Divisions of ethics

– Epicurean ethics

This type of ethics is based on the thought of the

philosopher Epicurus, who established that pleasure
was the purpose of all human beings.

Epicurus believed that everything that produced

pleasure was good, while he considered everything that
produced pain to be bad. However, Epicurus always said that pleasure should be
rational and moderate.

Example

The pleasure Epicurus refers to can range from the simple act of breathing fresh
air when you wake up in the morning, to enjoying the warmth provided by a good
animal cloth. From a pleasant conversation with someone you like, to the pride of
having won the love of a very beautiful person.

– Stoic ethics

It establishes that human beings must live according to the

laws of nature. For this reason, it is necessary for human
beings to become virtuous and strong beings who can endure
everything that comes at them, without showing any feelings
(they should not feel sad about failures nor happy about
victory).

Example

Man must avoid feelings such as passion, which are nothing more than deviations
from rationality. This could apply when we buy unnecessary things simply driven by
the need to create false happiness for ourselves.

– Normative ethics

This type of ethics is responsible for studying what human

beings should think is “good” or “bad” according to moral
values .

This type of ethics studies what should be or done and

what is not and should not be done. To do this, it is
necessary to establish the moral standards that will serve
to regulate the behavior of human beings.
Example

There is a saying that says “who steals from a thief has a hundred years of
forgiveness.” But to what extent is it moral or not to denounce this act? Some may
think that karma has caused one thief to steal from another, so he should not act,
while others will think that any act of injustice should be reported, no matter who
the victim is.

– Metaethics

Type of ethics that is responsible for studying the origin

and meaning of ethics, morality, value judgments, that is,
everything related to ethical principles.

Example

Metaethics can be asked about the question. That is, while ethics questions “Are
we ethical because we are free?”, metaethics asks questions like “Who questions if
we are ethical because we are free?” or “Why has it become necessary to ask
ourselves if we are ethical because we are free?”

– Religious ethics

This type of ethics is the one that is influenced by religion.

Each religion follows specific rules, which is why religious
ethics are divided according to existing religions. For
example, there are Christian ethics, Muslim ethics, Hindu
ethics, among others.

Example

This ethic is raised in most religions with concepts such as the search for
happiness or how to achieve paradise once we die. To do this, establish moral
standards that have the approval of God.

Christian ethics

Christian ethics is one that is responsible for ensuring

compliance with the values taught in the gospels, that is, it
seeks to make people act just as Jesus acted.

Hindu ethics

Hindu ethics is one that is characterized by the search for

peace, for this it is necessary that human beings have self-
control, have compassion for all living beings, and distance themselves from
violence while remaining pure and sincere.

Muslim ethics

Muslim ethics is responsible for ensuring compliance with the commandments of

the Koran. It also seeks for human beings to follow in the footsteps of Muhammad,
a Muslim prophet who is considered an example to follow.

– Applied ethics

This type of ethics refers to its application in daily life, that

is, in the workplace, in the business environment, in
medicine, in the legal field, in politics, in each and every
one of the activities that performed by the human being.

Example

This ethics considers whether euthanasia or abortion should be legalized or not.

– Empirical ethics

Empirical ethics are those that are created while living, that
is, they arise from one's own experience and direct
observation.

Example

A child, without the ability to reason as an adult, can

dedicate himself to killing insects until a certain age when he understands that it is
wrong to harm any living being. It is learning acquired autonomously, without the
need for anyone to influence it.

– Civic ethics

Civic ethics is that which ensures that human beings

behave in a “correct” manner within society, since its
proper functioning will depend on it.

Example
Some examples of civic ethics would be respect for public and private institutions,
respect for national symbols or laws, among others.

- Professional ethics

Professional ethics is that which is responsible for

studying the conduct and values in the professional life
of human beings.

Professional ethics is divided into several types, since

each profession has its own code of ethics. However, in
some cases they are similar to each other.
Consequently, there are medical ethics, military ethics, teaching ethics, legal
ethics, among others.

Example

A technician with a computer repair shop should focus on finding out the technical
problem with his client's computer, avoiding the temptation to gossip about
photographs or personal files.

– Medical ethics

Medical ethics is that which is applied in the field of

health and medicine. It has a set of rules that regulate
the behavior of health professionals.

Medical ethics specifies what the relationship between

the doctor and the patient should be, how patients'
ailments and illnesses should be managed, what
behavior should be between co-workers, among others.

Example

When a doctor finds himself faced with a patient with very little chance of survival,
he must decide whether to continue fighting for him, or give up and dedicate more
efforts to other patients.

– Military ethics

Military ethics are based on obedience and following moral

values. Therefore, it is said that a soldier has ethics when
he obeys a superior.
However, it is necessary for each soldier to keep the values in mind so that they
can identify when an order should not be followed.

Example

If a military officer is told to torture a prisoner, it would be unethical to follow that

order, as human rights would be violated.

– Utilitarian ethics

Its logic establishes that what benefits the majority of

the population is good. Consequently, the good and
the bad will depend on how useful it is for humanity.

Example

For example: if some antisocial people break into an office saying that they are
going to murder everyone if they do not hand over a particular person.

Here a dilemma arises: what should they do? Should they hand over the person to
be able to stay alive?

In this case a utilitarian could consider handing over the person they are looking
for, since this would cause a greater number of individuals to be saved. It is evident
that the good will depend on the number of people who will benefit from the action.