Final answer:
The three main types of codes of ethics are corporate codes, which apply within corporations; professional codes, which are followed by members of professional organizations; and government/public service codes, which direct individuals in the public sector.
Step-by-step explanation:
The three main categories (or types) of codes of ethics are:
- Corporate codes, which pertain to the ethical conduct within corporations.
- Professional codes, which apply to members of professional organizations such as IEEE-CS for engineers.
- Government/public service codes, which guide the conduct of individuals in the public sector.
These codes of ethics serve to guide behavior and decisions, helping to maintain professionalism and ethical standards within various entities and fields. Organizations like the IEEE-CS have adopted their own professional codes, for instance, the Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice which outlines the ethical responsibilities of software engineers to ensure the safety and quality of human life are not compromised by the software they approve. The American Sociological Association also provides a Code of Ethics as a reference for sociologists. Such codes tie into larger questions of morality which are examined in the realms of metaethics, normative ethics, and applied ethics, where metaethics looks at the origins and meaning of moral values, while applied ethics deals with the practical implications of ethical theories on current controversial issues.