Chapter 1 Ethics Handout PDF

**CHAPTER 1** **ETHICS** I. **MORALITY AND ETHICS** **The Difference Between Morals and Ethics** Are ethics vs. morals really just the same thing? 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...

**CHAPTER 1** **ETHICS** I. **MORALITY AND ETHICS** **The Difference Between Morals and Ethics** Are ethics vs. morals really just the same thing? 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. ***What Is Morality?*** 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](https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-morality-5076160) 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: 1. **Bravery:** Bravery has historically helped people determine hierarchies. People who demonstrate the ability to be brave in tough situations have historically been seen as leaders. 2. **Fairness:** Think of terms like \"meet in the middle\" and the concept of taking turns. 3. **Defer to authority:** Deferring to authority is important because it signifies that people will adhere to rules that attend to the greater good. This is necessary for a functioning society. 4. **Helping the group: **Traditions exist to help us feel closer to our group. This way, you feel more supported, and a general sense of altruism is promoted. 5. **Loving your family:** This is a more focused version of helping your group. It\'s the idea that loving and supporting your family allows you to raise people who will continue to uphold moral norms. 6. **Returning favors**: This goes for society as a whole and specifies that people may avoid behaviors that aren\'t generally [altruistic](https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-altruism-2794828). 7. **Respecting others' property: **This goes back to settling disputes based on prior possession, which also ties in the idea of fairness. 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. ***What Are Ethics?*** 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.^3^ 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](https://www.verywellmind.com/apa-ethical-code-guidelines-4687465) or as the guidepost 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](https://code-medical-ethics.ama-assn.org/principles) 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. ***Are Ethics and Morals Relative?*** 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. - **What is the difference between ethics and morals?** Morals refer to a sense of right or wrong. Ethics, on the other hand, refer more to principles of \"good\" versus \"evil\" that are generally agreed upon by a community.  - **What are examples of morals and ethics?** Examples of morals can include things such as not lying, being generous, being patient, and being loyal. Examples of ethics can include the ideals of honesty, integrity, respect, and loyalty. - **Can a person be moral but not ethical?** Because morals involve a personal code of conduct, it is possible for people to be moral but not ethical. A person can follow their personal moral code without adhering to a more community-based sense of ethical standards. In some cases, a person's individual morals may be at odds with society\'s ethics. II. **ETHICS AS A PHILOSOPHICAL DISCIPLINE** Ethics, as a philosophical discipline, was first structured and systematized in ancient Greece, most particularly by Aristotle. Its evolution throughout history is marked by some important shifts, among which two stand out: from a heteronomous ethics to an autonomous ethics and from a necessary universalism to a proposed relativism, each one having different impacts on bioethics. The birth of applied ethics, in which bioethics takes the lead, was another important step in ethics' contemporary development. This entry follows the major shifts of ethics' evolution, stressing their influence on bioethics. It also focuses on the required accurate definition of key concepts of ethical reflection and bioethical practice -- such as principles and norms, values and virtues, rights and duties -- and the right perception of the implication of each one and of their respective interactions in the understanding of action's rationality. Ethics is a philosophical discipline that was established as such by **Aristotle**, in the 3rd century BC. Intense spirituality, centered in human behavior, and lived in more ancient times by peoples in India or in Asia, was not enough to give birth to a new discipline, which needed Greek rationality. It was Aristotle who, for the first time, in a very systematized and developed way, especially in the Nicomachean Ethics, defined the object of ethics as human action: "praxis" or immanent action, the kind of action in which the product or effect becomes part of the agent, shaping the agent's character. For example, actions of charity make the person who acts charitable. The philosopher also structured a methodology of study pursuing a semantic of action, analyzing human behavior and its effects in the shaping of the agent's character. Finally, Aristotle also established a system of well-defined and interrelated concepts to explain the morality of human action, the accomplishment of good, and the perfection of the human being. III. **BRANCHES OF ETHICS** - **[Meta-ethics]-** is the branch of ethics that seeks to understand the nature, scope, and meaning of moral judgment. **Meta-ethical questions** According to Richard Garner and Bernard Rosen, there are three kinds of meta-ethical problems, or three general questions: 1. What is the meaning of moral terms or judgments? (moral semantics) 2. What is the nature of moral judgments? (moral ontology) 3. How may moral judgments be supported or defended? (moral epistemology) A question of the first type might be, "What do the words 'good', 'bad', 'right' and 'wrong' mean?" (see value theory). The second category includes questions of whether moral judgments are universal or relative, of one kind or many kinds, etc. Questions of the third kind ask, for example, how we can know if something is right or wrong, if at all. Garner and Rosen say that answers to the three basic questions "are not unrelated, and sometimes an answer to one will strongly suggest, or perhaps even entail, an answer to another." A meta-ethical theory, unlike a normative ethical theory, does not attempt to evaluate specific choices as being better, worse, good, bad, or evil; although it may have profound implications as to the validity and meaning of normative ethical claims. An answer to any of the three example questions above would not itself be a normative ethical statement. - **[Normative ethics]**- is a branch of philosophy that focuses on the evaluation of moral behavior. It is concerned with questions such as what makes an action right or wrong, and how should individuals act in order to be moral? Normative ethics seeks to understand and evaluate how people should act in order to live a good and fulfilling life. **Types of Normative Ethics Philosophies** - **Deontology** Deontology is an ethical theory that focuses on a person\'s moral obligations and duties. It is based on the notion that certain actions are intrinsically right or wrong, regardless of any consequences they may have. Thus, in making ethical decisions, one should adhere to the predetermined moral rules and principles, such as "do not lie" or "do not steal". This type of ethics focuses more on the intention behind the action rather than its consequences. - **Utilitarianism** Utilitarianism is a form of consequentialism, which states that the morality of an action is based solely on its consequences. Utilitarianism proposes that in making ethical decisions, we should aim to maximize overall utility or happiness for everyone involved. This means that the action with the greatest good for the greatest number of people should be chosen. - **Virtue Ethics** Virtue ethics is an ethical theory based on the notion of developing character traits and virtues. According to this theory, the right action to take is determined by considering what kind of person one should be. This means that in making ethical decisions, one should strive to become a better person by developing character traits such as courage, wisdom, honesty, and compassion. Normative ethics is an important branch of philosophy that helps to shape our understanding of right and wrong conduct. - **[Applied ethics]**- also called practical ethics, is the application of ethics to real-world problems. Practical ethics attempts to answer the question of how people should act in specific situations. For example, is it ethical for a business owner to bluff during negotiations with another company? Or, is it morally permissible for a doctor to engage in mercy killing when a terminal cancer patient begs to be put out of her misery? Medical ethics, business ethics, engineering ethics, and the like are all branches of applied ethics. Applied ethics is more specific than normative ethics, which is a branch of philosophy that develops moral theories -- such as the ethics of care or deontology -- about how people should behave. Practical ethics is also different from metaethics, a branch of philosophy that asks questions about the nature of ethics such as, "what is morality?" Some philosophers argue that real-world ethics should start with moral theory. But finding agreement on which moral theory to apply can be difficult. With a practical approach to ethics, people don't need to agree on a moral theory. Instead, they can agree to solutions to ethical dilemmas by reviewing the facts and related harms of a specific situation. This is one of the key strengths of applied ethics. References: Patrão Neves, Maria. (2016). Ethics, as a philosophical discipline. [Ethics vs. Morals: What\'s the Difference? (verywellmind.com)](https://www.verywellmind.com/morality-vs-ethics-what-s-the-difference-5195271) [Meta-ethics (slife.org)](https://slife.org/meta-ethics/) [Understanding Normative Ethics (philosophos.org)](https://www.philosophos.org/ethics-normative-ethics) [Applied Ethics - Ethics Unwrapped (utexas.edu)](https://ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu/glossary/applied-ethics)