Ethics and Ethical Behavior
Ethics is a term that confuses many in term of its meaning. Different people give meaning to the term in the wrong manner leading to the adoption of bad acts in society. This assignment will discuss the issue regarding what constitutes ethics and what does not constitute ethics. Besides, examples of ethical and unethical behavior will be discussed.
Ethics can be defined as the basic fundamental principles and concepts of upright human conduct. It entails the study of universal values like the vital equality of women and men, obedience to the rules of the land, natural rights, concern for safety, and concern for the natural environment (Preston 36). Rather than following this meaning, many individuals link ethics to their feelings. Nevertheless, being ethical is not a subject of following a person’s feelings. An individual following his feelings is likely to recoil from doing the right thing. As a matter of fact, feelings often deviate from ethical actions.
Other people associate ethics with religion. Although most religions advocate for high standard ethical behavior, ethics cannot be identified with religion because it will only apply to the religious individuals. Ethics should be followed by everyone, whether religious or not; therefore, ethics cannot be identified with religion. Religion helps in setting up high standard ethical behavior, but ethics cannot be the same as religion or confined to religion. Besides, ethics should not be equated to following the law. Some people tend to think that following the laws is the same as acting ethically; however, this is not the case because the law usually incorporates ethical actions, but laws just like feelings, sometimes diverge from what can be termed as ethical. For example, slavery laws constitute actions that deviate from ethical behavior. Thus, ethics cannot be the same as following set laws.
On the other hand, ethics cannot be equated with doing what is acceptable in society. Although in society most
Ethics can be defined as the basic fundamental principles and concepts of upright human conduct. It entails the study of universal values like the vital equality of women and men, obedience to the rules of the land, natural rights, concern for safety, and concern for the natural environment (Preston 36). Rather than following this meaning, many individuals link ethics to their feelings. Nevertheless, being ethical is not a subject of following a person’s feelings. An individual following his feelings is likely to recoil from doing the right thing. As a matter of fact, feelings often deviate from ethical actions.
Other people associate ethics with religion. Although most religions advocate for high standard ethical behavior, ethics cannot be identified with religion because it will only apply to the religious individuals. Ethics should be followed by everyone, whether religious or not; therefore, ethics cannot be identified with religion. Religion helps in setting up high standard ethical behavior, but ethics cannot be the same as religion or confined to religion. Besides, ethics should not be equated to following the law. Some people tend to think that following the laws is the same as acting ethically; however, this is not the case because the law usually incorporates ethical actions, but laws just like feelings, sometimes diverge from what can be termed as ethical. For example, slavery laws constitute actions that deviate from ethical behavior. Thus, ethics cannot be the same as following set laws.
On the other hand, ethics cannot be equated with doing what is acceptable in society. Although in society most
Cited: Angle, Chris. Defining Ethics, Good & Evil. Redding, CT: Philosophy Pub. Co, 2004. Print. Preston, Noel. Understanding Ethics. Annandale, N.S.W: Federation Press, 2007. Print. Spinoza, Benedictus . Ethics. Ware: Wordsworth Editions, 2001. Print. MacKinnon, Barbara. Ethics: Theory and Contemporary Issues, Concise Edition. Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning, 2012. Print. Singer, Peter. Ethics. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press, 1994. Print.