Final answer:
Ignorance is the lack of knowledge and skills in ethical reasoning. It does not excuse unethical behavior, and individuals are still morally responsible for unintended harmful consequences. Different ethical theories have varying approaches to the role of consequences in moral assessment.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ignorance is the lack of knowledge and skills in ethical reasoning, which can lead to incorrect moral actions or decisions. In ethics, ignorance refers to the absence of reasons or evidence on which a belief or decision is based. It is important to recognize that ignorance does not excuse unethical behavior; individuals are still morally responsible for the unintended harmful consequences of their actions, even if they believed those outcomes wouldn't happen. For example, utilitarianism, a moral theory that assesses the rightness of an action based on its consequences, does not consider an agent's intent or character as morally relevant factors. Only the scope of the consequences is taken into account. On the other hand, in a 'Deontological' system of ethics, the consequences of an action are generally irrelevant to moral assessment. Morality comes from a rational agent's recognition of its duties toward others, which can be grounded in divine revelation or objective rational principles. In practice, it can be challenging to determine our actual duty in a situation, and sometimes the best we can do is make an informed decision using the information available to us. This uncertainty can be an important part of the moral experience for pluralists, who recognize that moral life often presents complex and conflicting choices.