Which ethical framework studies the source and justification of ethical statements as a whole?

Which ethical framework studies the source and justification of ethical statements as a whole?

• A. Meta Ethics
• B. Epistemology
• C. Normative Ethics
• D. Descriptive Ethics

Answer: (A)

Metaethics focuses on the nature of ethical language and claims—the source of moral judgments and what justifies them. It asks what moral terms like “good” or “wrong” refer to, whether moral truths exist, and what would count as a proper justification for a moral statement. This makes it the best fit for examining where ethical statements come from and how they can be supported, rather than prescribing actions (normative ethics) or describing how people actually think or behave (descriptive ethics). Epistemology deals with knowledge in general, which overlaps with moral justification but does not center specifically on the meaning and grounding of ethical claims like metaethics does.

Metaethics focuses on the nature of ethical language and claims—the source of moral judgments and what justifies them. It asks what moral terms like “good” or “wrong” refer to, whether moral truths exist, and what would count as a proper justification for a moral statement. This makes it the best fit for examining where ethical statements come from and how they can be supported, rather than prescribing actions (normative ethics) or describing how people actually think or behave (descriptive ethics). Epistemology deals with knowledge in general, which overlaps with moral justification but does not center specifically on the meaning and grounding of ethical claims like metaethics does.