What is ethics? How is it different from morality?

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:40

What is ethics? This question at a certain stage of life is asked, perhaps, by each person. The concept has several meanings, but in general, ethics is the correct attitude of an individual to his own life path, to other people and living beings, to God.

The subject of ethics are specific norms of behavior, intangible values accepted in any society. By the way, in each individual society, these values and norms are purely individual. If for some nations a handshake at a meeting is a sign of good manners and a friendly attitude towards the interlocutor, then others may take such a personal touch as an insult.

Norms even in one particular society in different periods of time can vary significantly. In essence, morality is always and everywhere the same, but in its specific content it may have variations. For example, such canons as “be truthful and kind to each other” or “do no harm to others” remain unchanged for everyone and always. To take at least the biblical commandments familiar to everyone is not an optionethical postulates? And here is a reverse example: if a few centuries ago a short skirt or shorts on a woman were considered the height of indecency, then modern ethics are very loyal in this matter.

Ethical values also differ depending on certain social groups. Any ethics dictionary will tell you that the norms of behavior between close friends or relatives differ significantly from those accepted between co-workers or strangers.

Often in our minds the concept of "ethics" is mixed with the concept of "morality". But in fact, they are fundamentally different. In a simplistic way, morality can be called a clear idea of \u200b\u200bwhat is “good” and “bad”. These manifestations can be different even in one national group in different eras, to say nothing of different continents. The principles of ethics are objective, they constitute the understanding of the whole human path. What is ethics? This is the core of the spiritual development of each of us. Skills, moral principles, character traits, abilities and other aspects of a person’s inner world are attached to it.

Speaking about what ethics is, one cannot fail to mention the religious aspect. In accordance with the main commandment of the Old Testament, the main moral value is man's love for God. In relation to all living beings without exception, compassion plays the main role in ethics. It means care and respect for people, animals and plants.

You can also talk about ethicsas one of the areas of philosophy, the subject of which is the study of the customs and values of a certain human group. Within its framework, several sections are considered separately. Among them are meta-ethics as the study of all concepts of science, normative ethics - ways of defining norms and rules, their study and interpretation, as well as applied ethics - the use of the above-mentioned norms in practice.

Of course, the subject of this article is broad and ambiguous. But now you can answer the question of what ethics is.