Section D: 1.1 Moral concerns of the ancients


Early civilisations, like the Hebrews, Greeks and Romans, played a major role in setting the agenda for Western civilization, and their ideas have an enduring influence on the Western mind-set. Each civilisation had clear ethical concerns, shaped by their experience of the world


Past Exam Question


The Hebrews, The Greeks, The Romans: Outline how a moral issue caused concern for two of the above ancient civilisations.


By exploring the moral concerns of these ancient societies it becomes apparent that morality is a human phenomenon common to every age and generation. The above groups have had an enduring influence on western civilisation and their moral concerns, though shaped by the context of their time, have formed the basis of our contemporary sense of morality.

With regard to the Hebrews it’s clear that their chief moral concerns are informed by their experiences of persecution throughout the ages. Freedom and justice are fundamental rights for the Hebrews, precisely because they’ve been denied both during centuries of slavery. They believed man should only submit to the authority of God. Any other form of submission or subjugation was immoral or unjust. The Ten Commandments is a charter that expresses their major moral concerns by outlining a prohibited behaviours. This set of divine guidelines contains a number of social rules – emphasizing the importance of treating others with respect and dignity.

The social context of ancient Greece dictates that they have very different moral concerns. The Greeks are a comfortable class, who enjoy freedom. As a result their chief moral concern is happiness – philosophers such as the Sophists and Socrates dedicated themselves to answering the question: how can I be happy? Socrates linked ethical living to happiness, which he saw as fulfilment. He believed that knowing what was right led to doing what was right. The Sophists on the other hand mainly argued for power, influence and pleasure as the path to true happiness.

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