Ethics vs. Morality: Concepts, Connections, and Examples

Overview: Ethics as Formal Systems and Morality as Personal Code

Ethical systems, such as utilitarianism or libertarianism, are formal frameworks that are explicitly delineated. In utilitarianism, there is often a specific, written calculus used to determine who constitutes the majority that ethical actions should serve; in libertarianism, there is an overarching, simple philosophy of government nonintervention. Ethical systems may not make sense to people viewing them from the outside, but their founders attempt to formally organize their codes into a coherent system. In contrast, morality is generally understood as a "code of conduct that a person or group takes as most important" (Gert, 2011). Morality is a combination of personal or community ethics, gut instincts, and rules generated over time in an informal and nonsystematic manner.

For example, when slicing a cake, one might allocate the same-sized piece to every person, based on a general, communal sense that equality constitutes fairness. This is a form of morality. In contrast, there is an underlying ethical system in the idea that all persons are treated equally under the law in the American system of justice — which is why everyone, regardless of income, is entitled to legal representation when accused of a crime.

One discussion contributor reflected: "I think about morality as being a principle that we are born with and over time, it develops. Over time, that principle grows, as we are taught right and wrong and experience life events" (Baker, n.d.). Morals have been described as personal beliefs, as well as a code of conduct enforced by a society (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2002). "Ethics are the should and ought of life" (Baker, n.d.), and a lack of morals can lead to ethical issues. One type of ethics is altruism — a concern for the welfare of others (Howell & Costley, 2006) — which is usually associated with leaders and leadership roles. Another type is virtue ethics, which encourages ethical behavior. Aristotle described ethical virtue as relating to the disposition of having appropriate feelings, and he claimed that virtues are no different from technical skills — that skilled people know how to avoid excess and deficiency (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2001).

Ethics can be viewed as rules enforced by governing bodies, while morality can be viewed as rules enforced by the self. The two are different but can correlate depending on context and role — for instance, a therapist may use morals to do the right thing for a client while simultaneously using professional ethics because it is the right thing to do. Ethics also encompasses autonomy, non-malfeasance, beneficence, justice, and fidelity (Baker, n.d.). Those principles align with values, since values can be both ethical and unethical. Importantly, ethics can change whereas morals tend to remain the same (Baker, n.d.).

The Influence of Morality on Ethical Systems

Morality has a clear influence on the development of ethical systems. The value placed on the individual in Western morality has guided and shaped ethical systems such as Locke's, which stressed the need for sovereign control to be kept in check so that every citizen's right to life, liberty, and property was not infringed upon. The emphasis on filial piety and the need to observe organizational hierarchies within Confucianism arose from a society in which collectivism, more than individualism, was the predominant value. Ethical systems are often created by a single intelligence or a small group of thinkers, in contrast to the collective creation of a sense of right and wrong that characterizes morality. However, even philosophers are inevitably affected by the culture that produced and educated them.

As one contributor observed, ethics are "the study of moral conduct and moral status" (Cooper, 2012, p. 2), and there is no mathematical formula for resolving an ethical issue — rather, ethics involves critical reflection on the conduct prescribed. The result of an ethical dilemma may not be the popular answer, but ethics is, or should be, concerned with what is right and what produces the best outcome for the greater good.

Religion, Culture, and Moral Codes

Morality is distinct from religion. As Gert (2011) notes, "religion differs from morality or a moral system in that it includes stories about events in the past, usually about supernatural beings, that are used to explain or justify the behavior that it prohibits or requires." Religion also differs from ethics in that it uses such events to justify demands on followers rather than relying on logic, although ethical systems may be generated from religious traditions. Morality is likewise affected by religion, based on the lived experiences of believers and their cultures.

Moral codes, however, are not always explicitly stated, unlike ethical codes. In many societies it is generally considered wrong to cut someone in line or to offer a bribe to an official. In other societies, where corruption and competition for scarce resources are part of daily life, these same actions may be viewed in a less censorious manner. Even when both societies share ethical systems that formally deem such actions wrong, the actual moral behavior of individuals within those societies can be profoundly different.

Different moral codes can also coexist within a single society. "Many religions condemn homosexual behavior as immoral, but those who hold that morality is primarily concerned with avoiding and preventing harm condemn religious discrimination against homosexuals as immoral" (Gert, 2011). Ethical systems can likewise be contradictory in nature when members of a philosophical tradition disagree — as seen in the various competing concepts of utilitarianism. However, because ethical systems are formalized, problems and contradictions within their guidelines are more likely to be identified and debated than in moral systems, where such contradictions may be overlooked.

Conclusion: The Interconnection of Ethics and Morality

The relationship between ethics and morals is that they are grounded in character, human perception, realities of practice, human relations, and the requirement of sound knowledge (Cooper, 2012). Both ethics and morality involve thinking carefully about the values and principles embedded in our choices — whether those choices are made on practical, political, or personal grounds.

The difference between the two can seem arbitrary to many observers, but a general distinction does exist. Morals delineate personal character, while ethics emphasize the social structure in which those morals are applied. Ethics point to standards or codes of behavior expected by a group — whether a nation, a profession, an organization, or a family. While a person's moral code is usually relatively stable, the ethics they practice can be context-dependent. Yet both are interrelated and grounded in personal character, social systems, and standards of conduct.

For example, if an ethical theory were to permit social workers to disclose confidential information without a client's informed consent, one might initially conclude that the theory is inadequate. However, this conclusion requires careful scrutiny. There are scenarios — such as when a client reveals ongoing child abuse — in which a professional may be legally and ethically obligated to share confidential information without consent. Theories and judgments must therefore be continually adjusted in relation to one another until a reflective equilibrium is reached (Naagarazan, 2006).

The terms ethics and morality do not share the same definition, but the relationship between the two concepts is so close that their overlap is readily apparent. A Facebook discussion prompt about how morals develop yielded responses suggesting that people have an innate drive to develop ethical and moral principles, but that how those principles manifest depends on outside forces. All societies, for instance, regard murder as immoral — yet they define murder in different ways. Similarly, all professionals hold ethical principles, but what counts as ethical behavior depends on the underlying nature of the profession. The ethical principles of a helping profession such as social work or medicine differ meaningfully from those governing the legal profession. Ethics and morality are thus best understood not as synonyms, nor as opposites, but as deeply connected dimensions of human conduct that must be considered together.