Research subject Normative Ethics

Normative ethics seeks to answer the question of what is good or bad, how we should live, and how we should act, given that our decisions inevitably affect others for better or worse.

There are many different views about what morality requires from people. Some argue that actions that bring about the best consequences are morally required. Others, in contrast, maintain that we have duties which constrain our pursuit of the greater good. Yet another school of thought emphasises the centrality of individual character in morality. Normative ethics involves the development and assessment of theories such as these. Because of this, it provides the foundation for critical reflection on our social practices and the tools for improving them.