Generally speaking, ethics is an area of philosophy, also called Moral Philosophy. In it, the fundamental principles of human actions and behavior are studied.
Moral, on the other hand, is a social construction formed by the set of these actions and behaviors through the understanding of which are good and which are bad, aiming to create norms that guide the actions of individuals belonging to the same group.
However, like all philosophical themes, there is no consensus regarding this difference. Some authors treat ethics and morals as synonyms. This is because the etymological roots of the words are similar.
Etymologically, the terms derive from the same idea:
- ethics comes from the greek ethos, which means “customs”, “habits” and, ultimately, “the place where one lives”.
- Moral originates in Latin mores, which means “customs”, “habits” and is also the root of our word “address”, the place where one lives (from the verb to dwell).
ETHIC | MORAL | |
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Definition | Philosophical reflection on the driving principles of human actions: right and wrong; fair and unfair; good and bad. | Cultural code of norms that guide the actions of individuals within a given context. |
Character | Universal | Private (cultural/personal) |
Rationale | It is based on theory (principles) | It is based on customs and habits (behaviors) |
Example |
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What is ethics?
Ethics, or moral philosophy, is an area of knowledge dedicated to the investigation of the principles of human actions. In other words, ethics is the study of the foundations of morality.
She develops theories about the development of human behavior and the construction of socially shared values that guide actions.
The reflection on key concepts such as "good", "justice" and "virtue" build ethical knowledge, which began in the anthropological period of Greek philosophy, marked by the Socrates-Plato-Aristotle triad.
mainly in the text Ethics to Nicomachus, by Aristotle, the philosopher defines ethics as a discipline of philosophy and seeks to define the relationship between human behavior, virtue and happiness.
Currently, ethics is concerned with theorization and construction of principles that underlie various activities. Deontology, for example, is an area that aims to establish the ethical foundations for professional development. Just like the bioethics - a branch dedicated to reflecting on what principles science should develop, with a focus on respect for life.
How are morals distinguished from ethics?
The fundamental characteristic of morality is to act as a norm that guides human behavior. Even if it presupposes the freedom of individuals and the impossibility of predicting all actions, morality will develop values to which actions must be submitted.
Unlike ethical theories, which seek universal characteristics of human behavior, morality establishes a particular relationship with individuals, with their conscience and the idea of duty.
Morals assume a practical and normative character, in which the way in which one should act is directly related to socially constructed moral values.
Thus, while ethics poses questions such as: "What is good?", "What is justice?", "What is virtue?"; morality develops from the approval or disapproval of a conduct. "Is this action fair?", "Is it right to act in a certain way?"
For example, the Christian morality that served as the basis for the construction of Western culture considers human freedom in its relation to free will. Even so, the freedom to act will be conditioned to the values described in the sacred texts. Above all in the gospel of the New Testament, in the teachings of Christ and in all its historical and cultural development.
Thus, the construction of the thought of a virtuous life is based on good examples and the construction of a social habit. Therefore, morality, unlike ethics, will always be inserted in a particular context. Each social group in different historical moments will also have different moral values.
See too:
- Moral values
- ethic
- Aristotelian ethics
- Kant's Ethics and the Categorical Imperative
- Philosophy Exercises
Bibliographic references
Chaui, Marilena. Invitation to philosophy. Attica, 1995.
Abbagnano, Nicola. Dictionary of Philosophy. 2nd edition. SP: Martins Fontes (2003).