Final answer:
Ethics is a field of philosophy that studies what is morally right and wrong. It includes metaethics, normative ethics, and applied ethics, which apply ethical principles to real-world issues like abortion and environmental ethics.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ethics is a branch of philosophy concerned with understanding what is morally good and bad, as well as what is right and wrong behavior. It is divided into three areas: metaethics, which examines the nature of morality and ethical claims; normative ethics, which investigates the set of rules that dictate proper behavior; and applied ethics, which considers ethical principles in real-world situations.
Examples of ethical concepts include the categorical imperative, which is a moral law posited by Immanuel Kant suggesting that individuals have a duty to act in ways that could be considered universal laws. Another example is consequentialism, which assesses the rightness of actions based on their outcomes or consequences. Applied ethics deals with controversial issues like abortion, environmental ethics, and business ethics, exploring the application of moral norms to specific challenges.