HL.c.8—Three ethical approaches

Distinguish three ethical approaches.

Virtue ethics judges character, consequentialism judges outcomes, and rights-based ethics judges respect for rights or duties.

A wetland decision might ask whether officials act responsibly, which option produces least harm, or whether a community’s rights are violated.

Use the question each framework asks: who are we, what results follow, and what must not be done?

Key idea: Distinguish three ethical approaches.

These approaches can reach different conclusions from the same facts.