Final answer:
The distinction between right and wrong is addressed within ethics through consequentialism, deontology, and virtue ethics, as well as an understanding of our innate moral faculties and the impact of our experiences. Consequentialism bases morality on the outcomes of actions, deontology on adherence to duties, and virtue ethics on the character of the person.
Step-by-step explanation:
Establishing the distinction between right and wrong is a central concern in the field of ethics. Various philosophical backgrounds have proposed different criteria for this determination through consequentialist, deontological, and virtue ethical theories. Consequentialism measures the morality of an action by its outcomes, suggesting an action is right if it produces the greatest good for the greatest number. On the other hand, deontology based on duty, asserts that an action is right if it adheres to a set of rules or duties, such as "it is always wrong to lie." Meanwhile, virtue ethics emphasize the importance of character, arguing that right action flows from right character, and focuses on the cultivation of moral virtues.
Diving further into the nature of moral judgments, studies in neuro ethics reveal that we possess an innate moral faculty that is shaped by evolutionary pressures and societal influences. This underlying psychological aspect suggests that our intuitive judgments of right and wrong are shared human traits. Moreover, Kohlberg's theory of moral development highlights that lived experiences and pivotal life events can shape an individual's moral beliefs and decisions, pushing them beyond conventional ethical frameworks.
Finally, there is the concept of telos, where actions are evaluated against their ability to fulfill a certain goal or purpose. This view allows for objective moral reasoning, distinguishing actions as good, bad, or neutral based on their alignment with a predefined objective. Issues like resolving conflicts between duties and the relationship between divine command and ethics also underlie the study of normative ethics.