This article deals with the philosophical and ethical views of scientists of the new epoch, who expressed their ideas on morality and contributed to the development of the science of ethics.

Scientific Method and Methodology

This theme was studied on the basis of general philosophical methods of scientific analysis: a dialectical, historical-logical, ethical-functional, objective-structural, systems approach and so on.

Objective

The task of the work is to identify, reveal and show important aspects of the ethical views of the new period of world history.

In the new period (XVII-XIX) French scientists-educators Voltaire (1694-1778), Montesquieu (1689- 1755), Rousseau (1712- 1778), Diderot (1713-1784), Lamettrie (1709-1751), Holbach (1723- 1789), Helvetius (1715-1771) and others made a valuable contribution to the development of ethics. They fought for human happiness with their ideas and emphasized that freedom is connected with wisdom, education and kindness; for the betterment of life, material goods should be equally distributed among the members of society. French thinkers consider the protection of people’s interests as an indicator of morals.

Claude Adrian Helvetius (XVIII) is the ideologist of the French bourgeois revolution. In his works "On wisdom" and "On the intellectual abilities and upbringing of man", he writes that virtue is the pursuit of happiness, a kindness that is connected with the common benefit is justice - the basis of human life and society. Therefore, the state should legitimize justice; the policy aimed at human happiness serves morals.

Paul Henri Holbach (XVIII) is also an ideologist of the French bourgeois revolution. In his works "The basis of universal morality", and "Social system", he notes that man and his needs are the basis of morality. According to Holbach, wisdom, strength, justice, and beneficial activity are the characteristics of morality; education, training, the introduction of fair laws, and the creation of better living conditions are the features of a just society; the strength and morality of a person develop along with his knowledge.

Holbach's works were directed against the exploitation of the feudal-religious and capitalist systems. Holbach's ideas further became the basis of utopian socialism. 

Thomas Hobbes (XVI-XVII) is an English thinker. In his moral views, he looks at the inner world of man and considers dignity and respect to be priceless. According to Hobbes, morality is a complex of true relationships that have been established for the benefit of people. He wrote in his work "Leviathan" that the task of the state is to guarantee the well-being of citizens and protect their rights.

Benedict Spinoza (XVII) is a Dutch philosopher and the author of the works "Ethics", "Political thesis" and "Theological-political thesis". In his moral opinions, Spinoza talks about the personal rights of man and sees the role of the state in providing the freedom and safety of people.

The representatives of German classical philosophy I. Kant, F. Hegel and L. Feuerbach also expressed their opinions on ethics.

Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) is a German philosopher, naturalist and cosmologist. In his works "Critique of pure reason" and "Critique of practical reason", Kant conducted research on knowledge (epistemology), ethics and aesthetics. He defined the nature of human morality as autonomous, and independent. According to Kant, mind and science should serve the improvement of social life; freedom of humans and the development of society can be achieved through the learning of science; morality is one of the branches of freedom, whose will depends on the person; ethics teaches not the way to achieve happiness, but the way to be worthy of happiness; moral is not given to man by nature, but it appears as a result of the elimination of selfishness in man; as a result of moral development, man succeeds in spiritual eternity.

Friedrich Hegel (1770 - 1831) made his contribution to the development of dialectics; in the field of philosophy, he wrote works like "Phenomenology of Spirit", "Philosophy of nature", "Philosophy of religion", "Philosophy of art", and others. Hegel also contributed to the advancement of ethics. He was the first to define morals and ethics as separate concepts. In his philosophy, Hegel sees internal contradictions as the cause of development. He teaches that morality is the relationship between the family, society and the state, the objective development of morality depends on political, economic, social and religious relations; morality is the driving force of society; liberty is a recognized historical necessity, personal independence depends on from the state; for man, his personal life is invaluable; moral is internal self-government of a person, which is aimed at the fulfillment of obligations and kind deeds; morality is a branch of true freedom, through which a person can strive for virtue and honesty.

Hegel considers the family, civil society and the state to be the place of origin and development of morals. He also expressed his views on the importance of marriage and family.

Ludwig Feuerbach (1804-1842) wrote the works "Essence of Christianity" and "Fundamentals of future philosophy" on philosophy. He pays attention to the self-knowledge of man.  Analyzing moral issues, Feuerbach notes that the pursuit of happiness is the main driving force of man, and it is possible only as a result of the unity and friendship of people.

Thinkers of the new epoch, Thomas Jefferson, Saint-Simon, Charles Fourier, Robert Owen and Thomas Paine also expressed their views on morals. 

Thus, in the new era, the science of ethics has developed independently of different forms of morality, and as in previous times, its basis was humanism. Thinkers reflected the goal, dreams and pain of the people in the moral sphere. They created theories of legal and civil societies which serves for benefit and happiness of the people. Ethical point of view of the new epoch have scientific and practical significance; based on these ideas ethical ideas were advanced in the latest and modern periods of history.