Morals vs. Ethics — What's the Difference?

Intrinsic values determining actions.

Framework ensuring consistency within a group.

Deeply held convictions guiding behavior.

Rules set by a group or profession.

Personal beliefs about right and wrong.

Standards guiding behavior in specific contexts.

Individual standards of behavior.

Often documented guidelines.

Principles based on cultural or religious teachings.

Agreed-upon principles within a community.

Of or concerned with the judgment of right or wrong of human action and character

Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that "involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior". The field of ethics, along with aesthetics, concerns matters of value; these fields comprise the branch of philosophy called axiology.Ethics seeks to resolve questions of human morality by defining concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime.

Teaching or exhibiting goodness or correctness of character and behavior

Moral principles that govern a person's behaviour or the conducting of an activity

Conforming to standards of what is right or just in behavior; virtuous

The branch of knowledge that deals with moral principles

Arising from conscience or the sense of right and wrong

A set of principles of right conduct.

Having psychological rather than physical or tangible effects

A theory or a system of moral values

Based on strong likelihood or firm conviction, rather than on the actual evidence

Ethics (used with a sing. verb) The study of the general nature of morals and of the specific moral choices to be made by a person; moral philosophy.

The lesson or principle contained in or taught by a fable, a story, or an event.

Ethics (used with a sing. or pl. verb) The rules or standards governing the conduct of a person or the members of a profession

A concisely expressed precept or general truth; a maxim

(philosophy) The study of principles relating to right and wrong conduct.

Morals Rules or habits of conduct, especially of sexual conduct, with reference to standards of right and wrong

Morality.

Plural of moral

The standards that govern the conduct of a person, especially a member of a profession.

Motivation based on ideas of right and wrong.

The science of human duty; the body of rules of duty drawn from this science; a particular system of principles and rules concerting duty, whether true or false; rules of practice in respect to a single class of human actions; as, political or social ethics; medical ethics.

Motivation based on ideas of right and wrong

Motivation based on ideas of right and wrong

The philosophical study of moral values and rules

Not always, but they often are, especially in professional settings.

Yes, personal morals can sometimes conflict with professional or group ethics.

Morals are generally stable, but can evolve based on personal experiences.

Yes, something might align with group ethics but conflict with an individual's morals.

Not stealing because you believe it's wrong is based on morals.

No, morals are personal beliefs about right and wrong, while ethics are rules set by a group or profession.

Ethics maintain standards, trust, and protect both professionals and the public.

No, ethics can vary between professions, groups, and cultures.

A doctor preserving patient confidentiality is adhering to medical ethics.

Yes, someone might have strong personal morals but not adhere to specific group or professional ethics.