What ethical principle emphasizes doing good?

The principle that emphasizes doing good is beneficence. This ethical principle is foundational in many fields, including healthcare and social services. Beneficence involves actions that promote the well-being and welfare of others. In practice, this means actively contributing to the health and happiness of patients or clients, which can include acts of kindness, providing high-quality care, and taking steps to prevent harm.

In contrast, while non-maleficence focuses on the obligation to not inflict harm intentionally, justice relates to fairness and equality in the distribution of resources and treatments. Autonomy, on the other hand, emphasizes the importance of respecting an individual's right to make their own decisions. Each of these principles plays a crucial role in ethical decision-making, but beneficence specifically highlights the proactive duty to foster good and positive outcomes for individuals and communities.