The following list of meanings demonstrates the extreme range of people who contribute to ethical debates.

An ethicist:

- is one whose judgment on ethics and ethical codes has come to be trusted by a specific community, and (importantly) is expressed in some way that makes it possible for others to mimic or approximate that judgment. Following the advice of ethicists is one means of acquiring knowledge.

- is a professional with advanced training in philosophy and/or religious studies. They can assist staff and families in making difficult care decisions.

- is a person who subscribes to ethicism, which can be defined either as a philosophy based on ethics or the view that a work of art's moral point of view affects the work's overall esthetic evaluation.

- is a person with a tendency to moralize.

Adapted from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Internet. Accessed on June 14, 2016.