How do values influence ethical decision-making?

Values play a crucial role in ethical decision-making because they establish a framework for evaluating choices. When individuals are faced with ethical dilemmas, their values serve as guiding principles that help them assess various options and their potential consequences. This framework shapes how one prioritizes different factors, such as fairness, integrity, and respect for others.

For instance, if a person values honesty, they may be more inclined to choose a course of action that maintains their integrity, even at a personal cost. In this way, values not only influence what options are considered but also dictate the criteria by which those options are judged. The clarity and consistency that values provide can facilitate more informed and responsible decision-making.

While the other options address aspects of decision-making, they do not capture the central role values play in structuring and guiding ethical choices. Complication, bias, or intuition may be components of the process, but they do not fundamentally define how values aid in ethical evaluations.