Ethics and Morality

Let us distinct clearly the difference ethics and morality.

Ethics control one's behaviour. For example, a journalist can find critic against the government ethically justified. This ethic is likely going to have that journalist publish articles that criticize policies and regulation set by government.

Ethics are usually based on one's morals. Morals dictate what is good or wrong. It is questionable to state whether there is an universal definition of good. One might argue that through our behaviours, expressed from our morals, vary so much, that there is no universal good. Yet, others may say that most/some of us have not uncovered the universal good yet, and that we are stray from the path. Nevertheless, morals exist.

The main difference between morals and ethics, is that one's ethic is not necessary in line with any of one's morals. One can find it morally unjustified to cheat on another, but yet, an ethic can be enforced through, for example, social pressure, to cheat anyway. This misalignment brings that person in a difficult position.

No matter the debate about the universality of morals, a person has them, either individual or shared. One part of a good life means that one is actively discovering its own morals. This self-knowledge can be applied to defy one's ethics in order to ensure one's (future) happiness.

Yet, our discussion in this blog is about ethics, because these can be shared, can be enforced (through many means) and can change. Through these posts, I will share with you my current thoughts on how to reshape our ethics that will ensure our well-being now, and in the distant future.