Legal Definitions - ethical absolutism

Definition: Ethical absolutism, also known as moral absolutism, is the belief that an action is either right or wrong, regardless of the situation or the consequences. It is also known as objective ethics because it holds that moral principles are universal and apply to everyone.

Examples: A common example of ethical absolutism is the belief that killing is always wrong, regardless of the circumstances. Another example is the belief that lying is always wrong, even if it is to protect someone from harm.

These examples illustrate how ethical absolutism holds that certain actions are inherently right or wrong, regardless of the context. It does not take into account the consequences of an action or the intentions behind it. For example, in the case of killing, ethical absolutism would hold that it is always wrong, even if it is done in self-defense or to protect others.