Among the many misconceptions about ethics is the notion that they are entirely subjective and that there are no objective moral truths. While there is certainly diversity in ethical views across cultures and individuals, this doesn't mean ethics is purely relative or that we can't reason about ethical questions. Moral intuitions are not only widespread, but remarkably consistent across individuals and cultures. Even though social ethics have indeed evolved over time, the core moral precepts such as the sanctity of life, truth and peaceful coexistence have remained unchanged throughout history. The widespread nature of these intuitions suggests there may be some objective basis to ethics.

Life is a continuous journey where present decisions shape our future for generations to come. Ethics is the simplest formula that humanity has evolved to abide by, to preserve itself. In that sense, they are essential for our long-term survival as a species because all our actions have long-term consequences. While some choices may seem beneficial in the moment, they can lead to negative outcomes over time. The purpose of ethics is to guide our decision-making, ensuring that our immediate actions align with our long-term values and preserve our integrity as individuals and as a species. By considering the extended impact of our choices, ethics helps us navigate the complex interplay between short-term desires and long-term well-being, both for ourselves and for society.

Despite the universality of core ethical principles, there is certainly variations between cultures and epochs in history that we cannot ignore. Here again, we cannot remain neutral about these differences either. Instead, we must evaluate ethical frameworks for internal consistency and logical coherence. A system that leads to contradictions or absurd conclusions can be rationally critiqued based on the real-world consequences of ethical beliefs and actions. An ethical system that leads to widespread suffering could be objectively critiqued on those grounds.

Philosophers use hypothetical scenarios to test moral intuitions and reasoning. An ethical framework does not guarantee a correct answer for every question we may face. For example, the trolley problem reveals complexities in how we weigh lives and intentions.

Some argue that basic moral instincts evolved because they promoted survival and cooperation. This could provide an objective grounding for the universality of core ethical principles, but they don’t necessarily mean that the core values of those societies are necessarily alike. Different philosophical traditions and cultures often arrive at similar ethical conclusions through varied reasoning paths. This convergence may point to foundational truths about the human condition. Societies have made what many consider to be moral progress over time (e.g. abolition of slavery, universal human rights) that point to both the political progress we have made over time as well as the persistence of the elements of human nature that made unjust institutions possible in the first place. Arguably, the proclamation of universal human rights has not guaranteed access to those rights for every individual; the same way that slavery persists in many forms even to this day.

All things considered, ‘ethics’ remains an open question about how we may aspire to prevail as individuals, institutions, as communities and as humanity. Given how flawed and fallible we are, the eternal truths that inform the core ethical principles remain our best hope of surviving as a species. Given that we no longer tolerate slavery when we identify it and enjoy freedoms that many of our forefathers may not even have been able to dream of, we may even cautiously assume that we are progressing towards a far-off, wholesome ideal. But the history of humanity has never been a steady march of improvement or a linier progress towards Utopia, but one of persistence and courage in the face of constant setbacks, made possible by a collective desire to live ‘well-lived’ lives. And that is the question at the heart of ethics – how to live good and meaningful lives.