Dr. Aradhana
Former Research Scholar, Department of Philosophy and Religion, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi- 221005, U.P.
E-mail: aradhana.philosophy@gmail.com
Issue: Volume 2 No. 2 (June 2026) Anubodhan
Received: 18 June 2026 / Accepted: 30 June 2026 / Published: 30 June 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.65885/anubodhan.v2n2.2026.076
Abstract
This paper examines the historical trajectory of Western ethical thought across three pivotal periods: Greek (500 B.C.-500 CE), Medieval (500-1500 CE), and Modern (1500 CE onwards). Through systematic analysis of primary philosophical movements and their institutional contexts, this study demonstrates the transformation of ethical frameworks from polis-centered virtue ethics to theologically grounded moral systems, ultimately to individualistic moral philosophies. The research particularly focuses on the shifting loci of moral authority, from the Greek city-state through ecclesiastical institutions to individual reason and conscience, while analyzing the philosophical contributions of critical theorists, including Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and their intellectual successors. Particular focus is placed on the conflict between Greek ethics’ hedonistic and stoic traditions, the function of casuistry (the resolution of moral dilemmas through the application of general principles to particular instances) in medieval moral philosophy, and the rise of many theoretical stances in contemporary ethics, such as subjectivism, intuitionism, natural law theory, and utilitarianism. The paper also considers the influence of emerging disciplines, such as associationist psychology and evolutionary biology, on ethical theory development. Despite the unique contributions of each period to moral philosophy, this analysis underscores the enduring value of ethical frameworks from the past, which remain pertinent in today’s ethical discourse.
Keywords: moral philosophy, ethical theory, Greek ethics, medieval philosophy, modern ethics, moral authority, virtue ethics, casuistry, utilitarianism.
How to cite: Aradhana. (2026). The Historical Evolution of Western Ethical Thought: From Ancient Greece to Modern Philosophy. Anubodhan, 2(2), 176–183. https://doi.org/10.65885/anubodhan.v2n2.2026.076