Introduction to Ethics: Understanding Right and Wrong in Humanities

Table of Content

• Introduction
• What is ethics?
• Normative ethics
• Applied ethics
• Meta-ethics
• Ethics in the context of different subjects
• Where is ethics relevant?
• Ethics as a Moral Compass
• Ethics as a guide for resolving disagreements
• Ethics and People
• Ethics as the ultimate answer
• FAQ

Introduction

Ethics is derived from the Greek word ethos which means custom, habit, character or disposition. A BBC article describes ethics as a “system of moral principles that affect how people make decisions and lead their lives.” The article further underlines the importance of ethics in deciding what is good for individuals and society. Ethics addresses dilemmas around:

• Leading a good life
• Rights and responsibilities
• Language of right and wrong
• Moral decisions

The lessons of ethics have been shaped by philosophies, religions, culture and the socioeconomics of society.

What is ethics?

Ethics is also termed moral philosophy as it explores concepts of right and wrong and provides the guiding principles for human behaviour and moral values. Through ethics, we examine what constitutes a good life, the nature of justice, and individuals' responsibilities toward one another and society. Ethics are broadly divided into various categories:

Normative ethics

Normative ethics establishes moral standards and judgements. It gives a broad description of what is right or wrong and dictates how individuals should act in various situations. The key theories studied in normative ethics are deontology, utilitarianism and virtue ethics which help us evaluate moral decisions through distinct approaches.

Applied ethics

Applied ethics examines specific controversial issues such as bioethics, capital punishment, abortion, animal rights, business ethics, sexual orientation and gender conformity among others. It uses the conceptual tools of normative ethics and meta-ethics to resolve controversial issues.

Meta-ethics

Meta-ethics analyses the nature of ethical statements and judgments. It looks at the origin and meaning of ethical judgements and analyses the central terms used in ethical reasoning and decision-making.

Ethics in the context of different subjects

Subject	Role of Ethics
Philosophy	Ethics explores the moral theories and frameworks that guide human behaviour through concepts such as virtue and justice.
Medicine	As bioethics, the subject addresses dilemmas around patient autonomy, euthanasia, end-of-life decisions, informed consent and balancing scientific advancements with moral responsibilities.
Business	Ethics examine CSR, ethical decision-making, fostering trust and accountability.
Environment	Environmental ethics focuses on the moral relationship between humans and the natural world through concepts of sustainability and protection of the ecosystem.
Technology	Digital ethics studies and defines boundaries for artificial intelligence, data privacy, cybersecurity and promoting responsible innovation.
Education	It emphasises fairness, integrity and respect in learning environments and promotes equitable treatment of students.
Psychology	It explains how man behaves and how they must behave.
Anthropology	Through looking at human beings and their activities, ethics explains how human actions must be.
Social and Political Science	Ethics defines how social and political institutions must be organised following moral codes of conduct.
Economics	Ethics underlines the right way to distinguish needs and wants and choose the correct path to attaining them while ensuring the maximum good of the maximum number of people.

Where is ethics relevant?

Ethical theories provide a good compass for how humans must behave in different scenarios or when they are posed with unsurmountable conundrums. Irrational behaviour among human beings is not uncommon; however, having strong moral principles helps guide them towards a true path. Ethics provides the tools for thinking about moral issues.

Ethics as a moral compass

A moral compass helps individuals make the correct choice, not just for themselves but for the greater society. Issues such as abortion and euthanasia raise queries from religious perspectives and emotional grounds. These issues can’t be resolved through rational arguments but must take a deeper look, which is where ethical questioning comes in. Ethical rules and principles enable us to take a sane view of moral problems and find a framework that we can use to find our way through difficult issues.

Ethics as a guide for resolving disagreements

The ethics framework helps two parties arguing on moral issues to find the crux of their disagreement. Thus, they can differentiate between the main issue and everything else. It helps them be objective and treat the argument with fairness towards one another.

Ethics and People

Ethics is a concern about things and people besides ourselves and our self-interests and desires. Its purpose is to make people consider other people and society’s interests, aiming for the ultimate good. It guides people in groups to ensure there is moral justification for their actions to avert tragic consequences.

Ethics as the ultimate answer

Ethics does not answer all moral problems. What it does do is make us conscious that there is more than one answer to any issue and it is important for us to make a clear choice for which the person is unafraid to be accountable. Moral ambiguity is difficult and even if the intention is correct, one might make the wrong choice.

Ethics enables one to have a strong character and take responsibility for one's choice and actions rather than opting for the convenient explanation of customs and rules.