Ethics is a branch of philosophy that examines the moral principles or values governing human behavior. It can be divided into three distinct areas: metaethics, normative ethics, and applied ethics. Metaethics focuses on understanding the nature of ethical language and its relation to reality; normative ethics considers how one ought to act in particular situations; and applied ethics looks at specific controversial issues such as abortion, animal rights, or environmental protection.
Metaethical questions are concerned with what makes an action right or wrong. These include whether morality is subjective (relative to individual opinion) or objective (absolute), whether it is based on reason or emotion, and whether there are universal rules for determining right from wrong. This field also deals with questions about the meaning of moral terms like "good" and "evil" and whether they have any real significance outside of our own thoughts about them. In short, metaethics seeks to answer why we should be moral in the first place by examining fundamental concepts like justice, virtue, autonomy, happiness, etc., which form the basis for all other ethical systems.
Normative ethics explores how one should behave according to various theories, including utilitarianism (maximizing pleasure or minimizing pain), deontology (acting in accordance with certain duties regardless of consequences), egoism (prioritizing self-interest over others' interests), and virtue theory (cultivating good character traits through practice). These theories provide frameworks for judging right from wrong based on different criteria, such as consequence-based analysis versus rule-based analysis. They help us understand what kinds of actions may lead to desirable outcomes while avoiding undesirable ones, so that we can make better decisions in life when faced with difficult choices between competing alternatives.
Applied ethics applies these theoretical foundations directly to practical problems encountered in everyday life—eugenics programs implemented during WWII being a particularly egregious example—but more commonly involves debates over topics such as medical research using animals, capital punishment, genetic engineering, reproductive technologies like IVF treatments, organ donation policies, cloning technology development and use within society, etc. Applied ethicists often focus on resolving conflicts between two sides by exploring their underlying assumptions and reaching a consensus where possible instead of simply relying upon majority opinions and popular sentiment when making decisions concerning public policy matters related thereto accordingly.
In conclusion, ethics forms an integral part of a philosophical discourse that helps people develop meaningful perspectives regarding important social dilemmas; this discipline provides valuable insight into both normative standards for appropriate conduct and decision-making, along with providing guidance towards applicable solutions aimed at achieving desired ethical objectives.