What is Ethics?

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Ethics is a value system that helps determine what is right or wrong, good or bad. It involves reasoned principles about how we ought to treat others and conduct ourselves, especially when rules aren’t clear or when duties conflict. In a Marine context, ethics guides actions to reflect integrity, accountability, and respect for others, even when there’s no direct punishment or external oversight. It isn’t simply a personal opinion, nor is it a rulebook for punishments or a narrow code for driving safety. The idea is having a consistent framework of moral beliefs that informs how we choose to act in difficult situations.