Final answer:
Ethics are indeed a set of principles that govern the conduct of an individual or group. It involves metaethics, normative ethics, and applied ethics, each with different methods of inquiry. Diverse ethical principles can lead to different rules and moral judgments.
Step-by-step explanation:
True, ethics are a set of principles that govern the conduct of an individual or group. Ethics is a discipline rooted in philosophy that deals with the basic principles underlying moral rules. These principles serve as a guide for individuals and societies to determine what is considered good or right behavior. Philosophers have long debated various ethical theories, trying to establish moral principles that should guide both individuals and governments.
Ethics is divided into three main areas: metaethics, normative ethics, and applied ethics. Metaethics investigates the origins and meanings of ethical principles, exploring foundational questions about morality. Normative ethics proposes prescriptive rules and frameworks to live by, while applied ethics examines the application of these norms to real-life situations, which includes controversial issues like environmental policies and biomedical research.
Different ethical principles can indeed lead to different moral rules and judgments. Philosophers attempt to apply a variety of perspectives and principles, such as virtue ethics, consequentialism, and care ethics, to arrive at conclusions about moral actions.