What is the difference between ethics and values? Humans are social beings hence their actions and behavior need to be governed. Both ethics and values play a vital role in governing the behavior of humans.
The lesson provides the difference between ethics and values with comparison tables for easier understanding. Let’s jump into the topic.
What Are Ethics?
Ethics is a code of conduct that helps to differentiate from what is right and wrong. They occur as a result of mankind’s evolution hence also known as morals.
Some examples of workplace ethics are honesty, integrity, punctuality, and loyalty. These sets of morals can be adopted by people according to their professions.
Classification of Ethics
- Meta-ethics is an ethical philosophy that entails the study of the meaning and scope of moral values.
- Descriptive ethics tends to related to psychology, sociology, and anthropology among many others.
- Normative Ethics is a practical way of studying the moral way of action.
- Applied Ethics informs people on how to attain moral values depending on the situation.
What Are Values?
Values are typically principles or standards of behavior. These values help people to make informed decisions on what is right or wrong.
Values consist of likes, dislikes, perspectives, prejudices, and judgment. They are known to shape the behavior of an individual.
However, these values can easily be influenced by religion, culture, and society. They are the core foundation of personality, behavior, and attitudes.
Comparison Chart: Ethics Vs Values
Basic Terms | Ethics | Values |
Meaning | Set of morals that determine the morality of a person | Set of standards and principles that determine priority |
Personal vs Professional | Professional | Personal |
Influence | Professions, organizations and institutes | Family background, culture, religion, community |
Variation | According to profession | According to individuals |
Determines | Rightness or wrongness | Level of importance |
Consistency | Uniform | Differs from person to person |
What does it do? | Constrains | Motivates |
What are they? | System of moral principles. | Stimuli for thinking. |
Examples | Honesty, integrity, punctuality, and loyalty. | Likes, dislikes, perspectives, prejudices, and judgment |
Core Differences Between Ethics and Values In Point Form
- Ethics is a set of morals for the specified group while values are a set of standards or principles that determine behavior.
- Ethics are often professional while values are personal
- Values are determined by family background, culture, religion, and community while ethics by different professions, organizations, and institutes.
- Ethics vary according to profession while values according to individuals.
- Ethics helps to tell what is right or wrong while values define priorities of life.
- Ethics tend to be consistent while values vary from one person to another.
- Examples of values are likes, dislikes, prejudice, perspectives, and judgment while ethics are honesty, integrity, punctuality, and loyalty.
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Comparison Video
Summary
The core difference between ethics and values is that ethics are a set of moral principles while values are a set of standard behaviors. Besides that, ethics are commonly used in professions while values are personal.
More Sources and References
- Values and Ethics. Wikipedia