Definition

1. Noun:
   • A doctrine or belief system asserting that ethics and ethical principles are fundamentally valid and important: Ethicism is a philosophical position that emphasizes the significance and legitimacy of moral values and ethical reasoning in human life and thought.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • His unwavering ethicism guided all his professional decisions.
  • The philosopher's work is characterized by a strong ethicism that prioritizes moral duty over practical outcomes.

Advanced Usage

• As a critical term: In literary or cultural criticism, "ethicism" can refer to an approach that judges works primarily based on their moral message or ethical stance.
  • The reviewer's ethicism caused him to dismiss the novel for its ambiguous moral perspective.

Variants and Related Words

• Ethical (adj): Relating to moral principles or the branch of knowledge dealing with these.
  • She made an ethical choice.
• Ethicist (n): A person who specializes in or writes about ethics.
  • The ethicist was consulted on the policy dilemma.

Synonyms

• Moralism: A tendency to moralize; emphasis on moral principles.
• Principle: A fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior.

Antonyms

• Amoralism: The doctrine that morality is not applicable or is irrelevant.
• Nihilism: The rejection of all religious and moral principles, often in the belief that life is meaningless.

Related Phrases

• Ethical framework: A structured set of moral principles used for guidance.
  • The company operates within a strict ethical framework.

Noun

1. a doctrine that ethics and ethical ideas are valid and important
   • his ethicism often led him to moralize