ETHICS – Meaning

⚫ The word ‘Ethics’ is derived from the Greek word ‘Ethikos’

which means custom or character
⚫ Hence ethics means character or manners
⚫ Ethics means the rules or standards governing the conduct
and behaviour of a person or the members of an organisation
⚫ It is a set of moral principles or values about what conduct
ought to be
⚫ They are the behaviors/reactions approved by the group of
the society
⚫ It tells a person how to behave with another person
 ETHICS – Meaning
⚫ Ethics is the science which deals with the ideals involved in
human conduct.
⚫ Ethics is a fundamental personal trait which one adopts and
follows as a guiding principle in one’s life.
⚫ It implies moral conduct and honourable behaviour on the
part of an individual
⚫ Ethics is based on well-founded standards of right and
wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do, usually in
terms of rights, obligations, benefits to society, fairness, or
specific virtues.
 ETHICS –Definition
⚫ Chambers Dictionary defines “ a code of behaviour
considered correct”
⚫ The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines “ ethics as the
treating of moral questions”
⚫ Peter F. Drucker, “Ethics deals with the right actions
of individuals”
 ETHICS
Ethics give an idea about
⚫ What is right or wrong?
⚫ What is good or bad?
⚫ What is true or false?
⚫ What is fair or unfair
⚫ What is just or unjust?
⚫ What is proper or improper etc......
 Features of Ethics
⚫ The concept of Ethics deals with human beings
⚫ It is the study of a set of systematic knowledge about moral
behaviour and conduct. So it is a social science
⚫ Ethics seeks to determine the nature of the norms, ideal or
standard and seeks to enquire into the fitness of human
action to this standard
⚫ It is dealing with moral judgment regarding voluntary
human conduct
⚫ Ethics is about what is right and what is wrong and Law is
about what is lawful and what is unlawful
 Examples of Ethics which we need to
follow
⚫ Respect
⚫ Honesty
⚫ Trustworthiness
⚫ Integrity
⚫ Reliability
⚫ Loyalty
⚫ Civility and Courtesy
⚫ Willingness to comply with law
⚫ Benevolence and prevention of harm to any creature
 Ethics and Morality
⚫ Ethics and morals relate to “right” and “wrong” conduct.
⚫ They are sometimes used interchangeably, but they are
different,
⚫ Ethics refer to rules provided by an external source,
e.g., codes of conduct in workplaces or principles in
religions.
⚫ Morals refer to an individual’s own principles regarding
right and wrong.
 ETHICS
The rules of conduct recognized in respect
to a particular group or culture.
Society says it is the right thing
Influenced by external elements of the
society
Ethics is a set of principles developed
purposefully over time.
Derived from the Greek word ‘Ethikos’
which means character
An ethical code doesn’t have to be moral.
MORALITY
Principles or habits with respect to right or
wrong conduct perceived by individuals.
We believe that it is right or wrong
Influenced by internal elements.
Morality is something one feels intuitively.
Derived from Lattin word ‘moralities’
which means conduct or manner
A moral action can also be unethical
 Moral Standards
⚫ A moral standard refers to the norms which we have
about the types of actions which we believe to be
morally acceptable and morally unacceptable.
⚫ These standards provide the basis for deciding
whether an act is right or wrong
⚫ So, an ethical behaviour is the behaviour that
conforms to moral standards
 Features of Moral Standards
⚫ Moral standards are not established by an
act of law or the government legislature
⚫ They occupy a higher ground and should
take precedence over other values
including self-interest
⚫ Society associates moral standards with
special emotions.
 Objectives of the Ethics
⚫ The basic objectives is to define the greatest good of man and
establish a standard for the same
⚫ Establish/set moral standards/norms of behaviour
⚫ An overall study of human behaviour: what is moral or immoral
should be assessed
⚫ Apply judgment upon human behaviour based on these standard
and norms
⚫ Suggests moral behaviour, prescribes recommendations about Do’s
& Don’ts.
⚫ One’s opinion or attitude about human conduct is expressed in
general
⚫ To evaluate past behaviour against standards and norms
 Ethical Dilemma
⚫ Ethical dilemmas are situations in which there is a difficult
choice to be made between two or more options, neither of
which resolves the situation in a manner that is consistent
with accepted ethical guidelines.
⚫ When faced with an ethical dilemma, a person is faced with
having to select an option that doesn’t align with an
established code of ethics or societal norms, such as codes of
law and religious teachings, or with their internal moral
perceptions of right and wrong
 Examples of Ethical Dilemma
⚫ The Unfaithful Friend (You are shocked to see your
friend’s spouse having dinner with a very young, attractive
person)………
⚫ spend a weekend at an isolated beach cabin with daughter
and your niece…………
⚫ Your Father, the great business man, has a substantial life
insurance policy that expires at midnight………..
⚫ Your friend tells you that they committed a crime…you
are the only one they can trust with their
confession……that someone has been arrested for your
friend’s crime…..
Some Ethical Questions:- Examples
⚫ Are there any times or circumstances where lying, stealing,
adultery, or murder is justified?
⚫ My boss gave me credit for a project on which a colleague did
most of the work. Should i accept the praise?
⚫ Are you willing to take another person job by working for a
wage less than what he or she needs to survive? If you are then
you are unethical.
⚫ Are you willing to sell your crop exports at a lower price if it
means farmers in another country will lost their land and go
bankrupt, some of whom will commit suicide?
 ETHICS – Conclusion
⚫ Some years ago, sociologist Raymond Baumhart asked business
people, "What does ethics mean to you?"
⚫ Among their replies were the following:

⚫ "Ethics has to do with what my feelings tell me is right or

wrong."
"Ethics has to do with my religious beliefs."
"Being ethical is doing what the law requires."
"Ethics consists of the standards of behaviour our society
accepts.“
 ETHICS – Conclusion
⚫ What, then, is ethics? Ethics is two things:-
⚫ First, ethics refers to well-founded standards of right
and wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do,
usually in terms of rights, obligations, benefits to society,
fairness, or specific virtues. (well founded reason behind
this).
⚫ Ethics, for example, refers to those standards that impose
the reasonable obligations to refrain from rape, stealing,
murder, assault, slander, and fraud.
 ETHICS – Conclusion
⚫ Secondly, ethics refers to the study and
development of one's ethical standards. As
mentioned above, feelings, laws, and social
norms can deviate from what is ethical. So it
is necessary to constantly examine one's
standards to ensure that they are reasonable
and well-founded.