for man.
- GreedIn 1986, Ivan Boesky stood before graduates at UC Berkeley and declared that greed is healthy. His words sparked a global debate about whether the desire for…
- Value (ethics)In 1992, a philosopher named Stanley Riukas published an article titled Inherent and Instrumental Values in Ethics. He argued that some objects are both good…
- JusticeIn the 4th century BCE, Plato wrote The Republic to explore what justice truly means for both individuals and cities. He described a person as having three…
- Free willA biker performing a dirt jump illustrates how some interpretations view free will as the capacity to choose between different possible courses of action.
- FriendshipIn 2023, a Pew Research Center survey revealed that 8% of American adults reported having no close friends. Another 7% said they had only one close friend.
- CorruptionIn 1994, the German Parliamentary Financial Commission in Bonn presented a comparative study on legal corruption in industrialized OECD countries.
- MoralityA Venetian senator stands in a 1585 painting by Tintoretto, his face framed by allegorical figures representing earthly things.
- Trust (social science)Trust is the belief that another person will do what is expected and is built through repeated consistency. It brings with it a willingness for one party to…
- DignityThe English word dignity first appeared in the early 13th century. It traveled from Latin concepts of worthiness or prestige through French before settling…
- HappinessA 93-year-old man from Pichilemu, Chile smiles for a camera. His expression suggests happiness, yet the word itself remains slippery across cultures and…
- LibertyThe Latin word libertas gave rise to the modern English term liberty. This root connects to the Proto-Italic language and ultimately to the…
- ViolenceThe World Health Organization defined violence in 2002 as the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another…
- Good and evilThe philosopher Zoroaster simplified the pantheon of early Iranian gods into two opposing forces. Ahura Mazda represented Illuminating Wisdom while Angra…
- Moral blindnessSocrates spoke of moral intellectualism while Plato described emotions clouding moral judgements. Aristotle first used the term ethics for the field of moral…
- AhimsaThe Sanskrit word ahimsa derives from the root hims, meaning to strike or injure. The prefix a- negates this action, creating a term that translates directly…