Morals are the principles on which one’s judgments of right and wrong are based. Ethics are principles of right conduct. So the two nouns are closely related and are often interchangeable. The main difference is that morals are more abstract, subjective, and often personal or religion-based, while ethics are more practical, conceived as shared principles promoting fairness in social and business interactions. For example, a politician’s sex scandal may involve a moral lapse (a subjective judgment), while a politician taking money from a company he is supposed to regulate is an ethical problem. But of course, both ethics and morals may have a part in both situations. Ethics (the word takes a plural form but is treated as singular) is also a field of philosophical study. There aren’t many college courses on morals (though ethics courses inevitably involve discussions of morals), whereas classes in ethics are required for many degrees, especially in law, business, and medicine.
Meanwhile, the difference between ethics and morals is often formulated this way: that ethics are the science of morals, and morals are the practice of ethics. But that’s a little too neat and doesn’t cover all the ways in which the words are used. Please think of this post as only a summary of the concepts. Anyone who has studied these issues closely might have much more to say about what they mean and how they differ. ExamplesIn practical usage, the word morals usually applies to principles of right and wrong in personal behavior—for example:
And ethics usually applies to professional and business practices—for example:
Morals are principles on which one’s judgments of right and wrong are based. Ethics are guiding principles of conduct of an individual or group. The main difference between ethics and morals is that ethics are relatively uniform whereas morals are heavily influenced by culture and religion. What are MoralsMorals are principles on which one’s judgments of right and wrong are based. They are also social, cultural, or religious beliefs or values about right or wrong. That is to say, morals are highly influenced by external factors like religion and culture. Since morals are based on culture or religion, they differ according to different cultures and religions. There are no such thing as universal morals; what is considered right in one religion may be considered as wrong in another religion. For example, eating meat is considered to be immoral in some cultures, but in some other cultures, it is perfectly acceptable.  Morals are principles which help us to decide between right and wrong, and good and bad. Some common examples of morally unacceptable behavior include practices like adultery, lying, and littering. But none of these acts are illegal or punishable by law. Thus, immoral doesn’t necessary mean illegal. What are EthicsEthics are guiding principles of conduct of an individual or group. They are the standards which govern the life of a person. Ethics are more related to professional life. They are codified into a set of rules or formal system and are adopted by people in different fields. Examples of such ethics include legal ethics and medical ethics. Ethics are unwritten laws; therefore, a breach of ethics is not punishable by law. Some common examples of ethics include loyalty, integrity, honesty, and punctuality. Disclosing a client’s information without permission, always being late to work, giving wrong information to a client, etc. are some examples of breach of work ethics. DefinitionEthics are guiding principles of conduct of an individual or group. Morals are principles on which one’s judgments of right and wrong are based. InfluenceEthics are influenced by profession, field, organization, etc. Morals are influenced by society, culture and religion. ProfessionEthics are related to professional work. Morals are not related to professional work. VariationsEthics are often uniform compared to morals. Morals vary according to different cultures and religions. Image Courtesy: “Image 1” (Public Domain) Pixbaby “Image 2” By Orietta.sberla – Own work, (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
It's not uncommon to hear morality and ethics referenced in the same sentence. That said, they are two different things. While they definitely have a lot of commonalities (not to mention very similar definitions!), there are some distinct differences. Below, we'll outline why they're different, why it matters, and how these two words play into daily life.
Morality is a person or society's idea of what is right or wrong, especially in regard to a person's behavior. Maintaining this type of behavior allows people to live successfully in groups and society. That said, they require a personal adherence to the commitment of the greater good. Morals have changed over time and based on location. For example, different countries can have different standards of morality. That said, researchers have determined that seven morals seem to transcend across the globe and across time:
Many of these seven morals require deferring short-term interests for the sake of the larger group. People who act purely out of self-interest can often be regarded as immoral or selfish. Many scholars and researchers don't differentiate between morals and ethics, and that's because they're very similar. Many definitions even explain ethics as a set of moral principles.
The big difference when it comes to ethics is that it refers to community values more than personal values. Dictionary.com defines the term as a system of values that are "moral" as determined by a community. In general, morals are considered guidelines that affect individuals, and ethics are considered guideposts for entire larger groups or communities. Ethics are also more culturally based than morals. For example, the seven morals listed earlier transcend cultures, but there are certain rules, especially those in predominantly religious nations, that are determined by cultures that are not recognized around the world. It's also common to hear the word ethics in medical communities or as the guideposts for other professions that impact larger groups. For example, the Hippocratic Oath in medicine is an example of a largely accepted ethical practice. The American Medical Association even outlines nine distinct principles that are specified in medical settings. These include putting the patient's care above all else and promoting good health within communities. Since morality and ethics can impact individuals and differ from community to community, research has aimed to integrate ethical principles into the practice of psychiatry. That said, many people grow up adhering to a certain moral or ethical code within their families or communities. When your morals change over time, you might feel a sense of guilt and shame. For example, many older people in the south still believe that living with a significant other before marriage is immoral. This belief is dated and mostly unrecognized by younger generations, who often see living together as an important and even necessary step in a relationship that helps them make decisions about the future. Additionally, in many cities, living costs areliving costs are too high for some people to live alone. However, even if a younger person understands that it's not wrong to live with their partner before marriage they might still feel guilty for doing so, especially if they were taught that doing so was immoral.
When dealing with guilt or shame, it's important to assess these feelings with a therapist or someone else that you trust. Morality is certainly relative since it is determined individually from person to person. In addition, morals can be heavily influenced by families and even religious beliefs, as well as past experiences. Ethics are relative to different communities and cultures. For example, the ethical guidelines for the medical community don't really have an impact on the people outside of that community. That said, these ethics are still important as they promote caring for the community as a whole. This is important for young adults trying to figure out what values they want to carry into their own lives and future families. This can also determine how well young people create and stick to boundaries in their personal relationships. Part of determining your individual moral code will involve overcoming feelings of guilt because it may differ from your upbringing. This doesn't mean that you're disrespecting your family, but rather that you're evolving. Working with a therapist can help you better understand the moral code you want to adhere to and how it ties in aspects of your past and present understanding of the world. It's OK if your moral and ethical codes don't directly align with the things you learned as a child. Part of growing up and finding autonomy in life involves learning to think for yourself. You determine what you will and will not allow in your life, and what boundaries are acceptable for you in your relationships. That said, don't feel bad if your ideas of right and wrong change over time. This is a good thing that shows that you are willing to learn and understand those with differing ideas and opinions. Working with a therapist could prove to be beneficial as you sort out what you do and find to be acceptable parts of your own personal moral code. |
Description of the difference between morals and ethics.
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