The main difference between morals and ethics is this: morals is the set of rules that tell people what is right and what is wrong, while ethics is a reflection on morals (or philosophy of morals).
THE moral it is the set of norms that concern good and evil, right and wrong. These norms refer to values (so-called moral values) that are transmitted from generation to generation and guide the conduct of individuals in their daily lives.
already the ethic it is a field of philosophy whose object of study is the principles that guide morality. In this sense, ethics is a philosophical reflection on morals.
Thus, while morality points to the particular behaviors of individuals and groups, ethics approaches the universal principles that govern the common good and coexistence among human beings in a general.
The English philosopher Bernard Williams (1929-2003) states that the purpose of ethics is to answer the questions: "How to live?" or "What is the way of life that leads to happiness?". Morality, on the other hand, concerns the duties imposed by society, such as not stealing, not lying, not killing, etc.
The word ethics is also used to designate certain professional or public duties. There is a lot of talk about the "ethics of politicians" - there is even a Council of Ethics and Parliamentary Decorum in the Chamber of Deputies, whose function is to apply penalties in case of non-compliance with rules by the deputies.
There are also the so-called "codes of ethics" professionals, such as the "medical code of ethics", the "journalists' code of ethics", the "lawyers' code of ethics" and so on. In this sense, ethics is a set of principles that regulate the actions of a given professional group, based on the fulfillment of certain duties.
Morals have to do with behavior, with the traditional customs of a particular group. There are morally correct behaviors, and there are morally reprehensible (or immoral) behaviors. Ethics, on the other hand, as a science of conduct, consists of an examination or reflection on the meaning of moral values.
the greek philosopher Socrates (469-399 a. Ç.) he questioned the people of his time about certain principles they didn't stop to think about, such as the virtues and the good. Socrates challenged moral values and sought to examine the foundations of human thought and behavior.
Aristotle (384-322 a. Ç.), in your work Ethics to Nicomachus, developed the bases for understanding ethics as a specific area of Philosophy. Aristotelian thought on virtue, vice and the purpose of human life is considered a landmark in ethical studies
Human beings, as social beings, share the moral values of the group to which they belong. Moral values are traditional (that is, they are handed down from generation to generation) and imposed as an obligation on individuals. Ethics, as a reflection on morals, can challenge these values. For the moralistic individual, blindly guided by moral rules, contesting moral rules is unthinkable.
See too:
- Ethic and moral
- 6 Examples of Ethics and Morals
- meaning of ethics
- Ethics and Citizenship
- Definition of Professional Ethics
- Ethics in Philosophy
- meaning of moral
- Meaning of Moral Values
