Knowra Ethics Ethics Ethics is the systematic study and evaluation of principles governing right and wrong conduct. It examines how people ought to act and what makes actions, character, and institutions good or just.
Normative ethics : The branch of ethics that develops general standards for right action and good character. It formulates the standards that ethical inquiry evaluates.
Consequentialism : The family of ethical theories that evaluates actions by their consequences. It judges conduct by the outcomes ethical choices produce.
Socrates : An ancient Greek philosopher known for questioning assumptions about virtue and the good life. His questioning made ethical self-examination central to philosophy.
Bioethics : The study of ethical questions arising in medicine, biology, and healthcare. It applies ethical reasoning to treatment, research, and bodily autonomy.
Moral relativism : The view that moral judgments or principles depend on cultural or individual frameworks. It challenges the idea that ethical standards apply universally.
Metaethics : The branch of ethics that examines the meaning, foundations, and status of moral claims. It asks what ethical judgments mean and whether they can be true.
Deontology : The family of ethical theories that grounds duties in rules, rights, or obligations. It treats some duties as binding apart from their consequences.
Aristotle : An ancient Greek philosopher whose works systematized inquiry into virtue, character, and human flourishing. His account of virtue remains a major foundation for ethical theory.
Environmental ethics : The study of moral duties toward animals, ecosystems, and the natural environment. It asks which beings and systems deserve moral consideration.
Moral nihilism : The view that objective moral facts or values do not exist. It questions whether ethical claims describe any objective truths.
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