Ethics Glossary

The branch of ethics that addresses specific, practical moral questions and dilemmas in areas such as medicine, business, technology, and the environment.

The capacity for self-governance and the right of individuals to make their own informed decisions free from external coercion or manipulation.

A subfield of applied ethics dealing with moral issues in medicine, healthcare, and biological research, including consent, end-of-life care, and genetic modification.

An ethical approach emphasizing the importance of interpersonal relationships, empathy, and responsiveness to the needs of others, particularly those who are vulnerable or dependent.

Kant's supreme moral principle requiring actions to be universalizable and demanding that persons be treated as ends, never merely as means.

A family of ethical theories that evaluate the morality of actions based solely on their outcomes or consequences.

An ethical approach that grounds morality in duties, rules, and obligations rather than consequences, most associated with Immanuel Kant.

A principle holding that causing harm as a foreseen but unintended side effect of an action may be morally permissible, even if causing the same harm intentionally would not be.

A metaethical theory holding that moral statements do not express objective truths but rather express the speaker's emotional attitudes of approval or disapproval.

The view that there are multiple, irreducible moral values and principles that may legitimately conflict, requiring practical wisdom to navigate trade-offs.

The branch of philosophy concerned with systematically examining moral principles, values, and standards of right and wrong conduct.

An Aristotelian concept meaning human flourishing or living well, achieved through virtuous activity and the realization of one's highest potential.

The principle that individuals must be provided with adequate information and give voluntary agreement before participating in medical treatment, research, or other activities that affect them.

The branch of ethics that investigates the nature, origin, and meaning of moral concepts, including whether objective moral truths exist.

The belief that certain actions are intrinsically right or wrong, and that universal moral standards apply to all people regardless of context or culture.

The capacity to make moral judgments, distinguish right from wrong, and bear responsibility for one's actions.

The metaethical position that objective moral facts exist independently of human beliefs, opinions, or cultural practices.

The view that moral standards are not universal but are shaped by and relative to particular cultures, societies, or individuals.

The set of beliefs, principles, and practices that a person or society holds regarding what is right and wrong, good and bad.

An ethical framework asserting that moral standards are grounded in human nature and can be discovered through reason, with roots in Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas.

The branch of ethics concerned with establishing standards and principles for evaluating right and wrong behavior.

A theoretical agreement among individuals to form a society and abide by shared rules for mutual benefit, providing the foundation for political authority and moral obligation.

A consequentialist theory that judges the morality of actions by their ability to maximize overall happiness or well-being for the greatest number.

John Rawls' thought experiment in which individuals choose principles of justice without knowing their own social position, ensuring that the resulting principles are fair and impartial.

An ethical framework focused on developing moral character traits (virtues) as the basis for right action and human flourishing.