# Basics

Ethical theories are split into three general areas: meta-ethics, normative ethics, and applied ethics.

• Ethical Principles
  • Beneficence: Do good to someone or a group.
  • Least Harm: Do not harm people.
  • Respect for Autonomy: Let people make their own choices.
  • Justice: People receive what they deserve in a sense.
• Ethical Theories:
  • Deontological: Uses a set of rules to distinguish right from wrong. For example, "Don't lie. Don't steal. Don't cheat".
  • Utilitarian: Has the concept of a utility function, which may depend on the situation. Your goal is to maximize the utility function.
  • Rights: List of rights people have universally. You judge the ethics of a situation based on whether it respects or infringes on these rights.
  • Virtues: You think about about what a virtuous person would do.

Here are some frameworks for making decisions:

• Consequentialist: Consider future effects.
• Duty: Duties and obligations of situation.
• Virtue: Consider character traits that motivate us.