First published in 1999, this work tests the ancient against the modern in discussing whether modern approaches to ethics remain sufficiently able to provide a serious and justifiable account of morality. Marjaana Kopperi explores ancient, medieval and enlightenment philosophy to compare their notion of moral agents and 'the good life' with the more action-based notions of modern philosophy. Kopperi aims to examine how the promoters of agent-based ethical views deal with questions of what constitutes a good life and whether it can or should be quantified or justified.