Scribd
Upload
26 views

My Article On Character Traits

Uploaded by

ela kikay
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
26 views

My Article On Character Traits

Uploaded by

ela kikay
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 1

Getting your head around the difference between ethics and morals can be tricky.

Often viewed as
interchangeable synonyms, ethics and morals are in reality two sides of the same coin.

In ancient Greek the word “ethos” (ethics) means character, whereas “mos” (morals) means custom.
Unfortunately, these translations are largely unhelpful when it comes to a modern day interpretation of
the guiding principles that relate to the difference between ethics and morals, right and wrong, and
being a good person.

If you’ve read my article on character traits then you know that understanding what goes into making
our character—that is, our underlying values, beliefs, and identity—is an area near and dear to my
heart.

In this article, I’m going to dig into the differences (and similarities) between ethics and morals, ethics
and law, ethics and values, and finally, ethics and social responsibility. Let’s dive in.

What is the Difference Between Ethics and Morals?

While both ethics and morality deal with distinguishing right from wrong, ethics are usually associated
with a practical set of rules that are to be followed in a professional setting, such as a code of ethics in
medicine, law, and business, whereas morals refer to an individual’s personal principles.

Ethics are the rules you abide by in order to remain within a community or profession. Morals are your
personal values that run to the core of your very being. Depending on your profession, it’s possible for
your morals regarding a certain matter to be stricter than the code of ethics for the same issue.

Morals are service roads running parallel to the ethics highway. While your personal conduct will, for
the most part, be guided by the professional rules and regulations of the highway, every now and then
(for better and worse) your morals will lead you back onto the service road as you are unable or
unwilling to continue down the ethics highway without first questioning the direction you are going.

While having morals is generally viewed as a means to be and do good (and sometimes, to hold the
“moral high ground”), if your morals fall below those of generally agreed-upon ethics, your behavior
may be seen as falling out of line with what is seen as appropriate in your community or profession, and
you may suffer consequences as a result.

You might also like