WHAT IS ETHICS?

ETYMOLOGY (ORIGIN) OF THE

WORD ETHICS?
Moral

DERIVES FROM THE LATIN

WORD

moralis;
THE ANCIENT ROMAN PHILOSOPHER, CICERO
(106 BC 43 BC) USED THE TERM moralis to
translate the Ancient Greek word ethicos.
Both ethics and morality roughly mean
pertaining to character.

SOME KEY DEFINITIONS

Ethics is the study of questions
about what is morally right and
wrong.
Ethics are moral beliefs about right
and wrong.
-Collins Cobuild English Dictionary
Ethics is a science that deals with
morals.
-Oxford Advanced learners
Dictionary

SOME KEY DEFINITIONS

Ethics are moral beliefs and rules
about right and wrong.
-Collins Advanced Learners
Dictionary
The philosophical study of moral
values and rules.
The study of principles relating to
right and wrong conduct; morality.
-(Two web definitions)

What is ethics?
Ethics is the branch of philosophy
that focuses on morality and the way
in which moral principles are applied
to everyday life. Ethics has to do
with fundamental questions such as
What is fair? What is just?
What is the right thing to do in a
situation? Ethics involves an active
process of applying values, which
may range from religious principles

Factors Influencing Ethics

Fellow Workers

Fellow Workers

Family

Regions of
Country

Profession
The Individual
Conscience

Friends

The Law

Employer

Religious
Beliefs

Society at Large

The Relationship Between Law

and Ethics
The law is an expression of the ethical
beliefs of our society.
Law and ethics are not the same thing.
The question, Is an act legal? is different
from the question, Is an act ethical? The
law cannot codify all ethical requirements.
Therefore, an action might be unethical,
yet not necessarily illegal. For example, it
might be unethical to lie to your family,
but it is not necessarily illegal.

Ethics and the Law

Law often represents an ethical
minimum
Ethics often represents a standard
that exceeds the legal minimum
Frequent Overlap

Ethics

Law

EXAMPLES OF LEGAL BUT

UNETHICAL ACTS

EXAMPLES OF LEGAL BUT UNETHICAL

ACTS

Abortion in some countries

Slavery remained legal in USA (for 250
years)
Apartheid(racial discrimination) in South
Africa (50 years)
Single-child family in China (recently relaxed
to 2)
Interest-based banking in Muslim countries
Euthanasia/ assisted suicide in some
countries (Luxemburg, Netherlands, in 3 US
States)

EXAMPLES OF ETHICAL BUT

ILLEGAL ACTS

EXAMPLES OF ETHICAL BUT ILLEGAL

ACTS

Feeding a hungry prisoner-of-war who has

been sentenced to minimum rations.
An Income Tax officer purposely
overlooking a tax error for a needy family.
A psychologist or physician who breaks
confidentiality in order to serve the cause
of justice.
Practising one's religion in a place where it
is illegal.
Chewing gum in Singapore?

WHAT IS ETHICS?
ETHICS CAN BE COMPLEX,
PERPLEXING AND AT TIMES
CONTROVERSIAL.
YET IT IS SOMETHING WITH WHICH
ALL OF US (INCLUDING YOUNG
CHILDREN) HAVE A WORKING
FAMILIARITY.

UNDERSTANDING ETHICS
PEOPLE ACQUIRE ETHICAL NORMS IN
DIFFERENT SOCIAL SETTINGS( HOME,
SCHOOL, CHURCH, MOSQUE ETC)
MORAL DEVELPOMENT OCCURS
THROUGHOUT LIFE.

BECAUSE OF THEIR UNIVERSALITY,

ETHICAL NORMS MAY BE REGARDED
AS SIMPLE COMMONSENSE

UNDERSTANDING ETHICS
IN MOST SOCIETIES, LEGAL RULES
GOVERN BEHAVIOUR
ETHICAL NORMS TEND TO BE BROADER
AND MORE INFORMAL
MOST SOCIETIES USE LAWS TO
ENFORCE WIDELY ACCEPTED MORAL
STANDARDS.
ETHICAL CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES
CAN BE USED TO CRITICISE, EVALUATE
OR INTERPRET LAWS.