As various forms of virtual worlds become more and more prevalent a question of ethical behavior within them becomes more and more important. This article analyzes the issue and sets up a framework.

If you would decisively want to evaluate the concepts of ethics and morality from the ground up where would you start? What is that most fundamental moral layer on which all other moral layers build? This most fundamental bottom layer is the one which has to be considered before all others in a society, as without it, all other moral points are potentially compromised. This article argues that the fundamental moral layer is the "state of freedom" and hence the most fundamental moral question, the first one to ask, is how free is the society and its individuals.