Understanding the philosophy

of ethics, morality, values,

social norms, and standards.
What is the origin of the word ethics?

• Greek word "ethos" - character or custom.

• It refers to the principles that guide our behavior
and the standards we use to judge what is right
and wrong.
What is Ethics?
• is a branch of philosophy that deals with moral
principles and values.
• It focuses on understanding what is morally good or
bad, right or wrong, and how we should behave in
different situations.
• Ethics helps us make decisions and determine what
actions are morally acceptable.
• Ethics provides a framework for thinking about the best
course of action based on moral principles.
What are the types of ethics?
Normative Ethics:
• establishes the norms or standards determining
whether actions are morally right or wrong.
• It focuses on developing theories and principles
to guide ethical decision-making.
• Utilitarianism: Utilitarianism is a normative ethical theory that suggests the right action is the one that
maximizes overall happiness or utility for the greatest number of people. It emphasizes the consequences of
actions in determining their moral value.

• For example, if you have limited resources, utilitarianism might suggest that you distribute those resources to
maximize the community’s overall well-being.

• Deontology: emphasizes the inherent nature of actions and the principles or duties that guide them. It focuses
on actions’ moral rightness or wrongness rather than their outcomes.

• For instance, according to deontological ethics, lying is inherently wrong, regardless of the potential positive
consequences it may bring.

• Virtue Ethics: Virtue ethics centers around cultivating moral character traits and virtues. It emphasizes the
development of virtues like honesty, compassion, and integrity, which are seen as essential for leading a morally
good life.

• For example, virtue ethics would encourage individuals to develop the virtue of honesty and consistently act
truthfully in various situations.
Applied Ethics
• Applied ethics involves the application of ethical
principles to specific areas or issues.

• It helps address moral dilemmas and guide

decision-making in real-life contexts.
Meta-ethics:

• Meta-ethics is another branch of ethics that examines ethical statements' nature,

language, and meaning. It goes beyond discussing what is right or wrong and
explores deeper questions about the foundations of ethics. Here's an explanation of
meta-ethics along with an example:

Meta-ethics:
• Meta-ethics focuses on understanding the nature of ethical statements, the language
we use to talk about ethics, and the meaning of moral concepts. It seeks to answer
questions like "What is the nature of moral judgments?" and "How do we understand
ethical terms?"

• Example: Let's consider the statement, "Stealing is wrong." A meta-ethical inquiry

would go beyond evaluating whether stealing is indeed morally wrong and delve into
the underlying questions:
 Differentiating professional ethics from general ethics:

• Professional ethics refers to the ethical principles and standards that

guide the behavior of individuals in a specific profession or
occupation. These ethics are specific to the requirements and
responsibilities of that profession. For example:
• On the other hand, general ethics refers to the broader principles and
values that apply to all individuals and guide their conduct in various
aspects of life, regardless of their profession. General ethics includes
concepts like honesty, fairness, respect for others, and responsibility.