Ethics vs.

Psychology

We know that the literal meaning of ethics is the study of human behavior. Psychology is also defined as
the study of behavior. But they are considered as different discipline. So a question does arise regarding
the relation between ethics and psychology. Actually, there are both similarities and differences
between them some of which is stated below.

First, Ethics is the science of ultimate good. It searches for the ideals of human behavior and decides the
good (right) or bad (wrong) of our behavior. In the light of ultimate good it tells us what kind of behavior
we should practice and ones we should abstain from. But before we know this we need to know what
causes our certain kind of behavior. And this is where psychology steps in. In this sense, ethics depends
upon psychology for knowing the psychological basis of ethical sense. Before arriving at the ethical
ought (e.g. you ought to do so and so), it is necessary to have a psychological study of the nature of
structure of behavior, and its relation to the motivating causes of activity, desire, reason, intention etc.
Any doubt or incomplete knowledge of these would to faulty imagination of the perfect good. So correct
ethics can be based only correct psychology. In this way ethics and psychology are intimately related. A
complete psychological analysis of the ethical situation is essential for ethical decision. (from net).

Second, Ethics is a branch of normative (axiological) science, while psychology is a branch of positive
(factual) science. Ethics deals with behavior but the role of ethicist or moral philosopher was never
conceived to be that of describing or explain the behavior of men. That is the task of the psychologist.
Sociologist, anthropologist and historian. Moral philosophers set out to perform different tasks. It
criticizes, evaluates, appraises or condemns behavior. It does not tell us what men do, why men do, but
tells us which of the things that men do are good and which are bad. Indeed, psychology describes the
mental process like intention and willing which lead to human behavior, but he has no concern with the
goodness or badness of that behavior. Psychology describes human behavior without expressing any
opinion about its value or making judgement about it. In other words, psychology is to explain behavior,
and not to judge it either by justifying it or by condemning it; to justify, to condemn or appreciate, and
determining it as good or bad/ right or wrong is the business of ethics. (see-William Lille-Intr.to Ethics).

Here is an example to understand the difference between ethics and psychology

A 20 year teen named Rima had a loving but possessive boyfriend. One day she got slapped by her
boyfriend in front of all just because she was talking with another boy. They had a brake up then.
Devastated by insult and break up she first cried whole night but latter soon decided to avenge this.
Next day she steps her boyfriend to death.

When this story is viewed by ethics we will see the moral principles that governed Rima’s behavior of
murdering her boyfriend. We will also see her boyfriend’s moral principle of slapping her. We will judge
who was more wrong in whole situation and which act was more wrong, slapping or murder. Ethically
we will be concerned about right or wrong aspects in this situation.

While the same story is viewed with keeping psychology in mind, we will see why boyfriend was so
possessive and why he choose to slap her. Psychologist will try to know what was going in his mind
scientifically, i.e. looking at his past history, mental condition etc., for example if he had a bad past.
Similarly. psychologist will study Rima’s mind.
So ethics deals with moral principles that govern a person’s behavior or the conductive activity. And
psychology is the study of human mind and its functions, especially those affecting in a given context.

Ethics vs Religion

Ethics concerns teaching and practice of what good or bad, right and wrong, virtuous or vicious. A
general aspect of ethics is the good life, the life worth living, or the life that is simply satisfying. It is said
that ethics pays, i.e., an ethical person will be happy.

Religion may be defined as the belief in a supernatural reality like God which affects the believers
emotionally in such a way to impel him to perform certain acts towards the supernatural reality. A
religious person believes, what God commands to do is good, and what is forbidden by Him is bad. Like
ethics the aim of religion is to make people happy. All religious traditions believe that their faith
represents a path to enlightenment and salvation.

Many people believe that religion is the source of morality/ethics. Indeed, historically there have been a
very close connection between religion and morality, for it is likely that religious customs were
recognized as such by men before moral customs were distinguished from them, and in this way
morality may be said to have developed from religion. The distinction between religion and morality was
gradually made between duties which were primarily directed towards one’s fellow human beings and
duties which God commanded, and so, up to the present day morality and religion have to a great
extent enjoined the same duties. In higher religions there is an explicit recognition that to obey the laws
of morality takes a high place among religious duties. For example, some religion thought, that men
should ‘do justly and love mercy’.

It is true that there have been cases where immoral rites are practiced as a part of religious rituals but
this has by no means been the general rule. Religion is also very conservative and tends to preserve
customs that are no longer socially adventitious. Facts like these are probably sufficient to explain those
cases in which religion has enjoined what morality has condemned.

There appears also to be some justifications for the view that the more religious an individual or a
society is, the more moral an individual or a society will be. This correlation may seem may seem to be
proved by the fact that a decline in religion in many historical cases appear to be followed by an
immediate decline in morality.

However closely religion and morality are connected, there are certain well-defined differences between
them.

First, Religion has its centre in God, morality has its centre in man. It is conceivable that there may be
purely humanistic morality which contains no reference to the supernatural. Religion, however, would
lose its essential nature if all references to the supernatural were excluded from it.

Second, Religion includes a wide range of duty than morality. Worship, prayer and the observance of
rites are among the most important of religious duties, but morality has only one indirect concern with
such rituals in so far as they affect a man’s conduct in relation to his fellow men.
Third, Religion is more characteristically an emotional experience. Morality is hardly based on emotion.
It is based on reason. Moral judgements are rational, whereas religion is sometimes a matter of faith.

Conclusion: Often some people treat religion and ethics as same. But from the above discussion we can
say that there in a close relation between them but they are not the same. That many unreligious
persons are leading a very good moral life can be taken as an example to show that religion and
morality, or what we call ethics, are different from each other. (Read William Lille-Intr. To Ethics).

Ethics vs Law

Ethics or morality and law are two normative systems that control and regulate behavior in a human
community/society. Some scholars believe that morality and law are one and same thing. They say that
behavior which are commonly regarded as illegal is often also immoral. For example, unnecessary killing,
adultery etc. are illegal as well as immoral. Similarly, benevolence is commonly accepted as moral, it is
also legal. But some other scholars believe that law and morality is different. They say that legal and
moral principles can be distinguished each other. For instance, parking on a double yellow line is illegal,
but not generally regarded as immoral. There are some bad laws which is called immoral, e.g., German
Nazi laws and apartheid law of South Africa.

History shows that at the earlier stages of society there was no distinction between law and moral. For
example, in Hindu law, the prime source of which are the Vedas and the Smrities, we don’t find such
distinction. The Greeks in the name of the doctrine of ‘natural right’ formulated a theoretical moral
foundation of law. The Roman jurists in the name of ‘natural law’ recognized certain moral principles as
the basis of law. The natural law was given a theoretical basis and Christian morals in Middle Ages.

There are some who assert that even if law and moral are dintinguishable, it remains true that morality
is in some way an inseparable part of law. Thus it has been said that law in action is not a mere system
of rules, but involves the use of certain principles, such that of the equitable (just) and the good. The
popular conception of the connection between law and morality is that in some way the law exists to
promote morality, to preserve those conditions which make the moral life possible. Again both morality
and law determines rights and duties towards one another, and both regulate the conduct of the
individuals in the society.

In spite of the above relation between law and morality, there are some differences between them.

First, Law regulates and controls the external human conduct. It is not concerned with inner motives. A
person may have an evil intention in his mind but law does not care for it. Law will move only when this
evil intention is translated into action and some harm is done to another person. On the other hand,
morality regulates and controls both inner motive and external actions. It is concerned with the whole
life of a man. Morality condemns a person if he has some evil motives in mind.

Second, Law is backed up by force or the threat of force. Sanctions are invariably imposed for the
violation of a legal obligation. But there is no official sanction for immoral behavior, although society
often creates its own form of censorship.

Third, Law is deliberately changed by parliament and courts, but morality ca not be deliberately
changed, rather it evolves slowly.
Fourth, Law is universal in a particular society. All the individuals are subjected to it. It does not change
from man to man, but many believe that morality can be relative, it may vary from person to person.

Fifth, Law got jurisdiction. One country’s law may not be applicable for another country. But there are
some universal morality.