Lecture No.

02 – Moral and Ethics: Importance of Ethics

Academic Script

In today’s world, which often seems lawless and relativistic, the difference between
ethics and morals might seem like splitting hairs, especially since no one seems
concerned with either of them.
Morals are the social, cultural and religious beliefs or values of an individual or group
which tells us what is right or wrong. They are the rules and standards made by the
society or culture which is to be followed by us while deciding what is right. Some moral
principles are:
1. Do not cheat
2. Be loyal
3. Be patient
4. Always tell the truth
5. Be generous
Morals refer to the beliefs what is not objectively right, but what is considered right for
any situation, so it can be said that what is morally correct may not be objectively
correct.
Ethics and morals relate to “right” and “wrong” conduct. While they are sometimes
used interchangeably, they are different: ethics refer to rules provided by an external
source, e.g., codes of conduct in workplaces or principles in religions. Morals refer to an
individual’s own principles regarding right and wrong.
Ethics are the set of moral principles that guide a person’s behavior. These morals are
shaped by social norms, cultural practices, and religious influences. Ethics reflect beliefs
about what is right, what is wrong, what is just, what is unjust, what is good, and what is
bad in terms of human behavior. They serve as a compass to direct how people should
behave toward each other, understand and fulfill their obligations to society, and live
their lives.
While ethical beliefs are held by individuals, they can also be reflected in the values,
practices, and policies that shape the choices made by decision makers on behalf of
their organizations. The phrases business ethics and corporate ethics are often used to
describe the application of ethical values to business activities. Ethics applies to all
aspects of conduct and is relevant to the actions of individuals, groups, and
organizations.
In addition to individual ethics and corporate ethics there are professional ethics.
Professionals such as managers, lawyers, and accountants are individuals who exercise
specialized knowledge and skills when providing services to customers or to the public.
By virtue of their profession, they have obligations to those they serve. For example,
lawyers must hold client conversations confidential and accountants must display the
highest levels of honesty and integrity in their record keeping and financial analysis.
Professional organizations, such as the American Medical Association, and licensing
authorities, such as state governments, set and enforce ethical standards.
Moral values are relative values that protect life and are respectful of the dual life value
of self and others. The great moral values, such as truth, freedom, charity, etc., have
one thing in common. When they are functioning correctly, they are life protecting or
life enhancing for all. But they are still relative values. Our relative moral values must be
constantly examined to make sure that they are always performing their life-protecting
mission. Even the Marine Corps core values of “honor, courage and commitment”
require examination in this context. Courage can become foolish martyrdom,
commitment can become irrational fanaticism, honor can become self-righteousness,
conceit, and disrespect for others. Our enemies have their own standard of honor, they
have courage, and they are surely committed. What sets us apart? Respect for the
universal life value sets us apart from our enemies.
A person who knows the difference between right and wrong and chooses right is
moral. A person whose morality is reflected in his willingness to do the right thing –
even if it is hard or dangerous – is ethical. Ethics are moral values in action. Being
ethical id an imperative because morality protects life and is respectful of others – all
others. It is a lifestyle that is consistent with mankind’s universal values as articulated by
the American Founding Fathers – human equality and the inalienable right to life. As
warriors it is our duty to be protectors and defenders of the life value and to perform
the unique and difficult mission of taking the lives of those acting immorally (against
life) when necessary to protect the lives of innocent others.
When you must kill protecting life it is still hard, but it is moral. Those who kill those not
observant of their narrow relative religious, ethnic or criminal values – in other words,
kill over relative values – are immoral. A dedication to protecting the life value of self
and others – all others – makes the Ethical Warrior different and moral.
Concept of morals and ethics
Morals are what you have been taught; so they are passed down from one generation
to another. One person's morals may differ from another as parents taught differently.
For example, if you are taught as a youngster that it is proper to steal from those that
have to help those that don't have then your morals develop to aid the poor by robbing
the richer ones. If you were taught that stealing is wrong then your morals would not
allow you to aid the poor by robbing the richer ones.
Ethics is what you derive for yourself that is right and good and benefits all people
involved, when you are living to the highest that you know and doing the most
honorable thing. So, lets say you were taught not to steal. So you go into a bookstore
and read a magazine while standing up, and left the magazine there when you left the
store. Morally, you did nothing wrong as you did not steal the magazine. Ethically, this is
wrong, as you read the magazine without paying for the information contained in the
magazine and thereby deprived the store of one sale. Also, the magazine is technically
not now new, as you read it, and so now the store is sellling a used magazine but
charging the next customer a price for a new magazine. Ethically, you stole from the
store and the person who ends up purchasing the magazine. So, morally it is not wrong,
but ethically it is.

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

Consistency and 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.

Comparison Chart of Morals and Ethics

Basis for
Morals Ethics
comparison
Ethics are the guiding principles
Morals are the beliefs of the
which help the individual or
Meaning individual or group as to what
group to decide what is good
is right or wrong.
or bad.
What is it? General principles set by group Response to a specific situation
Root word Mos which means custom Ethikos which means character
Individual or Legal and
Governed by Social and cultural norms
Professional norms
Deals with Principles of right and wrong Right and wrong conduct
Applicability in
No Yes
business
Morals may differ from society
Consistency to society and culture to Ethics are generally uniform.
culture.
Morals are expressed in the
Expression form of general rules and Ethics are abstract.
statements.
Freedom to think
No Yes
and choose

Key differences between morals and ethics

The major difference between morals and ethics are as under:
1. Morals deal with what is “right or wrong”. Ethics deals with what is “good or evil”.
2. Morals are general guidelines framed by the society E.g. We should speak truth.
Conversely, ethics are a response to a particular situation, E.g. Is it ethical to state
the truth in a particular situation?
3. The term morals is derived from a Greek word ‘mos’ which refers to custom and
the customs are determined by group of individuals or some authority. On the
 other hand, ethics is originated from Greek word ‘ethikos’ which refers to
character and character is an attribute.
4. Morals are dictated by society, culture or religion while Ethics are chosen by the
person himself which governs his life.
5. Morals are concerned with principles of right and wrong. On the contrary, ethics
stresses on right and wrong conduct.
6. As morals are framed and designed by the group, there is no option to think and
choose; the individual can either accept or reject. Conversely, the people are free
to think and choose the principles of his life in ethics.
7. Morals may vary from society to society and culture to culture. As opposed to
Ethics, which remains same regardless of any culture, religion or society.
8. Morals do not have any applicability to business, whereas Ethics is widely
applicable in the business known as business ethics.
9. Morals are expressed in the form of statements, but Ethics are not expressed in
the form of statements.
Morals are the internal (emphasis on internal) guidelines and principles that a person
uses to justify doing or not doing an act. Some people have more, some people have
less. Some people hold their morals to be sacrosanct, not changeable, and without
compromise. Others not so much; their morals are merely suggestions for certain
behaviors, and flexible or changeable depending on the situation at hand.
Ethics are the external (emphasis on external) guidelines and principles that a person
uses to justify their actions. Ethics are imposed on a member of society in a number of
different ways. Some of the easiest to identify are the laws and regulations that a
society passes and chooses to enforce. Others are not so easy to quantify, and come
under the guise of tradition, peer pressure, childhood development, or other
indoctrination (political/religious).
A person can be true to their moral code, but still run fowl of society’s ethics. Best
example I can think of is Dexter. The answer to whether a person’s morals or a person’s
ethics are better is a very grey area.
Ethics are society’s morals, and as such can be used as a barometer for whether
society’s members will match your own moral compass. This is why there is such
friction over what are perceived to be changes in laws that govern a society. It is
essentially a fight between the differing morals of its various members to come to a
consensus over whose morals will guide society’s ethics.
Examples
1. If the son of a big politician has committed a crime and he uses his powers to free
his son from legal consequences. Then this act is immoral because the politician is
trying to save a culprit.
2. A very close friend or relative of an interviewer comes for an interview and
without asking a single question, he selects him. This act is unethical because the
selection process must be transparent and unbiased.
3. A grocer sells adulterated products to his customers to earn more profit. This act
is neither moral nor ethical because he is cheating his customers and profession
at the same time.