Essentialist ethics

Essentialist ethics is a philosophical perspective that suggests that individuals and things have inherent qualities or "essences" that define what they are. In ethics, this means that certain values or moral truths are universal and apply to everyone, regardless of context. Essentialists believe that understanding these core traits is key to determining right and wrong actions. For instance, if honesty is seen as an essential trait of being human, then telling the truth is always considered ethically right, irrespective of the circumstances. This contrasts with relativistic views that assert moral truths can change based on culture or situation.