ETHICS

- Prof. Channpreet Kaur Bhatia

 ETHICS - CONCEPT

• The word ethics is derived from a Greek word ‘ethos’ meaning character
• Moral principles that govern a person's behavior or the conducting of an
activity
• Ethics reflects on human beings and their interaction with nature and with
other humans, on freedom, on responsibility and on justice
• Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that "involves
systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and
wrong behavior
 ETHICS - CONCEPT

• Ethics are not laws, which are actual regulations one must comply
with because they are established by an authority with judicial
responsibility and the power of enforcement
• Ethics are the moral principles that guide people’s behavior,
decisions, and actions. These principles are based on the concepts
of right and wrong, good and bad, and fairness and justice.
 W H AT I S T H E D I F F E R E N C E B E T W E E N E T HI C S AN D
MORALS?

• Both ethics and morals refer to “right” and “wrong” behaviors and conduct.
While they are sometimes used interchangeably, these words are different:
• Ethics refer to rules provided by an external source, such as a code of
conduct in the workplace. Morals refer to an individual's principles
regarding right and wrong.
 W H AT I S T H E D I F F E R E N C E B E T W E E N E T HI C S AN D
MORALS?

• Ethics are an external social system relating to a specific group that defines right and wrong
behaviors. Ethics are codified into a set of rules or a system and adopted by people in that
field. For example, lawyers, doctors, and accountants must follow an ethical code laid down
by their profession, regardless of their feelings or preferences. Disclosing confidential
information or misleading a client are some examples of a breach of ethics. Ethical principles
remain consistent across industries and institutions, as they offer strict behavior guidelines.

• Morals are internal principles that act as personal standards of what we value as right and
wrong and vary from person to person. Morals provide the basic foundation for
understanding a person’s behavior, attitudes, and perceptions. Individual morals are
influenced by various factors like religion, culture, and society
 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ETHICS
AND MORALS

• Ethics are a set of principles relating to a specific group, field, or

organization.
• Morals are personal principles or standards of behavior.
• Ethics can be personal and professional.
• Morals are personal.
• Ethics are influenced by different professions, organizations, institutes, etc.
• Morals are influenced by family background, culture, religion, community,
etc.
• Ethics can vary according to the profession.
• Morals can vary according to individuals.
 GOLDEN RULES OF ETHICS

• Everything you want others to do

• Do not do to others, which you do not wish for yourself
• Do not do to others, that’s harmful
 EVOLUTION OF ETHICS

• Ethical Absolutism
• Ethical Relativism
• Ethical Subjectivism
• Ethical Objectivism
• Universalism
 NATURE OF ETHICS

• Normative Scientific Nature: Ethics is a normative science which determines

norms, moral values in a person and an individual’s character. It is a systematic
explanation of what is right and what is wrong.
• Not Art: Ethics is not art as art deals with the acquisition of skill.
• Variable Nature: Ethics is not static. It is not always the same. Human beings
change and the morality and ethical perspective in them also changes.
• Exclusively for Human Beings: Ethics can only be applied to human beings as
we are the ones who have the capacity for moral judgement. We cannot expect
ethical behavior from animals, as they are not as intelligent as human beings are
so ethics is exclusively for human beings.
 NATURE OF ETHICS

• Self imposed
• Morality
• Discipline
• Not a religion
• Not a culture
 NATURE OF ETHICS

• Personal ethics refers to the ethics that a person identifies with in respect to people and
situations that they deal with in everyday life. Personal ethics is a person’s morals and code of
conduct. These principles are ingrained in a person by their parents, relatives, and friends from
the beginning of their awareness. These ethics have an impact on many facets of a person’s life
and aid in the development of a person’s work ethic, personal and professional objectives and
values. Individuals use ethics to distinguish between what is good and wrong and to influence
how others act in difficult situations.
• Examples of Personal Ethics-
• Honesty
• Loyalty
• Integrity
• Respect
• Selflessness
 NATURE OF ETHICS

• Professional Ethics: Professional ethics refers to the ethics that a person must adhere to in respect of
their interactions and business dealings in their professional life. Professional ethics is a set of rules
and laws which govern the rights and duties, etiquettes, duties towards the court, client, opponent,
colleague etc. Professional ethics are the beliefs and concepts instilled in a person by a professional
organization. Each employee is expected to rigorously adhere to these values. They don’t have much
of a choice. This concept is also essential in professional settings since it instills a feeling of discipline
in employees and aids in the maintenance of workplace etiquette. These ethical values make the
employees responsible.
• Examples of Professional Ethics-
• Confidentiality
• Impartiality
• Transparency
• Punctuality
• Time Management
 NATURE OF ETHICS

• Managerial Ethics: are moral principles employees in a leadership position follow to guide
their actions and behaviors. These ethics may be personal or related to the company's beliefs
and values. They help managers decide what's wrong and right in the workplace so they can
create a welcoming, inclusive environment.
• Utilitarian, Rights, Justice and Social contract view.
• Examples of Managerial Ethics:
• Professionalism
• Respect your team
• Privacy
• Compliance
• Honesty
• Communication
 IMPORTANCE OF ETHICS

1. Make world better place: We can think of ethics as the principles that guide
our behavior toward making the best choices that contribute to the common
good of all. This make the world a better place through the choices we make.
2. Better Relations (harmony and teamwork): Ethics are also equally
important in personal relationships. Individuals who prioritize ethical behavior
are more likely to build strong, healthy relationships based on mutual respect,
trust, and honesty. They are also more likely to make decisions thinking
beyond themselves, considering the feelings and well-being of others.
3. Treat everyone equally: Equality is where all individuals are afforded the
same rights. This is not possible without the majority of citizens behaving in a
moral manner.
 IMPORTANCE OF ETHICS

4. Secure meaningful employment (image): Often employers will look at a person’ past
behavior as a predictor of future behavior. Someone who has a history of immoral
behavior will have difficulty securing employment in a meaningful job, as that person may
not be trusted.
5. Succeed at business (image): In relation to business, all stakeholders are demanding
increased accountability on ethical conduct. Companies that prioritize ethical conduct are
more likely to gain the trust and loyalty of customers, suppliers, employees, shareholders
and the communities in which they operate. Businesses that have a checkered moral
history are typically viewed with caution and are unlikely to attract new customers
through word of mouth, and therefore are unlikely to prosper. This is especially the case
where social media ­makes customer reviews readily accessible.
6. Lessen stress. When we make immoral decisions, we tend to feel uncomfortable and
concerned about our decision making. Making the right moral decision, or taking a
principled perspective on an issue, reduces stress.
 IMPORTANCE OF ETHICS

7. Legality
8. Organizing
9. Success
10.Decision making
 OBJECTIVES

• Ethical objectives are based on the following factors:

1. Objectivity
2. Impartiality
3. Accuracy
4. Public Accountability
5. Fairness
6. Truthfulness
7. Standards for life
• The objectives of ethics are to study and assess human behavior. It is also to establish principles and
moral standards of behavior. The overall objective is to guide human actions to the benefit of human
flourishing and the environment that sustains them.
• Ethics is not compulsory in a person’s life and it is not forced upon anyone but being ethical is one step
forward towards being a good person.
 ETHICS - SCOPE

Three major areas of study within ethics recognized today are:

• Meta-ethics, concerning the theoretical meaning. Meta-ethics deals with logical
questions like ‘What do we mean by ‘freedom’ and ‘determinism’ etc. For
example, a media critic’s description of a TV series as ‘good drama’ does
not necessarily denote that the program is morally sound. It is the function
of metaethics to define such vague concepts in ethical terms.
 ETHICS - SCOPE

• Normative ethics, concerning the practical means of determining a moral course of action.
Normative ethics deals with standards or norms by which we can judge human actions to
be right or wrong. It deals with the criteria of what is morally right or wrong. For example,
if someone murders a person, everyone will agree that it is wrong. The question is: Why is
it wrong to murder someone? There are a lot of different answers we could give, but if we
want to specify a principle that stated why its wrong, the answer might be: Murder is
wrong because when we kill someone, we violate their right to live. Another perspective
might be – To inflict unnecessary suffering on the person being murdered or their family is
wrong, that’s why to kill a person is wrong. There are three elements emphasized by
normative ethics:
• The person who performs the act (the agent)
• The act
• The consequences of the act
 ETHICS - SCOPE

• Applied ethics, concerning what a person is obligated (or permitted) to do in a specific situation or a
particular domain of action. Applied ethics is the problem-solving branch of moral philosophy. It uses
the insights derived from metaethics and the general principles and rules of normative ethics in
addressing specific ethical issues and cases in a professional, disciplinary or practical field. Applied
ethics is the vital link between theory and practice, the real test of ethical decision-making. Applied
ethics often requires not only theoretical analysis but also practical and feasible solutions. Some of the
key areas of applied ethics are:
• Decision Ethics
• Professional Ethics
• Clinical Ethics
• Business Ethics
• Social Ethics
• Applied ethics takes into consideration issues such as abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment, drug
decriminalization, gay marriage, etc.
 TYPES

• Transactional
• Participatory
• Recognition
THANK YOU