Ethics FAQs

What are ethics?
Ethics are the group of moral principles that ought to guide one’s behavior. These morals are
influenced by social and cultural norms and religious influences (Vaughn, 2019). Ethics are
concerned with what is good versus what is bad, what is just versus what is unjust, and what
is right versus what is wrong in terms of human conduct.
Why do ethics vary from person to person?
The reason ethics vary from person to person and from culture to culture is because of the
phenomenon of moral relativism. The main idea behind moral relativism is that, because of
cultural differences, what is ethical in one culture may be unethical in another culture
(Vaughn, 2019).
What are the key features of consequentialist theories?
For consequentialist moral theories, whether or not an action is right depends wholly on the
effects of that action or of following the rules that govern it (Vaughn, 2019). Good outcomes
make the action right; bad outcomes make the action wrong.
What are the key features of utilitarianism?
Utilitarianism is a normative theory of ethics because it is concerned with what makes a deed
a moral deed: on what sort of behavior is right or wrong and on good or bad things (Vaughn,
2019). It is also consequentialist, as defined above.
What are the key features of ethical egoism?
Unlike other theories that dictate how we should behave, ethical egoism is descriptive in the
sense that it does not necessarily tell us how we should behave and our needs (Vaughn,

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2019). Rather, it tells us why we behave the way we do. It tells us that the person who
behaves in a self-serving manner is acting morally because that is the natural way to act.
What are the differences between utilitarianism and ethical egoism?
The main difference between ethical egoism and utilitarianism is that while ethical egoism is
inward-looking and self-serving, utilitarianism is outward-looking and interested in the needs
of others. Also, while egoism is concerned with the happiness of the self, utilitarianism is
concerned with the greatest benefit for the majority.

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Reference

Vaughn, L. (2019). Doing Ethics: Moral Reasoning, Theory, and Contemporary Issues (5 th
ed.). New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.