What term refers to the moral rules of society?

The term that best refers to the moral rules of society is ethics. Ethics encompasses the principles and standards that guide behavior in determining what is considered right and wrong within a society or community. These moral guidelines are used to evaluate actions and intentions, influencing how individuals interact with each other and make decisions.

In contrast, while norms refer to the informal rules that shape societal behavior, they are not necessarily moral in nature. Laws are formalized rules established by a governing authority and may not always align with moral principles, as they can change over time and differ between cultures. Values, on the other hand, represent the beliefs and ideals that individuals or groups hold dear, but they do not in themselves constitute a set of moral rules. Ethics serves as the framework that encompasses these concepts, focusing specifically on moral dimensions.