There’s different ways that we can think about ethics, in terms of the particular thinkers, traditions and approaches we can take to problems and issues.

For example, ethics can take a look at practical applications, such as whether or not something is right or wrong. In addition, there’s the theoretical frameworks approach called normative ethics. This is where rules or principles apply to how you behave in an ethical manner, and it can rely on understanding certain theories, such as the consequentialist approach of utilitarianism, or duty-based, deontological theories, or virtue ethics. There’s other kinds such as intuitionism and emotivism, or investigating the concept of cultural relativity.

Whatever the approach you take to certain problems is, in many cases you can see that there’s underlying ideas and theories that might influence the final decision or action… even if you aren’t aware of it.