finibus

Finibus is a Latin term whose basic meaning is “ends, boundaries, or purposes.” In Latin, finibus is the ablative plural form of finis, and in philosophical writing it is commonly used to denote the ultimate ends or goals toward which actions are directed. The word has contributed the English concept of “the ends” or teleology in discussions of ethics and motivation.

The term is prominently associated with the classical work De Finibus Bonorum et Malorum (On the Ends of Goods and Evils) by Marcus Tullius Cicero, written around 45 BCE. The treatise surveys major ethical theories of the time, presenting dialogues that examine what constitutes the highest good and the ends that different schools of thought prize. The work engages with Epicurean and Stoic perspectives and explores how various ends shape moral virtue, happiness, and political life. It remains a central source for understanding Roman ethical theory and Cicero’s influence on later philosophical discourse.

Influence of the De Finibus extends beyond antiquity. It informed medieval and early modern debates on natural law, virtue, and the nature of the good, and it helped shape subsequent Western thought about goals and motivation. In modern culture, the Latin title and concept of finibus appear in discussions of teleology and value theory. Notably, a widely known filler text used in printing, Lorem ipsum, is derived from a scrambled excerpt of De Finibus Bonorum et Malorum, illustrating how the work has permeated broader cultural contexts. See also De Finibus Bonorum et Malorum; finis; telos.