Ethical behavior according to Aldo Leopold is doing the right thing when no one else is watching, even when doing the wrong thing is legal.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not mentioned
• D. Maybe

Answer: (A)

Leopold’s land ethic asks us to judge actions by their effects on the ecosystem, not by whether they’re permitted by law. He defines right action as what preserves the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community, and wrong action as anything that harms that community. Because ethics arise from our responsibility to the land itself, doing the right thing even when no one is watching—and even if the wrong thing would be legal—fits his view. Laws can lag behind ecological needs, so true stewardship goes beyond mere legality.