Ethics VS Morals

Ethics and Morals relate to "right" and "wrong" conduct. While they are sometimes used interchangeably, they are different. Ethics refers to rules provided by an external source (codes of conduct in the workplace or principles in religions). Morals refer to an individuals own principles regarding right and wrong.

Comparison

Ethics Morals What Are They? The rules of conduct recognized in Principles or habits with respect to right respect to a particular class of or wrong conduct. While morals also human actions or a particular group prescribe do's and don'ts, morality is or culture ultimately a personal compass of right and wrong. Where Do They  Social System - External Individual - Internal Come From? Why We Do It? Because society says it is the right thing Because we believe in something being  to do. right or wrong. Flexibility Ethics are dependent on others for  Usually consistent, although can change definition. They tend to be consistent if an individual's beliefs change. within a certain context, but can vary between contexts. The "Gray" A person strictly following Ethical A Moral Person, although perhaps Principles may not have any Morals at bound by a higher covenant, may choose all. Likewise, one could violate Ethical to follow a code of ethics as it would Principles within a given system of rules apply to a system. "Make it fit" in order to maintain Moral integrity. Origin Greek word "ethos" meaning "character" Latin word "mos" meaning "custom" Acceptability Ethics are governed by professional and Morality transcends cultural norms legal guidelines within a particular  time and place.

Source of Principles

Ethics are external standards that are provided by institutions, groups, or culture to which an individual belongs. For example, lawyers, policemen, and doctors all have to follow an ethical code laid down by their profession, regardless of their own feelings or preferences. Ethics can also be considered a social system or a framework for acceptable behavior.

Morals are influenced by culture or society, but they are personal principles created and upheld by individuals themselves. 

Consistency & Flexibility

Ethics are very consistent within a certain context, but can vary greatly between contexts. For example, the ethics of the medical profession in the 21st century are generally consistent and do not change from hospital to hospital, but they are different from the ethics of the 21st century legal profession.

An individual’s moral code is usually unchanging and consistent across all contexts, but it is also possible for certain events to radically change an individual's personal beliefs and values.

Conflicts Between Ethics & Morals

The work of a defense attorney is a professional example of ethics conflicting with morals. A lawyer’s morals may tell him/her that murder is reprehensible and that murderers should be punished, but his/her ethics as a professional lawyer, require him/her to defend his/her client to the best of his/her abilities, even if he/she knows that the client is guilty.

Another example can be found in the medical field. In most parts of the world, a doctor may not euthanize a patient, even at the patient's request, as per ethical standards for health professionals. However, the same doctor may personally believe in a patient's right to die, as per the doctor's own morality.

Origins

Much of the confusion between these two words can be traced back to their origins. For example, the word "ethic" comes from Old French (etique), Late Latin (ethica), and Greek (ethos) and referred to customs or moral philosophies. "Morals" comes from Late Latin's moralis, which referred to appropriate behavior and manners in society. So, the two have very similar meanings originally.

Morality and ethics of the individual have been philosophically studied for well over a thousand years. The idea of ethics being principles that are set and applied to a group (not necessarily focused on the individual) is relatively new, though, primarily dating back to the 1600's. The distinction between ethics and morals is particularly important for philosophical ethicists.

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Even though it's been a few years since my last Ethics and Morality class, I still very much enjoy researching and talking about the various perceptions people have about what is "right" and "wrong." When I'm talking ethics with someone, the conversation doesn't go very far, and that's partly because of my own view of the term. Ethics are rules created by a society to function properly (at least that's what they should do). When someone doesn't follow an ethical rule, it's usually because of their morals, and that's where it gets interesting. Morals are what make every person unique, I think. Different experiences in life give everyone a skewed perception of everything around them. To truly know a person's reason for doing something you have to look at their morals, and to do that you have to know their life. You have to sit with someone and talk about your wildly different experiences, and even some similar ones, to get to the bottom of whatever issue you're facing.

That's the problem I think today, nobody wants to talk to anyone else anymore. We are stuck in this computer chat-mindset that it's easier to say what you want to when no one can see you. When you're anonymous, but that's not how you fix things. You have to roll up your sleeves and get in the middle of it, head-first. I've said it before: To beat your enemy, you have to know your enemy. Once you do, there's a good chance you won't even have to beat. With luck, you'll come to an understanding of each other and the conflict will be nothing more than a tiny speck to be flicked away. That's progress, I think.

Let me know what you thought about this topic in the comments. I'll see you all tomorrow.

Buh-bye.