What is Ethics?

Ethics, derived from the Greek word 'ethos' meaning custom or character, is a branch of philosophy that examines the rightness or wrongness of human actions. It seeks to understand how humans ought to act and defines right conduct and the good life. However, there's no single, absolute definition of ethics due to its constant evolution based on socio-cultural and political contexts.

In the Greek tradition, ethics focused on the concept of the good life and the nature of happiness, as exemplified by Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics. Centuries later, the Judeo-Christian tradition introduced a different orientation, emphasizing righteousness before God and the love of God and neighbor over a happy or pleasant life. Reconciling these views presents a challenge in defining the relationship between doing right and being happy.

While often used interchangeably, ethics and morality are distinct. Ethics is the theory of right action and the greater good, undertaking a systematic study of the underlying principles of morality. Morality, on the other hand, is prescriptive, telling us what we ought to do and guiding actions by reason, aiming to achieve peaceful and satisfying coexistence. Essentially, ethics is the science of morals, while morality is the practice of ethics.

Ethical inquiry is broadly divided into three types. Normative ethics is prescriptive, setting norms or standards for right and wrong conduct. It involves articulating good habits, duties, or the consequences of behavior, and develops theories on how we ought to behave, such as Immanuel Kant's claim that an act is morally right if done for the sake of duty.

Metaethics is descriptive and analytical, focusing on the nature and dynamics of ethical principles. It questions the meanings of ethical terms, the nature and origin of moral facts, and how moral beliefs are acquired. While normative ethics urges us to do good, metaethics asks 'what is good?' For instance, Plato's inquiry into 'why should I be moral?' is an example of metaethics.

Applied ethics is the practical application of ethical theories to resolve moral problems in specific situations. Casuists, who adhere to applied ethics, address individual moral issues like abortion or euthanasia and offer guidance. This field is further specialized into areas like business ethics, biomedical and environmental ethics, and social ethics.

The differences between these three types of ethics can be illustrated by a police officer shooting a terrorist to prevent a bombing. Metaethics might deem the act wrong as killing is intrinsically wrong. Normative ethics, however, might consider it the right thing to do to save many lives. Applied ethics (casuists) would view the officer as fulfilling their duty to protect innocent lives.