Which ethical stance claims that morality is shaped by group values and individual circumstances?

• A. Ethical Formalism
• B. Ethical Utilitarianism
• C. Professionalism
• D. Ethical relativism

Answer: (D)

Morality shaped by group values and individual circumstances is ethical relativism. This view holds that there are no universal moral rules that apply in every situation; what is considered right or wrong depends on the norms of a culture, a community, or the particular context a person faces. Proponents argue that different groups live under different pressures, histories, and priorities, so they develop their own standards. As a result, an action seen as ethical in one setting might be judged differently in another, and both judgments can be seen as valid within their respective contexts. This stands in contrast to ethical formalism, which upholds universal duties that apply regardless of situation, and utilitarianism, which evaluate actions by their overall consequences for welfare. Professionalism, meanwhile, pertains to expected conduct within a professional field rather than a moral theory about how morality itself is determined.