GE ETH - ETHICS
Ethics is the study of human actions in relation to right and wrong, guiding people to make responsible decisions in personal, social, and professional life. It has three main branches: meta-ethics, which explores the meaning of moral concepts; normative ethics, which provides standards of right and wrong through theories like virtue ethics, deontology, and utilitarianism; and applied ethics, which addresses real-life issues such as justice, environment, business, and technology. Key ideas include moral responsibility, the role of the moral agent, and the distinction between law and morality. Thinkers like Aristotle, Kant, and Aquinas shaped ethical thought by emphasizing virtue, duty, and natural law. In the modern world, ethics helps tackle problems like inequality, climate change, and bioethical concerns, while upholding universal principles such as respect for human dignity, justice, compassion, responsibility, and integrity.