Which field studies the meaning and justification of basic moral beliefs?

• A. Normative ethics
• B. Meta-ethics
• C. Applied ethics
• D. Virtue ethics

Answer: (B)

Meta-ethics looks at what moral terms actually mean and how our moral beliefs can be justified. It asks about the status of moral properties—do terms like “good” refer to real properties in the world, or are they expressions of our attitudes or social constructs? It also questions how we can have knowledge or justification of moral claims, such as what counts as a good reason for saying something is right or wrong. This area focuses on the language of morality, the nature of moral truth, and the epistemology of moral judgment, rather than on prescribing rules or applying theories to particular situations.

Normative ethics, by contrast, is concerned with what we ought to do—principles, theories, and rules that tell us how to act. Applied ethics uses those theories to real-world issues in specific domains like medicine or business. Virtue ethics emphasizes character and flourishing rather than the truth or justification of moral claims themselves. Because the question is about the meaning of moral terms and how moral beliefs can be justified, meta-ethics is the best fit.