THE 5 MOST IMPORTANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MORALS AND ETHICS - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The most important difference between morals and ethics is that one is the basis of the other. Morality is the foundation of ethics, in this way, ethics does not become a changing ideology according to convenience and external factors.

Ethics refers to rules that come from outside sources, for example workplaces or religious principles; while morality is related to the own principles of an individual in relation to what behavior is correct or incorrect.

Although in many cases the words moral and ethics are named almost synonymously, each one has a different connotation and addresses different areas of the human condition.

Of course they can be complementary and are so closely related that if the words were one big family, they would be sisters.

Moral and ethics are two words that complement each other, but if their differences are known, they can be used in the most appropriate context and at the most opportune occasion.

The 5 main differences between morals and ethics

1- Internal focus and external focus

A first point that differentiates these two terms is the focus or range of action where they are manifested.

Morality comprises the set of values ​​that are internalized in an individual from childhood.

It is related to the alienation that occurs naturally in the process of socialization implicit in parenting, which will always be strongly influenced by the cultural world where the person develops.

So, it can be said that morality is relative, so there are issues that in some cultures can be considered extremely immoral, and that simultaneously it may be the most normal and accepted in others.

Morality refers to customs that are transmitted from generation to generation in all societies and human settlements.

A very clear example can be seen in the custom of practicing polygamy in some Middle Eastern societies, as opposed to the monogamy that Western culture morally promotes.

Defenders of each position can give logical arguments, but morality is not necessarily closely tied to logic.

Rather, morality refers to the framework of beliefs rooted in each individual.

Instead, ethics is expressed in the field of human relations; that is to say, of behavior, and not of the inner world of people.

Of course, that framework of beliefs that is called moral definitely influences the actions of people and the way they choose to behave every day in professional settings.

Ethics claim to be universal and are generally confined to business relationships rather than personal ones.

The virtue of ethics is evidenced in probity and in the purpose of choosing behaviors that strictly observe respect for others, as well as the impulse and promotion of harmonious coexistence.

Obviously, morality will have a marked influence on the way in which people relate to each other and, therefore, on the firmness of their ethics.

It could be said then that morality goes inside, while ethics is publicly exposed.

2- Subconsciousness and consciousness

Morality lives in the subconscious of the human being, since it gives body to the imaginary or to the worldview that the person acquires.

They are values ​​generally instilled from childhood and that are, in principle, unquestionable.

These values ​​are tacitly and permanently reinforced with the messages that underlie in the family environment, in personal communication and in modern mass media. Morality is intimate.

Ethics is manifested in the individual's service record, in his professional performance or as a member of any social entity with mandatory regulations and standards.

It is precisely the correctness of their steps with respect to these standards that certifies the ethical condition of any person.

The ethical quality is measured according to the adjustment of its behavior with respect to the established laws. Ethics is public.

Ethics can go beyond the rules. When someone in authority refrains from commenting on an issue or resigns from a position because of a conflict of interest, they are acting ethically.

So, ethical behavior is the result of the behavioral exercise of morality.

Can anyone fully comply with ethics by being immoral? Only a person who acts outside their cultural sphere - that is, someone who lacks their beliefs to properly relate to an environment that is strange to them - or someone with a split personality.

3- Approach to the law

Morality is not necessarily guided by law. On the contrary, laws can be the product of the morality that governs the moment they are enacted.

Both morality and laws can change diametrically over time.

A clear example is the increasingly frequent reforms to civil laws on same-gender marriage.

50 years ago it was considered immoral to even raise it and today more and more countries contemplate it in their legal system.

In reference to ethics and its relationship with the laws, being an external factor requires a study, requires prior knowledge of the rules, a generally professional preparation.

It is not something instilled in the individual at an early age, but acquired through academic education and intellectual preparation.

Morality builds laws and ethics depends on laws. The existence of laws is intended to harmonize human relationships.

That is, they express aspects of morality so widely accepted in societies that they become mandatory, even establishing penalties if they are not complied with.

4- Reaction and reflection

Morality tends to be reactive since it is based on the set of values ​​instilled in upbringing and which are assumed as laws of life.

It is not ruled out that at certain times, and applying their own criteria, they can question and even adopt values ​​or positions that contradict some legacy.

Instead, ethics demands a preparation, a criterion to discern, which is acquired with specialized education and consolidating criteria that flourish in adulthood.

Ethics is exercised with reflection and reasoning. In fact, ethics is the rational use of free will: the freedom that is fully enjoyed and without prejudice to third parties.

5- Personal environment and social environment

The values ​​that make up morality are formed and expressed in the personal or intimate environment of the individual, while ethics is practiced in interaction with other members of society.

The personal environment encompasses not only home and extended family, but also friends and others with whom bonds of affection are established.

The social environment is made up of the rest of the people, known or not, with whom some academic, commercial, union or professional activity is shared, whether habitual or occasional.

Definitions of ethics and morals

Moral

Morals are said to be the foundation of ethics. In morals we find all the principles or habits referring to bad or good behavior. Morality is what indicates what is right or wrong, and what we can and cannot do.

It is an exclusive concept of each person, individual and internal, and is related to their behavioral principles and beliefs.

Morals are usually consistent and only change if the individual's personal beliefs change. Their concepts often transcend the cultural norms of different societies.

Morality is a set of principles and rules that can be derived from a code of conduct obtained from a particular religion, philosophy, culture, or family group.

The moral usually has the same concept as the "accepted" or the "good." In general, it is not objective in relation to what is right or wrong, but there are simply actions and things considered appropriate and others inappropriate.

Ethics

For its part, ethics are the rules of conduct recognized in relation to a particular type of actions, culture or human group. For example, behaviors in the work environment, in places of study, in different professions, among others.

Ethics are part of the social system and are behaviors external to the individual. That is why it depends on the others for its development and definition and can vary depending on the context and the situation.

References

1. Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Recovered from merriam-webster.com.
2. Ethics vs. Morals. Diffen. Recovered from diffen.com.
3. Wikipedia. Recovered from Wikipedia.com.
4. The Definition of Morality. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved from plato.stanford.edu.
5. Thomas Hobbes: Moral and Political Philosophy. Internet Enciplopedia of Philosophy. Recovered from iep.etm.edu.
6. Ethics: A general introduction. Ethics guide. Recovered from bbc.co.uk.
7. Is Ethics a Science. Science. Recovered from philosophynow.org.