Thread by @EthicsInBricks

The School of Athens

1 Zizek
2 Socrates
3 Nussbaum
4 Plato
5 Aristotle
6 Plotinus
7 Arendt
8 Parmenides
9 Pythagoras
10 Heraclitus
11 Diogenes
12 Zoroaster
13 Singer
14 Raphael
15 Thales

#1: Žižek

Žižek criticizes ethical consumerism: the idea that you can do 'good' by buying products (e.g. coffee).

Learn more: awestruckwanderer.wordpress.com/2014/08/16/sta

#2: Socrates

Socrates demonstrated that a good philosopher continues to ask questions and is open to debating her/his ideas.

Learn more: philosophybites.com/2008/08/mm-mcc…

#3: Nussbaum

Nussbaum critiques technical approaches to ethics and calls for more nuance, feelings and less theory.

Learn more: @PhilosophyNow philosophynow.org/issues/13/Love…

#4: Plato

Plato identified four cardinal virtues, character traits that relate to the good life: wisdom, courage, moderation and justice.

Learn more: plato.stanford.edu/entries/plato-…

#5: Aristotle

Aristotle maintained that we should act in the way a virtuous, well-reasoning person would act in our situation.

Learn more: iep.utm.edu/virtue/

#6: Plotinus

Plotinus' ethics is about enhancing the identification with the 'higher' part of the soul.

Learn more: plato.stanford.edu/entries/plotin…

#7: Arendt

Arendt considers the 'absence of thinking' an important 'antecedent' of evil.

Learn more: @aeonmag aeon.co/ideas/what-did…

#8: Parmenides

Parmenides stated that 'something' cannot come from 'nothing'.

Learn more: philosophybasics.com/philosophers_p…

#9: Pythagoras

Pythagoras was not only concerned with mathematics, but also with religion and music.

Learn more: plato.stanford.edu/entries/pythag…

#10: Heraclitus

Heraclitus stated that 'everything flows': things in this world continuously change.

Learn more: plato.stanford.edu/entries/heracl…

#11: Diogenes

Diogenes was a cynic philosopher who advocated a 'simple life' in accordance with nature and reason.

Learn more: iep.utm.edu/diogsino/

#12: Zoroaster

Zoroaster viewed life as a struggle between truth and lies; human beings should reject the latter.

Learn more: tenets.zoroastrianism.com/deen33i.html

#13: Singer

Singer poses that we ought to reduce poverty if we have the means to do so, in the most effective way. He's depicted here holding a life saver.

Learn more: ted.com/talks/peter_si…

#14: Raphael

Raphael, the painter of the original School of Athens, put himself in it as well. Some think Heraclitus (#10) is modelled after his "colleague" Michelangelo.

Learn more: m.museivaticani.va/content/museiv…

#15: Thales

Thales was the first known person to use natural (not supernatural) explanations for natural phenomena.

Learn more: philosophers.co.uk/thales-of-mile…