Ethics and Morals Overview

Morality and Ethics

• Morals are specific beliefs or attitudes about right and wrong actions; failure to act according to morals is termed immoral.
• Ethics is the philosophical discipline that studies ideal human behavior and thought.
• Philosophy, derived from Greek words for friendship (Philia) and wisdom (Sophia), encompasses various branches of thought.

Branches of Philosophy

• Metaphysics examines the nature of reality and existence.
• Epistemology investigates the foundations of knowledge.
• Axiology is the study of values, which includes:
  • Aesthetics: the value of beauty.
  • Ethics: the value of human actions.

Descriptive and Normative Ethics

• Descriptive ethics reports how groups make moral judgments without offering value judgments; typically studied by social scientists.
• Normative ethics is philosophical and prescriptive, asserting what moral standards we should uphold.

Key Terms in Ethical Decision-Making

• An issue represents a contentious topic open to debate.
• A moral decision occurs when one is forced to choose an action based on ethical considerations.
• A moral judgment is the assessment made by an observer regarding someone else's actions.
• A moral dilemma arises when one faces a choice between two goods or the lesser of two evils.

Reasoning and Frameworks

• Principles provide rational foundations through which moral decisions are justified.
• Moral theory systematically examines the validity of maintaining moral principles.
• Frameworks are interconnected ideas that guide evaluations of moral judgments.

Sources of Ethical Authority

• Law: Positive law consists of rules enforced by authority requiring compliance.
• Religion: Divine Command Theory suggests moral obligations as commands from a deity; religious upbringing often influences moral values.
• Common religious prohibitions align with broader ethical standards and also promote aspirational ideals.

Cultural Perspectives

• Cultural Relativism posits ethical acceptability varies with cultural contexts, fostering tolerance and understanding of differing moral frameworks.

Subjectivism and Psychological Egoism

• Subjectivism emphasizes individual perception in moral valuation, suggesting individuals dictate what is considered morally right or wrong.
• Psychological egoism argues that self-interest is the primary motivator behind human actions, positing all behaviors are driven by a desire for personal gain.

Explore the distinctions between ethics and morals in this quiz. Understand how morals represent individual beliefs and attitudes, while ethics pertains to the philosophical study of ideal human behavior. Test your knowledge on these fundamental concepts of philosophy.