What is the primary aim of applied ethics?

• A. Search for moral standards
• B. Study of moral meaning
• C. Use of moral norms to resolve moral issues
• D. Development of legal rules

Answer: (C)

Applied ethics is about taking moral norms and turning them into guidance for real-world situations. The main aim is to apply normative ethical theories to concrete issues, evaluate options against established moral standards, and justify what ought to be done in practice. This makes it possible to address dilemmas in medicine, business, technology, and public policy with reasoned, action-oriented conclusions. By contrast, searching for moral standards or studying moral meaning refer to normative or metaethical questions about what morality is or what it requires in general, not how to decide in specific cases. Developing legal rules belongs to law, even though ethical reasoning can inform policy. So, using moral norms to resolve moral issues best captures the focus of applied ethics.