Ethics is defined as which of the following?

• A. The principles of right and wrong that guide decisions
• B. A set of laws
• C. A religious code
• D. The outcomes of ethical theories

Answer: (A)

Ethics is about the principles of right and wrong that guide decisions. It asks what people ought to do and why, focusing on moral duties and values rather than just legal requirements. While laws regulate behavior, ethics considers what should be done even when the law doesn’t dictate it or when following the law would violate moral beliefs. A religious code is one possible source of ethical guidance, but ethics itself encompasses secular frameworks as well. The outcomes of ethical theories are the conclusions reached after applying a framework to a situation; that is a result of ethical reasoning, not the definition of ethics. So the best fit is the idea that ethics are the principles of right and wrong guiding decisions.