Final answer:
The question, 'What makes things right or wrong?' pertains to the nature of morality and ethics in philosophical terms. The answer relates to fields such as normative ethics, which sets criteria for moral behavior, and metaethics, which questions the foundations of moral beliefs.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertaining to the nature of morality and ethics asks: What makes things right or wrong? This is a fundamental inquiry in philosophy, particularly in the fields of ethics and metaethics, which seek to understand the principles and foundations of moral behavior and judgments.
In ethical philosophy, various theories attempt to explain the origins of morality. Some suggest that morality is tied to an individual’s conscience, an inner sense of right and wrong, while others argue for an objective moral reality connected to human nature and fulfillment.
Questions of morality also lead to the exploration of human motivation, asking what compels individuals towards ethical behavior. Religious faith, societal rules, law, and rational thought are among the different foundations upon which moral values can be built. Additionally, normative ethics focuses on outlining criteria for determining moral conduct, with key approaches including consequentialism, deontological ethics, and virtue ethics.
Metaethics goes a step further to analyze the presuppositions underlying our moral beliefs and the potential existence of objective moral facts.