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The Difference Between Ethics, Morals and Values

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The Difference between ethics, morals and values

Dictionary Meaning (Ethics)

1. a. A set of principles of right conduct. b. A theory or a system of moral values

noun. the study of standards of conduct and moral judgment; moral philosophy; a treatise on this study; the system or code of morals of a particular person, religion, group, profession

Dictionary Meaning (Morals)

1. involving right and wrong: relating to issues of right and wrong and to how individual people should behave
2. derived from personal conscience: based on what somebody's conscience suggests is right or wrong, rather than on what rules or the law says should be done
3. according to common standard of justice: regarded in terms of what is known to be right or just, as opposed to what is officially or outwardly declared to be right or just
Dictionary Meaning (Values)

In general, important and enduring beliefs or ideals shared by the members of a culture about what is good or desirable and what is not. Values exert major influence on the behavior of an individual and serve as broad guidelines in all situations.

When one look at the dictionary meanings of each of the words, you can derive that each words has some similarity rather that difference. These three words go hand in hand in determining how an individual should conduct himself or herself in a modern society.

Definitions by an independent group

Ethics:
[pic]Define moral rights and wrongs.
[pic]Transcend culture, ethnicity, and are relevant to all socioeconomic conditions.
[pic]Are the should and ought of life.
Morals:
[pic]Are ethical principles
[pic]Founded on fundamental principles of right conduct rather than legalities.
[pic]Morals are always the same. Immorality varies from generation to generation.
Values:
[pic]Refer to all important beliefs.
[pic]Not all are ethical,

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