Professional Ethics

Module 1

Asst. Prof.VSSUT, Burla

Rajib Kumar Sahu
Ethics
• Definition of Ethics:-
Ethics Deals with law of morality and rules of Conduct. It determines the rightness or wrongness of actions. It
define the ultimate ends that man should admire and ideals that he wishes to seek in life. “ Ethics is the science of judging
specifically human ends and the relationship of means to those ends.” However, there is no defined set of rules that defines
what actions are right or wrong, what is virtue and what is vice, and what determines moral obligation of a person.

By ethics, we mean that the branch of moral philosophy that guides people about what is good or bad. It is a
collection of fundamental concepts and principles of an ideal human character. The principle help us in making decision in our
day to day life. It Inform us about how to act in a particular situation and make a judgement to make better choice. Ethics are
the code of conduct agreed and adopted by people.
The objectives of this course on ‘Professional Ethics and Human Values’ are

• (a) to understand the moral values that ought to guide the Engineering profession,

• (b) resolve the moral issues in the profession, and

• (c) justify the moral judgment concerning the profession. It is intended to develop a set of beliefs, attitudes,

and habits that engineers should display concerning morality.

• The prime objective is to increase one’s ability to deal effectively with moral complexity in engineering

practice
Alternatively, the objectives of the study on Professional Ethics may be listed as

➢ Improvement of the cognitive skills (skills of the intellect in thinking clearly)

➢ Moral awareness (proficiency in recognizing moral problems in engineering)

➢ Cogent moral reasoning (comprehending, assessing different views)

➢ Moral coherence (forming consistent viewpoints based on facts)

➢ Moral imagination (searching beyond obvious the alternative responses to issues and being receptive to creative solutions)

➢ Moral communication, to express and support one’s views to others.

 Personal Ethics:-
Personal ethics refers to those rules that help you make the right decisions in your daily life.
Examples of personal ethics usually include your work ethic, approach to difficult situations,
and core values. The practice of personal ethics can be highly individual, and they can also
involve your family or social group.

Here are three common examples of personal ethics:

• Honesty: People typically value honesty because it fosters trust. Honesty must be present
in both your personal and professional life because it can help you build stronger
relationships.
• Loyalty: Many employers also consider loyalty to be a valuable trait. Employers typically
trust loyal employees because they know they can keep the best interest of the business at
the center of their actions.
• Respect: Anyone who has sound personal ethics usually shows respect to those around
them. People who demonstrate respect for authority, colleagues, friends, and family
exercise their personal ethics.
Why are personal ethics important?

➢Allows leaders to handle their teams effectively

➢Develop a strong sense of trust and belief in leaders
➢Helps individuals determine the best action to take in challenging
situations
➢Helps the decision-making process
➢Fixes a standard of expected behavior
➢Serves as motivation for individuals
Business Ethics

Business ethics are those guiding principles that motivate you to make good
decisions in your professional career. Some may be very similar to your personal
ethics, while some may be different. Most of the time, various industries prioritize
specific business ethics that they expect their workers to follow.
Often, companies establish formal business ethics statements that explain
their values and help guide high-level decisions in the day-to-day running of the
business. These formal statements usually possess guidelines for how they relate
with other businesses, supervise employees, and interact with customers and the
public. This is a very efficient method to help encourage appropriate workplace
decisions and follow applicable laws.
Differences between personal and business ethics
• Personal and business ethics aren't entirely similar as there are some differences, typically most
dependent on the circumstances. The basic difference between the two is that personal ethics refers
to a person's morals or values in any aspect of life. In contrast, business ethics refers to an
individual's values within their work environment and how they conduct themselves professionally.

Here are some differences between personal and business ethics:

• Role-specificity: Sometimes, business ethics can differ depending on your role and industry. For
instance, an accountant and a sailor might prioritize their values differently. However, your
personal ethics remain the same regardless of your location or activity.
• Structure: The structure of business ethics is usually organized and formalized as a mission
statement. Personal ethics are usually flexible or informal.
• Collective vs. individualized: The point to which groups of people share personal and business
ethics can sometimes differ. This is because people can share personal ethics with a social group,
family, or community, depending on how those groups develop the shared values. Business ethics
refers to the standard procedures of an organization that all members must follow.
• Situational nature: The types of values a person prioritizes often overlap between personal and
business ethics. The fundamental difference is how they use them and in which situations they
choose to apply them.
Morality

• The terms ethics and morality are closely related. It is now common to refer
to ethical judgments or to ethical principles where it once would have been more
accurate to speak of moral judgments or moral principles.
• These applications are an extension of the meaning of ethics. In earlier usage, the
term referred not to morality itself but to the field of study, or branch of inquiry,
that has morality as its subject matter. In this sense, ethics is equivalent to
moral philosophy.
Law
The law is described as the set of rules and regulation, created by the government to govern the whole society. The
law is universally accepted, recognized and enforced.

It is created with the purpose of maintaining social order, peace, justice in the society and to provide protection to the
general public and safeguard their interest. It is made after considering ethical principles and moral values.
The Law is made by the judicial system of the country. Every person in the country is bound to follow the law.
Religion
• Religions have played major roles in shaping moral views and moral values, over geographical
regions. Christianity has influenced the Western countries, Islam in the Middle-East countries,
Buddhism and Hinduism in Asia, and Confucianism in China. Further, there is a strong
psychological link between the moral and religious beliefs of people following various religions
and faiths. Religions support moral responsibility. They have set high moral standards. Faith in the
religions provides trust and this trust inspires people to be moral. The religions insist on tolerance
and moral concern for others. Many professionals who possess religious beliefs are motivated to be
morally responsible. Each religion lays stress on certain high moral standards. For example,
Hinduism holds polytheistic (many gods) view, and virtues of devotion and surrender to high order.
Christianity believes in one deity and emphasizes on virtues of Love, Faith, and Hope. Buddhism is
non-theistic and focuses on compassion and Islam on one deity and adherence of ishan (piety or
pursuit of excellence) and prayer. Judaism stresses the virtue of ‘tsedakah’ (righteousness). But
many religious sects have adopted poor moral standards, e.g., many religious sects do not
recognize equal rights for women. The right to worship is denied for some people. People are
killed in the name of or to promote religion. Thus, conflicts exist between the ‘secular’ and
religious people and between one religion and another. Hence, religious views have to be morally
scrutinized.
Morality and Religion

➢ Religion and morality go together. Religion and morality are closely connected with each other. What is good is also willed
by God. The fulfillment of God’s will and the performance of moral action, therefore, are two aspects of the same process.
Both morality and religion are internal and concerned with a higher law which stands over and above the sphere of the state
and outside state control.
➢ Morality prepares the way for the perpetuation (the continuation) of religious beliefs while religion reinforces morality with
its supernatural sanctions. Certain of the moral tenets are explained as having a supernatural origin. Salvation and
blessedness are interpreted in terms of the individual’s relation to the moral ideals.
➢ Thinkers like MacIver hold that religion and morality arise simultaneously and that they have always reinforced each other.
He says. “We cannot say that either the religious or the moral code came first just as we cannot say that custom preceded
morality or law. Moral codes have prepared the way for the perpetuation of religious beliefs. Religious codes have strongly
reinforced with their supernatural sanctions the prevailing morals of the group.”
➢ Morality and religion should be dissociated. But there are thinkers like Spencer, Bertrand Russel, Huxley and Charles
Bougie who opine that religion and morality do not go hand in hand and that one should be dissociated from the other.
According to them, religion and morality had independent origins. They asserted that the ethical code can develop best and
be most effective when separated from religion.
➢ The difference between religion and morality will become clear if we remember that an act may be morally wrong while
religiously right. Sometimes religion inspires conduct detrimental to social interests. The Hindu Dharma preaches
untouchability which is morally wrong. In the not too distant past the practice of ‘sati’ was allowed rather inspired by the
Hindu Dharma which was socially harmful.
Difference between morality and ethics:

• Morality • Ethics

• 1. More general and prescriptive (enforcement of a rule)based on • 1. Specific and descriptive. It is a critical reflection on morals.

customs and traditions.

• 2. More concerned with the results of a right action, when not done.

• 2. More concerned with the results of wrong action, when done.

• 3. Thrust is on influence, education, training through codes, guidelines,

• 3. Thrust is on judgment and punishment, in the name of God or by and correction.

laws.
• 4. Less serious, hence second priority only. Less common. But relevant

• 4. In case of conflict between the two, morality is given top priority, today, because of complex interactions in the modern society.

because the damage is more. It is more common and basic.

• 5. Example: Notions or beliefs about manners, tastes, customs, and

• 5. Example: Character flaw, corruption, extortion, and crime. towards

Value ?
• A value is defined as a principle that promotes well-being or prevents harm.” Another definition is: Values are our guidelines for our
success—our paradigm about what is acceptable.” Personal values are defined as: “Emotional beliefs in principles regarded as particularly
favorable or important for the individual.” Our values associate emotions to our experiences and guide our choices, decisions and actions.

• Value are a set of principle that people cherish. They enhance the quality of individual and collective life. They involve personal and
community discipline and sacrifice of immediate gratification needs.

• Quality of life is a product of physical, social, environmental, mental and spiritual health and wholeness. Values lay standards against which
individual’s behaviour is judged. They determine the overall personality of an individual and the organization he is working for.
BASIS FOR COMPARISON LAW ETHICS

Meaning The law refers to a systematic body of rules that governs the whole Ethics is a branch of moral philosophy that guides

society and the actions of its individual members. people about the basic human conduct.

What is it? Set of rules and regulations Set of guidelines

Governed By Government Individual, Legal and Professional norms

Expression Expressed and published in writing. They are abstract.

Violation Violation of law is not permissible which may result in punishment There is no punishment for violation of ethics.

like imprisonment or fine or both.

Objective Law is created with an intent to maintain social order and peace in Ethics are made to help people to decide what is right

the society and provide protection to all the citizens. or wrong and how to act.

Binding Law has a legal binding. Ethics do not have a binding nature.