Ethics

High school (ages 12+)
Philosophy & Big Questions

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/ethics

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the theoretical branches?Encompasses normative ethics, applied ethics, and metaethics, each with distinct methodologies
2. What is the influential theories?Includes consequentialism (outcomes), deontology (duties), and virtue ethics (character)
3. What is ethics and why is it important?Ethics is the study of what is right and wrong. It helps people make good choices and keeps society fair and safe.
4. How did people in ancient times think about right and wrong?In Egypt, India, China, and Greece, early cultures created rules for good living and harmony. Greek thinkers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle studied virtue and justice.

Metaethics: The branch of ethics that examines the nature, foundations, and scope of moral concepts.
Consequentialism: Ethical theories that judge the morality of an action based on its outcomes or consequences.
Deontology: Ethical theories that emphasize duties, rules, and obligations as the basis for moral action.
Virtue Ethics: An ethical approach that focuses on the character of the moral agent and the cultivation of virtues.