NEU-Professional-Issues-Topic-1-Morality-and-Ethics

Morality & Ethics in Professional Issues

Lecturer:

Prof. Jofrank David Riego, JDCollege Professor, New Era University, World Citi CollegesRoles: Government Lawyer, Data Protection Officer, Private Law Practitioner

Learning Outcomes:

  • Differentiate between Morality and Ethics

  • Define Values and Attitude

Morality Defined:

A collection of codes of conduct shaped by conscience, society, or religion; guides behavior through established manners and habits.

Ethics Defined:

A philosophical study of morality that systematizes, defends, and recommends concepts of right and wrong.

Major Areas of Ethics:

  1. Meta-ethics: Nature of moral judgment and ethical principle origins.

  2. Normative ethics: Content of moral judgments and standards of right/wrong.

  3. Applied ethics: Examines controversial issues (e.g., war, animal rights).

Key Differences Between Morality and Ethics:

  • Origins: Ethics (Greek; "ethos") vs. Morality (Latin; "mos").

  • Legal Guidelines: Ethics governed by professional standards; morality transcends cultural norms.

  • Flexibility: Ethics vary by context; morality is more rigid.

  • Societal Influence: Ethics based on societal agreement; morality on individual conviction.

  • Religious Connotation: Morality tied to religion, ethics are more secular.

  • Moral Dilemmas: High moral individuals may violate ethics to uphold personal beliefs.

Values Defined:

Beliefs that motivate actions, shaped by upbringing and context, categorized into moral, social, aesthetic, spiritual, and democratic values.

Ethics & Values Correlation:

  • Ethics: Consistent moral principles in professional settings, but may vary by profession.

  • Values: Personal reflections influenced by family and culture, occasionally motivating actions contrary to ethical standards.

Attitude Defined:

A learned evaluation tendency shaped by values, comprising affective, cognitive, and behavioral components.

Values & Attitudes Correlation:

Attitudes predict behavior better than values; for example, a pacifist may support contrary actions due to biases.

Conclusion:

Values inform ethics, ethics guide actions; understanding these relationships aids in navigating professional ethical dilemmas.

Examples to Understand Differences Between Morality and Ethics

Morality Example:

A person may believe that it is morally wrong to lie, stemming from their personal conscience or religious beliefs. Even in a situation where lying could protect someone’s feelings, they may choose to uphold their moral principle and tell the truth.

Ethics Example:

In a professional setting, an attorney may face a situation where the ethical code forbids them from disclosing certain information about a client. The attorney must navigate this ethical obligation, even if their personal feelings would compel them to share the information for the client’s benefit.

Key Differences:

  1. Origins:

    • Morality: Personal conscience leads the individual to view lying as wrong.

    • Ethics: Professional standards dictate the attorney's duty to keep client information confidential.

  2. Flexibility:

    • Morality: The individual's belief about the wrongness of lying remains consistent regardless of context.

    • Ethics: Guidelines may change based on the situation or professional standards that vary by industry.

  3. Societal Influence:

    • Morality: The individual's strong belief against lying may not be shared by others, reflecting personal conviction.

    • Ethics: The attorney's actions are shaped by societal agreement on professional confidentiality, which is widely accepted in the legal community.

  4. Moral Dilemmas:

    • Morality: A devout person may refuse to lie even to protect someone, prioritizing their beliefs.

    • Ethics: The attorney may struggle with wanting to help the client while adhering to legal ethics that require confidentiality.

These examples illustrate how morality is often based on personal beliefs and convictions, while ethics are related to professional standards and societal agreements. Understanding this distinction is crucial for navigating ethical dilemmas in professional settings.