This is the theory of duties, obligations and responsibilities. There is a “right way” and people are required to act the right way.

Teleology, conversely, says that the actions or end-product must be ethical and moral, and the means are less important.

Utilitarianism strives for the greatest overall benefit for a society. It views society as a whole and not individuals.

This theory suggests that the most ethical course of action is relative and depends on the situations at the moment of choice.

Ethics related to values and virtues are based on sets of criteria defined by ourselves, our culture and policies around us.

Legality, an applied ethics in our society, describes following certain rules set by governing bodies of a society.

Following policies and codes set by the government of the organization can be ways of defining “right” and “wrong”.

This ethical theory suggests that telling the truth and quality of a person’s character are the foremost ethical values.

Ethics of equality believe that all invested in the ethical decision are equal and deserve equal treatment.

Like equality, justice seeks to equalize society to allocate the positive and negative of decisions of society among individuals.

Having rights suggests that there is an entitlement of an individual which cannot be interfered with by others.

Much like deontology, Kantian ethics suggest that there is a “categorical imperative” to do the right thing and that there is a right thing.

Many aspects of modern morals and ethics reside in doctrine and belief in religious principles.

Decisions made by conscience are often vague and vary based on a person’s values. This ethic asks, “Could I live with myself?”

Similar to conscience and legality, decisions based on the possibility of public scrutiny vary based on the culture at the time.