4.1 What Is Ethics?

You may have come across the term ethicsIn Philosophy, the theory and study of morality and how we should behave. before, which is often used to describe the moral principles that govern a person’s behaviour, hence it is often used interchangeably with the word moralsAnother word for ethics, meaning the principles that govern a person’s behaviour.. In Philosophy, when we use the term “ethics” as a subject, we mean the study of morality and how humans should behave, and so the field of Ethics is also known as moral PhilosophyAnother term for the study of ethics.. In this module, we will be talking about “ethics” using the philosophical definition rather than the more general definition of an individual’s moral beliefs.

When Did Ethics Emerge?

As with many of the other branches of Philosophy that we have explored, discussions on Ethics began with the Ancient Greeks. Since then, many ethical theories have been proposed by various thinkers.

Generally, these theories are divided into three main areas:

• NormativeDeriving from a standard or norm. Ethics: This area focuses on general principles (i.e. based on norms) that help us decide how to behave and which actions to take.
• Applied Ethics: This area considers how ethical theories are applied in specific situations, such as debates about euthanasia, climate change, or AI.
• Meta-ethics: This area explores deeper questions about the nature of morality itself.

As you may have guessed, Ethics focuses on questions about good and bad, right and wrong, and how to behave. As such, it poses thought-provoking questions like:

• What is the right thing to do in any given situation?
• What makes an action good or bad?
• What does it mean to live a good life?
• Is morality objective or subjective?
• Does morality really exist?

Figure 12. A head with scales indicating weighing up possible options.

When debating Ethics while studying a Philosophy degree, or in general, you are likely to come across “ethical dilemmas” also known as moral dilemmas. These are theoretical scenarios and specific questions that people explore individually or in groups in order to determine what would be the right course of action, such as:

• Is murder ever justifiable?
• Is one human’s life worth more than another’s?
• Should we risk our own safety to save someone else’s life?
• Do animals have the same rights as humans?
• What are the limits of free speech?

Over the course of centuries, different ethical theories have proposed different answers to moral dilemmas such as these. In the next sections, we will explore some of these ethical theories.

The Importance of Ethics

As with the other branches of Philosophy, Ethics is not just an abstract discussion. On the contrary, Ethics is applicable throughout our lives.

In short, Ethics helps us navigate the complexities of life and figure out how to live well, both as individuals and as part of a community. It gives us tools to navigate complex ethical questions and make moral decisions. It also offers a framework for thinking about how we treat others and ourselves. All of these things are vital for a society to function.

Now let’s meet some of the key thinkers in the field of Ethics.