Ethics: Theory and Practice

Jacques P. Thiroux Keith W. Krasemann

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Chapter One
The Nature of Morality

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Ethics and Morality

What is the difference between Ethics and Morality?

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Ethics and Morality

Ethics comes from the Greek ethos, meaning character
Pertains to the individual character of a person or or persons

Morality comes from the Latin moralis, meaning customs or manners

Pertains to the relationship between human beings

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Amoral and Nonmoral

Amoral = having no moral sense, or being indifferent to right and wrong
This term can be applied to very few people The complete absence of a sense of right and wrong may be caused by physical trauma to the brain In addition, some criminal types are amoral despite moral education

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Scientific Approach to the Study of Morality

This approach is also descriptive because it involves the observation of human behavior and the description of those observations In this approach, the observers make no value judgments as to what is morally right or wrong

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Philosophical Approach to Ethics

Normative Ethics
Deals with norms (or standards) and prescriptions Goes beyond observation and description and makes normative moral value judgments

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The Synthesized View: Values are Both Objective and Subjective

Values are determined by three variables:
The first variable is the thing of value, or the thing valued The second is a conscious being who values, or the valuer The third is the context or situation in which the valuing takes place

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Theory on the Origin of Morality

If values are both objective and subjective, it is possible to construct the following theory concerning the origin of morality:
It comes from a complex interaction between conscious human beings and material, mental, or emotional things in specific contexts It stems from human needs and desires and is based on human emotions and reason

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Customary Morality
Customary (or traditional) morality is based on custom or tradition This is the first type of morality that we encounter Customary morality is presented to members, often accepted without analysis or critical evaluation, throughout childhood and adult years
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Reflective Morality
Reflective morality is the careful examination and critical evaluation of all moral issues whether or not they are based on religion, custom, or tradition All customs, traditions, systems of ethics, rules, and ethical theories should be carefully analyzed and critically evaluated before we continue to accept or live by them
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Morality and the Law

Morality is not necessarily based on law However, the law provides a public statement to guide humans in their behavior and to protect them from doing harm to persons and property

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Morality and the Law

Some laws have more or less moral impact than others, but the relationship between law and morality is not reciprocal What is moral is not necessarily legal and what is legal is not necessarily moral

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Morality and Religion

Throughout history, religion served as a powerful institution for getting people to behave morally But, the fact that religion may have preceded formal legal or moral systems, or that it may have provided very powerful and effective sanctions for morality, does not prove that morality must of necessity have a religious basis
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A Working Definition of Morality

Morality, or ethics, deals basically with human relationshipshow human beings treat other beings so as to promote mutual welfare, growth, creativity, and meaning as they strive for good over bad and right over wrong

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