What is a maxim?

• A. A law enacted by government
• B. A general rule or truth regarding conduct; common morality
• C. An artistic principle
• D. A medical imaging technique

Answer: (B)

Maxims express general rules of conduct—concise statements about how people ought to act that reflect shared moral norms in a community. They guide behavior in everyday ethical decisions and come from common morality rather than the force of law. Because they’re about how to behave in broad situations, maxims sit apart from legal statutes, which are enforceable by the state, and from technical terms found in art or medicine.

In bioethics, maxims help us reason about what persons ought to do in practice, offering compact guidance like “treat others with respect” or “avoid causing unnecessary harm.” They provide a framework for evaluating actions, but unlike laws, they aren’t binding in the same formal way and can be debated or revised as situations change.