Final answer:
Ethics are the moral principles by which we live and work, shaped by cultural norms and influenced by various approaches including consequentialism, care ethics, and Kant's categorical imperative.
Step-by-step explanation:
The moral principles by which you live and work are called ethics. Ethics is a discipline that seeks to define what is good and right, providing a framework for moral behavior. It deals with fundamental principles that are used to formulate moral rules. When faced with moral decisions, individuals reference their own set of ethics, which can be influenced by laws, values, religious beliefs, customs, and cultural norms. The study of ethics includes approaches such as consequentialism, which evaluates the morality of an action based on its outcomes, and care ethics, which emphasizes the importance of relationships and individual situations. Additionally, the categorical imperative, a concept introduced by philosopher Immanuel Kant, serves as a rational moral law that individuals must follow.
As a social phenomenon, morality emerges from the interactions within a society and the mutual behaviors that are deemed necessary for coexistence. Moral theories evolve to address the varying foundational bases which can include nature, society, traditions, and individual moral reasoning. Through this, ethics provides a structured pathway to align one's actions and choices with the core values of the human community.