Ethics Morals

also called moral philosophy, the
discipline concerned with what is
morally good and bad and morally
right and wrong.
what is acceptable and unacceptable in
human behavior.
the word "moral" may be used to refer
to specific beliefs or attitudes that
people have or to describe acts that
people perform.
i.e. an individual's conduct is referred
to as his morals so much so that if he
falls short of this, this can be described
as immoral.

Value judgments that are not considered as Ethics

part of ethics: Ethics can be used to refer to as the
discipline of studying and
1. aesthetics understanding ideal human behavior
from the Greek word aesthesis (“sense” and ideal ways of thinking.
or “feeling”). i.e. acceptable and unacceptable
the judgments of personal approval or behaviors are also generally described
disapproval that we make about what as ethical and unethical, respectively.
we see, hear, smell, or taste.
Descriptive and Normative
2. etiquette
concerned with right and wrong
actions but are not quite grave enough
to belong to a discussion on ethics.
e.g. “right” to knock politely on
someone’s door, while it is “wrong” to
barge into one’s office.

3. technical (technique)
from the Greek word techne.
used to refer to a proper way (or right
way) of doing things.

Included in the discussion of ethics:

Valuations that we make in a sphere of

human actions, characterized by certain
gravity and concern the well-being or
human life itself.
e.g. matters that concern life and death
– i.e. war, capital punishment, abortion.
e.g. matters that concern human well-
being – i.e. poverty, inequality, or
sexual identity.

Moral vs. Ethics