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5.3.1 Ethics, morals and values

Ethics, morals and values are often used interchangeably; however, ethical values are not necessarily the same as moral values. Therefore, from the outset we need to distinguish ethics from morals. Morals are standards of behaviour adhered to by a society concerning social mores and customs. Morals can thus change from generation to generation, from society to society, from culture to culture. What is communicated as morality today might be obsolete tomorrow. Ethics , on the other hand, concern those values beyond mores and customs that pervade human existence. Ethics concern the essence of human dignity and what is necessary to uphold it.

The following table illustrates how ethics can guide societal thinking:

Table 1 Comparative Protestant-Confucian ethical basis

Protestant Ethics Confucian Ethics

Give rise to:

  • Hard working to secure a ftures
  • Frugality
  • Savings
  • Security
  • Value of money and personal worth
  • Enjoying rewards of hard work

Give rise to:

  • Paternalistic view on relations (husband-wife, ruler-subject, elder-younger, father-son)
  • Value of family
  • Education
  • Securing a future for the family
  • Hard working
  • Home ownership
  • Clean living

 

With the above chart we could also encounter similarities and profound differences with Islamic, Hindu or Buddhist ethical beliefs. Equally, all instil and generate different values and moral beliefs.

Activity 9

To illustrate how personal values influence judgments on ethical behaviour of others, complete the following question:

Do you support the following? Reflect on why or why not.

  1. Ethnic cleansing;
  2. Polygamy (having more than one wife/husband);
  3. Clear-felling trees for paper manufacture;
  4. Making animal sacrifices to please the Gods;
  5. Speed cameras being used to collect revenue rather than reduce motor vehicle accidents;
  6. Spending taxes to train a neighbouring country's military officers when they have unelected, unrepresentative regimes.

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