Which term describes actions that are admirable but not required?

• A. Supererogatory Acts
• B. Duty
• C. Morals
• D. Descriptive Ethics

Answer: (A)

The focus is on distinguishing actions that are admirable but not required. Supererogatory acts are those that go beyond what duty demands; they are praiseworthy and admirable, but they are not morally required. For instance, giving more than what you owe or risking your own safety to save someone in danger are actions many would commend, yet moral rules don’t obligate you to do them. By contrast, duties are what you are obligated to do—fulfill promises, tell the truth, avoid harming others. Descriptive ethics describes what people actually do, not what they ought to do. Morals encompass broader beliefs about right and wrong. So the term that best captures actions that are admirable but not required is supererogatory acts.