Final answer:
Ethical standards dictate that people act with a holistic understanding of legal, professional, and contextual factors, balancing personal and others' interests, as well as considering the consequences of their actions.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to ethical standards, people should act in a manner consistent with a combination of understanding of legal authority, professional responsibilities, and careful consideration of the facts of the situation. This implies that ethical action takes into account not just individual interests, or the interest of others, but a broader understanding of one's duties and the context in which one is operating. Ethical decision-making often balances self-interest with the well-being of others, a concept reflected in theories such as care ethics and the utilitarian aspect of consequentialism, which considers the outcomes of one's actions.
Furthermore, ethical frameworks such as Kant's categorical imperative and Confucianism, emphasize the development of individual character and duty to moral laws. The debate in ethics also considers altruism and its role in moral actions, with some arguing that only selfless care for others constitutes moral behavior, while others acknowledge that self-interest can also lead to ethical outcomes. This is seen in environmental ethics, where human desire for self-preservation can lead to moral obligations to reduce pollution and create sustainable practices.