What is ethics?

• A. Set of principles to guide right from wrong
• B. Set of rules to follow
• C. A law code
• D. Personal beliefs

Answer: (A)

Ethics is a framework of moral principles that guide decisions about right and wrong and how to act toward others. It goes beyond simply following a set of rules or a law code because it provides reasoned justification for why certain actions are right or wrong, not just obedience. Personal beliefs vary from person to person, but ethics seeks standards that can be discussed and applied within a professional or societal context. In healthcare and professional practice, ethics helps navigate duties like respecting patient autonomy, protecting confidentiality, and balancing beneficence with nonmaleficence. Because it centers on principled reasoning about what should be done, rather than merely following rules or personal opinions, the description of ethics as a set of principles to guide right from wrong is the most accurate.