ETHICS

- The word "ethics" is derived from the Greek word ethos, which means
"character".
- Ethics then, we may say, discusses men‘s habits or customs, or in other words their
characters, the principles on which the habitually act and considers what it is
that constitutes the rightness or wrongness of these principles, the good or evil of
these habits.
- Ethics is a branch of philosophy that addresses the concepts of right and wrong
or good and evil.
- the normative science (standards) of the conduct of human beings living in
society as a science which judges this conduct to be right or wrong, to be good
or bad.

PROFESSIONAL ETHICS
- provides us means to solve certain ethical problems related to a certain
profession.
- Professional ethics is usually presented as guidelines and rules, but it can be
demanding to apply these to complex situations, that call for sensitivity to
circumstances and the individuals in question. Thus, professional ethics cannot
be only about abiding by the rules, but constant awareness to the rights and
needs of the clients or patients, and critical thinking in the cross-fire of ethics,
rules, conventions and difficulties of social interaction.

CONCEPT & DEFINITION OF PROFESSIONAL ETHICS

Professional ethics are professionally accepted standards of personal and business
behavior, values and guiding principles. They are codes of professional ethics are often
established by professional organizations to help guide members in performing their job
functions according to sound and consistent ethical principles.

Professional Ethics is defined as the personal and corporate rules that govern behavior
within the context of a particular profession.
Example: of professional ethics is the American Bar Association's set of ethical rules that
govern an attorney's moral obligations.

TYPES OF PROFESSIONAL ETHICS:

1. Meta ethics: (origin of ethical principle) It deals with origin of ethical principles that
govern the specification of right and wrong behaviour. A major issue of debate in this
category is whether ethical principles are eternal truths that evolved from a spiritual
world or simply created by the humans.

2. Descriptive ethics: (moral beliefs) It refers to the study of moral beliefs of the people. It
is a field of empirical research into what people or societies consider right or wrong.

3. Normative ethics: (self moral conduct) It is concerned with arriving at set of moral
conduct rules against which behaviour are judged.

4. Applied ethics: The ethical principles are designed or written for implementation in a
specific situation.
a. Bio ethics: These are the ethical principles or codes for maintaining normal
livelihood.

b. Medical ethics: The ethical principles or codes designed for a medical

profession.

c. Computer ethics: The ethical principles or codes designed for a medical

profession.

d. Engineering ethics: The ethical principles or codes designed for an

engineering profession.

e. Business ethics: The ethical principles or codes designed for a business

operation
 f. Legal ethics: The ethical principles or codes designed for maintaining a legal
system.

WORK ETHICS
Work ethics is defined as a set of attitudes concerned with the value of work, which
forms the motivational orientation.

The work ethics‘ is aimed at ensuring the following.

a. economy (get job, create wealth, earn salary)

b. productivity (wealth, profit)
c. safety (in workplace)
d. health and hygiene (working conditions)
e. privacy (raise family)
f. security (permanence against contractual, pension, and retirement benefits)
g. cultural and social development (leisure, hobby, and happiness)
h. welfare (social work)
i. environment (anti-pollution activities)

All above offer opportunities for all, according to their abilities, but without
discrimination.