Normative ethics addresses which of the following questions?

Normative ethics focuses on establishing frameworks and theories that guide how individuals should act and evaluate their decisions in terms of right and wrong. It seeks to provide a structured approach to moral questions, aiming to derive standards that can help in assessing the morality of actions.

The chosen answer addresses the practical application of ethical theories to specific situations. By asking what one should do in a particular scenario, it emphasizes real-world decision-making, which is a central concern of normative ethics. This approach contrasts with descriptive ethics, which is more concerned with understanding and analyzing what people believe about morality without judging those beliefs.

The other options, while related to ethical discussions, do not align directly with the purpose of normative ethics. For instance, pondering the essence of morality or exploring current beliefs about ethics pertains more to meta-ethics or descriptive ethics rather than offering actionable guidance on behavior. Overall, the focus on specific actions in complex moral situations underscores why the selected response accurately reflects the essence of normative ethics.