Quote by Zera Yacob: “To do good is natural; to do evil is against our nature.”

Zera Yacob believed that humanity is naturally inclined towards goodness, and that acting badly goes against our true selves. He saw morality as something inherent and discoverable through reason.

Zera Yacob developed an ethical system based on natural law, derived through reason. He posited that humans have an innate moral compass, and actions contrary to it are deviations from their true essence.

Ethiopian philosopher of the seventeenth century whose Hatata — written around 1667 — presented a rational, empirical philosophy of ethics and religion independent of any European Enlightenment influence. He is considered one of the first African rationalist philosophers and remains under-read in Western philosophy curricula.