In general, ethics is an area of philosophy, also called Moral Philosophy. In it, the fundamental principles of human actions and behavior are studied.
Morality, on the other hand, is a social construction formed by the set of these actions and behaviors through the understanding of which are good and which are bad, aiming to create norms that guide the actions of individuals belonging to the same group.
However, like all philosophical themes, there is no consensus regarding this difference. Some authors treat ethics and morality as synonyms. This is because the etymological roots of the words are similar.
Etymologically, the terms are derived from the same idea:
- Ethics comes from the Greek ethos , which means “customs”, “habits” and, ultimately, “the place where you live”.
- Moral originates from the Latin mores , which means “customs”, “habits” and is also the root of our word “dwelling”, the place where you live (from the verb to live).
| ETHIC | MORAL | |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Philosophical reflection on the driving principles of human actions: right and wrong; fair and unfair; good and bad. | Cultural code of norms that guide the actions of individuals inserted in a given context. |
| Character | Universal | Private (cultural / personal) |
| Rationale | It is based on theory (principles) | It is based on customs and habits (behaviors) |
| Example | DeontologyBioethics | Christian moralsGreek Moral |
What is ethics?
Ethics, or moral philosophy, is an area of knowledge dedicated to the investigation of the principles of human actions. In other words, ethics is the study of the bases of morals.
It develops theories about the development of human behavior and the construction of socially shared values, which guide actions.
The reflection on key concepts such as “the good”, “justice” and “virtue”, build the ethical knowledge, started in the anthropological period of Greek philosophy marked by the Socrates-Plato-Aristotle triad.
Especially in Aristotle’s Ethics a Nicomachean text , the philosopher defines ethics as a discipline of philosophy and seeks to define the relationship between human behavior, virtue and happiness.
Currently, ethics is concerned with theorizing and building principles that underlie various activities. Deontology, for example, is an area that aims to establish the ethical bases for professional development. As well as bioethics – a branch dedicated to reflecting on what principles science should develop, focusing on respect for life.
How does morality differ from ethics?
Morality has the fundamental characteristic of acting as a norm that guides human behavior. Even if it assumes the freedom of individuals and the impossibility of predicting all actions, morality will develop values to which actions must be submitted.
Unlike ethical theories, which seek the universal characteristics of human behavior, morality establishes a particular relationship with individuals, with their conscience and the idea of duty.
Morality takes on a practical and normative character, in which the way to act is directly related to socially constructed moral values.
Thus, while ethics proposes questions such as: “What is good?”, “What is justice?”, “What is virtue?”; morality develops from the approval or disapproval of a conduct. “Is this action fair?”, “Is it okay to act in a certain way?”
For example, the Christian morality that served as a basis for the construction of Western culture, considers human freedom in its relationship with free will. Even so, the freedom to act will be conditioned to the values described in the sacred texts. Especially in the New Testament gospel, in the teachings of Christ and in all its historical and cultural development.
Thus, the construction of the thought of a virtuous life is based on good examples and the construction of a social habit. Therefore, morality, different from ethics, will always be inserted in a particular context. Each social group at different historical moments will also have different moral values.