Abstract
Ethics has been a very important subject for thinkers since ancient times. The definition of ethics, a reflection on the reasons for desiring justice and harmony and how to achieve these, will be a valuable aid in the development of this thesis. It establishes the criteria for acting freely in a convenient location and making the choice of a behavior with respect for oneself and others. The purpose of ethics is thus itself a practical activity, not to acquire knowledge, but to act with a sense of social responsibility.
Baruch Spinoza in the Ethics, published in 1677, defined the good as "what we know with certainty to be useful." Rational and intuitive knowledge is the primary way that tells us how our actions, individual and collective, create freedom for all. Thus, true joy is not a reward of virtue but virtue in itself (according to the final proposal of Ethics).
