In licensing ethics, the principle of doing one's duty aligns with which ethical framework?

• A. Professionalism
• B. Ethical utilitarianism
• C. Ethical relativism
• D. Ethical formalism

Answer: (D)

Doing one’s duty is a hallmark of ethical formalism, a deontological approach. In this view, the morality of an action rests on whether it follows a duty or universal rule, not on the outcomes it produces. In licensing ethics, professionals are guided by obligations such as honesty, confidentiality, and fairness, and the right action is the one that adheres to these duties regardless of potential shortcuts or consequences. Ethical formalism emphasizes acting from obligation to moral law and treating principles as universal, which lines up with the idea that true moral worth comes from doing what duty requires. The other frameworks don’t fit as neatly: utilitarianism judges actions by consequences, relativism ties ethics to cultural norms, and professionalism describes expected conduct without providing the rule-based, duty-centered rationale that formalism offers.