Basics of Ethics and Morals

What ought people to do?

Ethics Explains WHY What's Good IS Good
and WHY What's Bad IS Bad

Ethics is the science that explains the valuing process. It provides a theory for explaining why conduct is considered good or bad. It attempts to answer the questions "Why is this good?" and "Why is that bad?"

Why Do People Disagree on What's Right and Wrong?

Abortion is right. Abortion is wrong.

War is sometimes right. War is always wrong.

Cheating on your income tax is OK as long as you don't get caught. You may not agree with everything the government does, but cheating on your income taxes is wrong.

Ethics explains why you believe something is right or wrong.

Ethical theories are the reasons we give for judging one action good and another action bad. These theories are the ultimate reasons we give in answer to the question "Why ought you to do this?"

This does not mean that by knowing about ethics you will make proper moral choices. All it means is that you will be better able to explain why you make the choices you do.

Basic Ethical Positions

You could study the philosophical or ethical positions of the great "thinkers" of our time. By so doing, certain basic themes or patterns emerge.

A number of authors use the following classification methodology to organize ethical thinking.

Moral Absolutism

Right is right and wrong is wrong.
Actions are inherently good or bad, regardless of the consequences.
Moral absolutism claims that there are eternal moral values and eternal moral principles that are applicable everywhere. This is the popular position of those who believe in a deity who establishes moral order in the universe.
Read more about this view at Moral absolutism

Ethical Relativism

Circumstances alter cases. Everyday standards are good, but exceptions are also right and good. The judgment of good or bad is based upon the result or consequence of the act rather than the act itself. An action is right if it tends to produce the greatest good for the greatest number.
Ethical relativism claims that when two individuals or two cultures disagree on their moral views of an act, both can be right.
What are the four categories used to justify actions?
Read more at Ethical relativism

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