Philosophy Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! === Ethics === {{Main|Ethics}} [[File:JohnStuartMill.jpg|thumb|alt=Drawing of John Stuart Mill|"The utilitarian doctrine is, that happiness is desirable, and the only thing desirable, as an end; all other things being only desirable as means to that end." β [[John Stuart Mill]], ''[[Utilitarianism (book)|Utilitarianism]]'' (1863){{sfn|Mill|1863|p=[https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Utilitarianism/Chapter_4 51]}}]] Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, studies what constitutes right [[Action (philosophy)|conduct]]. It is also concerned with the moral [[values (philosophy)|evaluation]] of character traits and institutions. It explores what the standards of [[morality]] are and how to live a good life.<ref>{{multiref |1={{harvnb|Audi|2006|pp=325β326}} |2={{harvnb|Nagel|2006|pp=379β380}} |3={{harvnb|Lambert|2023|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=gNytEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT26 26]}} }}</ref> Philosophical ethics addresses such basic questions as "Are moral obligations relative?"; "Which has priority: well-being or obligation?"; and "What gives life meaning?"{{sfn|Mulvaney|2009|pp=viiβxi}} The main branches of ethics are [[meta-ethics]], [[normative ethics]], and [[applied ethics]].<ref>{{multiref |1={{harvnb|Dittmer|loc=1. Applied Ethics as Distinct from Normative Ethics and Metaethics}} |2={{harvnb|Jeanes|2019|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=BNUBEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT66 66]}} |3={{harvnb|Nagel|2006|pp=379β380}} }}</ref> Meta-ethics asks abstract questions about the nature and sources of morality. It analyzes the meaning of ethical concepts, like ''right action'' and ''[[obligation]]''. It also investigates whether ethical theories can be [[Moral relativism|true in an absolute sense]] and how to acquire knowledge of them.<ref>{{multiref |1={{harvnb|Dittmer|loc=1. Applied Ethics as Distinct from Normative Ethics and Metaethics}} |2={{harvnb|Jeanes|2019|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=BNUBEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT66 66]}} |3={{harvnb|Nagel|2006|pp=390β391}} |4={{harvnb|Sayre-McCord|2023|loc=Lead Section}} }}</ref> Normative ethics encompasses general theories of how to distinguish between right and wrong conduct. It helps guide moral decisions by examining what moral obligations and rights people have. Applied ethics studies the consequences of the general theories developed by normative ethics in specific situations, for example, in the workplace or for medical treatments.<ref>{{multiref |1={{harvnb|Dittmer|loc=1. Applied Ethics as Distinct from Normative Ethics and Metaethics}} |2={{harvnb|Barsky|2009|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=jqIzhD2lzj0C&pg=PA3 3]}} |3={{harvnb|Jeanes|2019|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=BNUBEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT66 66]}} |4={{harvnb|Nagel|2006|pp=379β380, 390β391}} }}</ref> Within contemporary normative ethics, consequentialism, [[deontology]], and [[virtue ethics]] are influential schools of thought.<ref>{{multiref |1={{harvnb|Dittmer|loc=1. Applied Ethics as Distinct from Normative Ethics and Metaethics}} |2={{harvnb|Nagel|2006|pp=382, 386β388}} }}</ref> ''Consequentialists'' judge actions based on their consequences. One such view is [[utilitarianism]], which argues that actions should increase overall happiness while minimizing suffering. ''Deontologists'' judge actions based on whether they follow moral duties, such as abstaining from lying or killing. According to them, what matters is that actions are in tune with those duties and not what consequences they have. ''Virtue theorists'' judge actions based on how the moral character of the agent is expressed. According to this view, actions should conform to what an ideally virtuous agent would do by manifesting virtues like [[generosity]] and [[honesty]].<ref>{{multiref |1={{harvnb|Dittmer|loc=1. Applied Ethics as Distinct from Normative Ethics and Metaethics}} |2={{harvnb|Nagel|2006|pp=382, 386β388}} |3={{harvnb|Hursthouse|Pettigrove|2022|loc=1.2 Practical Wisdom}} }}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page