Final answer:
Ethics incorporate both individual values and societal norms, so the statement is generally true. Ethics involves acting according to moral principles that can be influenced by both personal conscience and societal rules. The study of metaethics explores the foundations of these moral principles.
Step-by-step explanation:
A person's ethics are believed to be based on their individual values and morals, as well as on the values and morals set by society. This statement is largely true because ethics involves understanding the basic principles of moral conduct and acting in accordance with those principles, which may be informed both by personal belief systems and societal norms.
Morality vs. Ethics
Morality refers to a social phenomenon regarding how we behave toward one another, particularly in a societal context. On the other hand, Ethics is more concerned with the principles that govern conduct and can involve both personal and societal values. For instance, while some moral proponents argue for an objective stance on moral facts, moral skeptics view morals as subjective and varying across different perspectives.
Meta Ethics
In the domain of metaethics, debates arise about whether values are based on objective reality or subjective experiences. Some ethical theories also highlight the role of conscience and virtue ethics as foundational to ethical reasoning.
Ultimately, factoring in pluralism and relativism is essential as ethical issues often reflect disparate moral beliefs, which are historically and culturally contingent. Therefore, assessing ethics includes recognizing the breadth and complexity of human values in a social and personal context.