Thinking+about+ethics

There are various ways that a person can approach the question: '**How do we know what is right and what is wrong?**' **(Ethics).** Some of these include:

1. **'Society says'** (**moral relativism)**. This approach says that our **values** (what we hold as being very important) are shaped and determined by the **society** we grow up in. So, what we think is the right thing to do in regards to, say, punishment for killing another person, may vary from society to society. People will therefore disagree about the ethics behind such a decision.



2. **'Try to please everyone'.** This approach says that people should make moral decisions that bring the greatest happiness to the greatest amount of people. 3. ** Everyone can be morally 'good' **. People are all capable of making morally correct decisions and can learn by following the examples of other, virtuous people. ([|Socrates], a famous ancient Greek philosopher, proposed this idea.) One of his famous sayings was "I only know that I know nothing."



4. **Behave in the way your religion says is correct**. Your God, spiritual path,or sacred scriptures determine the morally correct way to think and behave.


 * Try applying each of these approaches to one of the issues found on the home page.**