OK Class, who here can tell me the difference between Ethics and Morals?

[Taverner]

It seems there is a disconnect in this country as to the difference.

And for the record, there is a BIG difference.

[Richard D]

1. I'm not cheating by looking it up . . .

. . . Ethics - from the outside; Morals - from the inside.

[joeycola]

4. Actually, I see them as the opposite.........

Moral codes are codes coming from above, the Church, groups, ect.

But we live by out ethics--like the work ethic, the decency towards others ethic, etc.

[Warpy]

12. I see them as opposite

Morals come from the larger society in terms of religious teaching, laws, and social custom. Violating them means condemnation from that society from disapproving gossip to prison.

Ethics are developed internally from thinking things through. Often they're a higher standard than morals are. Violating the higher standard won't cause a ripple on society's placid surface, but you won't be able to look at yourself in the mirror.

The problem is that too many people use the words interchangeably.

[seabeyond]

28. i was gonna say morals more emotions and ethics more on paper. but yours works perfectly. nt

[notesdev]

2. Ethics come from opinion; morals from belief -nt

[dkf]

3. I'd say ethics are more universal and morals are more religious?

But I'm guessing.

[DrDan]

18. that would suggest atheist have no morals . . . which we know is not the case

[dkf]

20. I'm an athiest. I believe in the universality of right and wrong, not in the

decree of a higher being. I think that ethics are broader than morals.

[DrDan]

21. with that line of reasoning, I would consider you to be a moral person

[Pangolin2]

34. I before E except after C. Or if you're an atheist in a weird society.

:evilgrin:

[dkf]

37. Whoops.

My typing and my spelling suck nowadays. Is that because I'm getting old?

[Pangolin2]

39. I don't think so, I'm old and I spell quiet well.

:evilgrin:

[dkf]

40. I used to read books a lot and now I just read message boards.

Maybe that is what is messing up my spelling. lol. I'm not sure how to spell hugh anymore, nor morans.

[Jazzgirl]

48. LOLOLOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Pangolin2]

50. Thanks for noticing.

:D

[lunatica]

42. Did you misspell something?

My eyesight isn't what it used to be. Oh! And get the fuck of my lawn.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

54. the theos part is a Greek root.

The A means Not.

the "ist" is an English add-on. That's why the ie rule doesn't work.

[Pangolin2]

55. So what's the etymology of the other 2?

:evilgrin:

[NoPasaran]

5. Ethics are people from the Old Country

Morals are like when you get sushi and don't pay.

[Dinger]

6. I Was Distracted By That Beautiful Picture

Where did you get it?

[gater]

7. Morals are personal, ethics societal...

Morals are what we believe personally, ethics are the application of those morals within society... what do I win?

[DavidDvorkin]

8. Same as the difference between tactics and strategy.

[leveymg]

9. Ethics are how you treat others, morals are taboos imposed by the Church.

Some intersection, but not enough. If you had to have one or the other, I say jettison the Church.

[HopeHoops]

10. Too bad this isn't in the lounge - it would make for a GREAT copycat thread...

OK Class, who here can tell me the difference between Ethics and Morels?

Damn those are good mushrooms.

[madinmaryland]

16. SERIESLY, This is HUGH! What do morays have to do with ethics?

I like them smoked at the sushi bar!!

[HopeHoops]

26. LOL!

Thay ain't got nuttin' to do with ethnics.

[madinmaryland]

44. Heh! I am an Ethic German, what is your ancestry??

:D

(or is an ethic german an oxymoron??)

:rofl:

[HopeHoops]

45. My name is Inigo Montoya - you killed my father - prepare to die.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3W5GDkgf2w

[patrice]

11. Ethics are standards for how one acts toward others and morals are mushrooms.

[Taverner]

30. Right and, um not so right

[patrice]

33. not so right, but YUMMY when sliced and coated with egg and cracker crumbs and sauted in butter.

[Andy823]

13. I read someplace

That an ethical man knows he "shouldn't" cheat on his wife, the moral man "wouldn't" cheat on his wife!

[havocmom]

14. But that standard, GOP pols are ethical, but some are not moral.

Nah, I reject any definition that would classify GOP pols as ethical.

[DrDan]

19. or moral - even though they think they have an edge there

[TokenQueer]

15. Lol. This thread begs for a Tracy Flick picture.

[ccharles000]

57. that was a great movie

[TokenQueer]

58. Hidden comedy gem.

Absolutely on my top ten comedy list. Tina Fey says she would think of Tracy Flick every time she played Sarah Palin. :rofl:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmJVTao4X-Y

[demwing]

17. ooh I know

ethics are minorities, and morals are a kind of mushroom

[patrice]

22. Sweet Picture! Please don't change it.

:hi:

[Odin2005]

23. Huh? They are synonyms.

[DrDan]

24. I think morals are a series of beliefs - while ethics are a way of behaving

[Taverner]

31. Closer

Morals do not have to pass reason. It is immoral to fornicate would be an example

Ethics do, however. It is not unethical to fornicate - but it is unethical to cheat on your wife without her permission.

[lunatica]

43. It's immoral to cheat on your wife but unethical

to have sex with a co-worker.

[Taverner]

52. Yes, but different ethics

[FarCenter]

25. I cheated and looked up the answer; I have no morals

"When considering the difference between ethics and morals, it may be helpful to consider a criminal defense lawyer. Though the lawyer’s personal moral code likely finds murder immoral and reprehensible, ethics demand the accused client be defended as vigorously as possible, even when the lawyer knows the party is guilty and that a freed defendant would potentially lead to more crime. Legal ethics must override personal morals for the greater good of upholding a justice system in which the accused are given a fair trial and the prosecution must prove guilt."

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-difference-between-ethics-and-morals.htm

[Taverner]

32. That hits the nail right on the head

And I am memorizing that example - its perfect!

[FarCenter]

35. Yes, except "legal ethics" is a contradiction in terms

Sort of like "military intelligence".

[ipaint]

27. Ethics require the use of reason to justify them.

Morals don't.

[ashling]

29. So, tell us what you, in your infinite wisdom (LOL), think it is

After all, it is a topic that philosophers have argued about since the beginning of, well, philosophy. Plato, Aristotle, St. Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Machiavelli, Descartes, Spinoza, Kant, ad nauseam.

[Ex Lurker]

36. Morals are core principals. Ethics are the way those principals are applied n/t

[Gidney N Cloyd]

47. That's about how I've always thought of the difference.

[frebrd]

38. Ethics IS my "Morals"......

Since I'm an absolute Atheist, I've never had any religious notions of "morality".

Ethics serves the purpose admirably.

:)

[lunatica]

41. Immoral behavior is a no-no all the time. Unethical behavor is a no-no

only under some circumstance.

It's immoral to have sex with a student, but unethical if that student is a consenting adult.

[woo me with science]

53. Interesting code of ethics there. nt

[Duer 157099]

46. Torture is immoral and it's unethical to not prosecute it n/t

[1Hippiechick]

49. I believe in situational ethics, so I personally see a huge difference between ethics and morals.n/t

[ThomWV]

51. I believe the difference is that ethics pertains to conformity with rules and law, but morals don't

morals exist regardless of rules or law. So it could be ethical to follow a standard simply because it was a standard, but immoral to do so at the same time.

[Bonn1997]

56. What's the difference between perjury and lying under oath?