Ethics vs Morality

Ethics or Morality? Which is it? Do they mean the same thing? Not quite. Ethics is more interested in the good that humans tend towards, such as happiness and freedom. Morality is more interested the ways in which humans can attain this good, such as following the rules, laws or commandments which we experience as a duty or obligation to follow. Ethics guides morality; it gives vision to our action. Ethics is like understanding music theory, knowing how to read music, and understanding technique. Morality is like actually playing the music, hitting the right notes, and performing.

Ethics and morality are like...

Where do we see these concepts interacting in our daily lives? Ethics vs Morality in our daily lives As you are watching the video clip answer the following: A. What are some of the ethical/moral dilemmas experienced by the individuals? B. How are these experiences similar to ones you have encountered? C. What guides our decisions in such situations?

Ethics and morality are like...

Ethics and morality are like...

Ethics and Christianity Love of God is a good starting point for ethics because the driving force of ethics is the quest to find “the good”...the seemingly impossible infinite good. The search for the infinite good (ethics) is what leads many to God, and then we attempt to translate this search into our actions and how we conduct our daily lives (morality).

Ethics vs Morality We must then ask the question...can we act in a moral manner without a God whom has revealed ethical standards of living (ex: Commandments)? The Moral Argument Discuss the argument made for the existence of God with the person next to you and respond to the following question: What is the guide of your sense of right and Wrong?

Ethics & Morality Scenarios Complete the 4 ethics and morality scenarios by using the questions provided (handout) in table groups and include your personal responses in your Religion duo tang. Questions for your journal- Due next Religion 35 class How would you describe your personal experience from the perspective of each of the scenarios? How would you respond? Why? Reasons one way or another? Under what circumstances would you respond differently? What makes these responses ethical?

Scenario 1 – The experience of Personal Response Take a moment to imagine you are on vacation, stretched out on a vast expanse of white beach, with no one around for miles. You are finally getting that relief and tension from daily life that you deserve. You can feel yourself relaxing and the stress flowing out of your body. You can feel your mind detaching from everyday concerns as you drift between waking and sleeping. Suddenly a scream breaks through your state of bliss. “Help!!!!!!!!!” Your entire being suddenly shifts into gear! You are transformed! In a single movement your body and mind rise together into a state of action. Who screamed? Are they drowning? Where are they? How do I help them? Find out! Get to them! Save them! Keep them alive! The scream is a call for help, but why do you react? Without thinking you feel an inner tension to respond. But do you? Think of this in terms of ethics vs. Morals.

Scenario 2 – The experience of the other Imagine you are walking downtown in a typical Canadian city. You meet someone who asks you for some spare change. You saw this person sitting on the sidewalk a couple metres back and you were already debating as to what you should do. You probably went through a number of emotions. “Oh the poor guy...” “Get a job.” “I have better things to spend my money on.” “He will probably just spend it on drugs and/or alcohol.” “The city should do something about these people.” “Maybe I should cross to the other side?” Even when you refuse to give your spare change, you are not finished with your request. The needy person is still in your head while you are still defending your decision not to give – or your decision to give. It all starts with the human face, or the face of someone in need. Face to face encounters remind us of our responsibilities to others.

Scenario 3 – The experience of Personal Response Imagine that there are a pair of shoes you have wanted for a long time, and you are in the store today visiting them simply because you do not have enough money to buy them, and won’t for awhile. But today you notice that they are repairing the security gates at the entrance of the store, and you know you will not “beep” when you leave the store if you were to shove those shoes in your bag and walk out. What would you say if you got caught? What would you say if you didn’t get caught? Would you care? Would you feel any different than if you bought them? Is this experience of feeling obliged to follow a law or rule ethical or moral? Why do you know it is wrong to steal, cheat, or kill?

Scenario 4 – The experience of fairness and contrast Think of the heaps of corpses of the Jewish people in death camps during the Second World War. Or think of the 7,000 men and boys who were butchered by the Serbian army in 1995. Finally think of the genocide in Rwanda. The world reacted to all of these terrible acts with anger and revulsion. Think of the way you feel when you think of these injustices or others such as battered women and children, the division of wealth in society. You may feel shocked and disgusted because of the contrasts that occur from what you expect from fellow humans. Think of this scenario in terms of ethics or morals.

Defining Ethics - Aristotle In your table groups, respond to the following questions by reading through page 11-14 A. Identify 3 key points from the ethical theory of Aristotle. B. How would Aristotle describe the “good”? C. Who in your life meets Aristotle’s criteria for a good person? Why?

Defining Ethics - Theorists In your table groups, respond and discuss the following questions by reading through page 11-20 in the text and complete the accompanying chart (backside of Assignment 1) A. Identify 3 key points from the ethical theory of each Theorist. B. How would each theorist describe the “good”? C. Who in your life meets each theorist’s criteria for a good person? Why?