Ethics - The concept

Human beings are the only animals capable of controlling their behavior, differentiating between right and wrong actions and placing differing values on ideas and deeds. It is this choice of right or wrong actions, and the consequences thereupon, which leads to the study of ethics.  Ethics is a set of standards that society places on itself and which helps guide behaviour, choices and actions. The standards do not, by themselves, ensure ethical behaviour/conduct; that requires a robust culture of integrity. The crux of ethical behaviour does not lie in bold words and expressions enshrined as standards, but in their adoption in action, in sanctions against their violations, in putting in place competent disciplinary bodies to investigate allegations of violations and impose sanctions quickly and in promoting a culture of integrity.

Ethics as a body of knowledge may be defined as the systematic study of human actions from the point of view of their rightfulness or wrongfulness, as a means for the attainment of the ultimate happiness. Ethics is the branch of philosophy that involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong conduct. As a branch of philosophy, ethics investigates the questions “What is the best way for people to live?” and “What actions are right or wrong in particular circumstances?” Most people confuse ethics with behaving in accordance with social conventions, religious beliefs and the law and don’t treat ethics as a stand-alone concept.

One should not identify ethics with religion or culture alone. Most religions, of course, advocate high ethical standards. Yet if ethics were confined to religion, then ethics would apply only to religious people. But ethics applies as much to the behavior of the atheist as to that of the devout religious person. Being ethical is also not the same as following the law. The law often incorporates ethical standards to which most citizens subscribe. But laws, like feelings, can deviate from what is ethical. What is considered ethical in religion may not be considered so in law and vice versa. For example Prohibition of child marriage, intercaste marriage may be ethical in the eyes of culture but it is unethical in the eyes of law.

Finally, being ethical is not the same as doing "whatever society accepts." In any society, most people accept standards that are, in fact, ethical. But standards of behavior in society can deviate from what is ethical in universal sense. Ethics are not sciences as well. Sciences can provide important data to help us make better ethical choices but science cannot tell us what we ought to do. Ethics provide reasons for how humans ought to act. Furthermore, just because something is scientifically or technologically possible, it is not always ethical to do so.

Thus what is an ethical conduct depends upon the context and the situation in which a person is. A lot thus depends of what kind of values a person is referring to define is conduct.  The values which guide human action are known as ethical values. Contemporary debates on ethics are flooded with confusion as it is very difficult exactly adopt a universal conception of ethics which is acceptable to all. In broader sense , conception of ethics is seen in terms of ideals forwarded by the welfare state.

By: Parveen bansal