Introduction to Ethics

Ethics

Ethics

Branch of Philosophy that investigates and questions the nature of human actions and their moral claims.

Ethos

Greek word meaning ‘customs’, ‘usage’, ‘characteristic’ from which the term ethics is derived.

Acts of Human

Processes that occur naturally in the body without conscious decision-making and are neither right nor wrong.

Human Acts

Actions that require choice, responsibility, and conscience, which can be classified as right or wrong.

Aesthetic Valuations

Considerations related to beauty and taste that do not necessarily translate into ethical or moral value.

Technical Valuations

Assessments of the correct method of performing tasks that may not align with ethical considerations.

Moral Valuation

Evaluations concerning human actions that impact well-being and life, including serious issues like war and poverty.

Normative Ethics

Evaluative approach that formulates principles and standards to guide human conduct and moral life.

Non-Normative Ethics

Non-evaluative approach that describes actions and practices without categorizing them as right or wrong.

Descriptive Ethics

A branch of non-normative ethics that reports on moral behavior and beliefs through description and explanation.

Metaethics

Analyzes the language and structure of ethical reasoning, questioning the meaning of terms like ‘ought’ and ‘good’.