One reason for disparate ethical decisions is because people use different ethical systems in reaching decisions about right and wrong actions. In this essay we shall describe briefly the various systems that people use to reach ethical decision's and evaluate these systems insofar as their effectiveness in a pluralistic society is concerned. Ethics seeks to determine which actions will contribute to a person's fulfillment or happiness.
Ethics presupposes human freedom and human responsibility.
Whether they realize it or not, people use a consistent method of ethical decision making when they are faced with such questions. Emotivism an ethical theory which relies mainly on subjective, emotional response. While emotions are an important factor in making good ethical decisions, by themselves emotions do not offer a sufficient basis for developing a system of shared values in a pluralistic society. Moreover, emotivism does not enable one to measure an action in accord with one's human fulfillment, unless one maintains emotional satisfaction is the same as human fulfillment. Legalism an ethical system which maintains that the law determines what is ethical.