David Conan Wolfsdorf

In the last fifty years, a number of philosophers have criticized modern moral theories, especially Kantianism and utilitarianism, and attempted to defend neo-Greek ethical theories in their place. This project aims to assess and advance this discussion. The project has three stages. The first stage focuses on the question: "what is morality?" In other words, what is the conception of morality or what conceptions of morality are central to modern moral theories? Stage two will apply this answer to the preceding question to Platonic, Aristotelian, Epicurean, and Stoic ethical theories. Stage three will discuss the significance of the results of stage two for a satisfactory practical theory.