Which statement reflects the ethical guideline given?

• A. A person's behavior is always ethical when they not have good intentions no matter how things turn out
• B. Good intentions guarantee ethical behavior regardless of actions
• C. Ethics are only what the law requires
• D. Ethical behavior depends solely on outcomes

Answer: (A)

Understanding how ethics are judged often centers on the actor’s intentions. The best answer captures the idea that if someone intends to do good, that intent weighs heavily in whether their behavior is considered ethical, regardless of what the actual outcome turns out to be. This contrasts with options that tie ethics strictly to law (ethics aren’t defined solely by legal rules) or to outcomes (the result can still raise ethical questions even if the intent was good), and it also avoids the simplistic claim that good intentions alone automatically make every action ethical no matter what is done. So, the statement that emphasizes good intentions as the driver of ethical evaluation best reflects the guideline.