What is ETHICS, in simple words. What does ethics study?

Ethical standards of behavior are the secret of well-being in any society

Hello friends, guests and regular readers of my Blog. Have you ever denied yourself something because you were afraid that the result of your action, or even the action itself, would be judged by others? I decided today to discuss with you the ethical standards of human behavior.

What does ethics study?

Since ancient times, ethics as a science has been one of the areas of philosophy that studies the moral and moral values of various social groups. This connection with philosophical science is explained by the fact that understanding the fundamental aspects of ethics requires knowledge of the foundations of philosophy.

Ethics

What is ethics? The concept in question is often called a field of knowledge that includes the study of norms that are so important for the development of society - behavior, rules, traditions, assessment of a person’s goals and actions in a given situation. The main milestones of this science are applied in the study of social, political, and family issues.

Why are these standards needed?

Moral standards of behavior have the following functions:

assessment of one or another parameter in comparison with ideas about good and evil;
regulation of behavior in society, the establishment of one or another principle, laws, rules by which people will act;
maintaining control over how standards are met. This process is based on public condemnation, or its basis is the conscience of the individual;
integration, the purpose of which is to maintain the unity of people and the integrity of the intangible space in the human soul;
education, during which virtues and the ability to correctly and reasonably make personal choices should be formed.

The definition that morality receives and its functions suggests that ethics is strikingly different from other areas of scientific knowledge that are aimed at the real world. In the context of this branch of knowledge, it is said that what must be created, sculpted from the “clay” of human souls. In many scientific discussions, much of the attention is paid to the description of facts. Ethics prescribes norms and evaluates actions.

How is ethics different from etiquette?

We all remember from childhood that we were taught to follow the rules of etiquette, this applied to behavior not only in public places, but also at home. Etiquette is a group of norms or rules of conduct in public places. Here are some of them:

give up seats on public transport to older people;
hold doors;
behave civilly in public places, do not make noise;
Follow the rules of etiquette at the dinner table.

Modern ethics, continuing the traditions of ancient philosophers and thinkers, is engaged in the study of the deeper moral problems of humanity. Therefore, the consonant concepts of ethics and etiquette have different definitions, but they are definitely important and in some sense similar in meaning for society. These may include:

compliance with traditions and norms of behavior;
assessment of criteria for evil and good;
the possibility of freedom of speech and choice;
search for goals and meaning in a person’s life, his well-being.

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Failure to comply with ethical standards

When the ethics of verbal communication are not respected (a person is rude, insults, opposes himself to others, imposes his own opinion on others, etc.), this leads to damage for both the speaker and the listener. A moral person always feels shame not only when he himself, voluntarily or unwittingly, does something unethical, but also when others do it. In addition, non-compliance with rules and regulations can lead to disruption of communication, barriers and interference in communication.

Ethics and psychology

As a rule, personal ethics is an integral part in the study of various branches of a science such as psychology. This is due to the fact that this science studies the psychological aspects of personality, its existence, interaction with the surrounding society, processes that occur in a person’s mind and often serve as the reason for his actions. Ethics, in addition, considers the behavior and worldview of a person, but from the point of view of the moral and ethical foundations and traditions that have developed in society.

Asking the question what ethics is, we can consider some of its functions, with the help of which we can correct some aspects in the psychological and moral education of the individual and the entire society as a whole:

motivation for any useful activity;
educational function;
desire to resolve conflicts and solve problems through negotiations;
orientation to important values;
knowledge and assessment of life priorities;
formation of a certain worldview.

Functions of social norms

Social norms regulate all spheres of society and actually make its existence possible. Their actions can be reduced to three most important functions:

Regulatory function. Social norms and rules regulate the interaction of people with each other, define the boundaries of what is acceptable and influence individuals with deviant behavior. This effect is carried out using three mechanisms:

Permission is an indication of optional but desirable behavior (for example, washing hands before eating).
Injunction - an indication of a required action (for example, wearing clothes).
A prohibition is an indication of actions that are condemned by society (for example, you cannot steal).

Social function. They help a person become a full-fledged member of society, benefit other people and benefit from interaction with them.

Evaluation function. Social norms shape a person's idea of good and bad, stimulate positive qualities in people and provide them with role models.

Corporate ethics

Currently, employees of most enterprises and companies, both foreign and Russian, know what corporate ethics is - a system of ethical and moral principles, based on which employees interact with each other or with third-party organizations. In this case, ethical standards allow us to establish and regulate relationships between employees and their approach to solving assigned tasks or implementing a plan. Corporate ethics may include the following principles:

responsibility in the workplace;
maintaining a sense of duty to get the job done;
team cohesion and focus on common results.

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Business ethics

All entrepreneurs, managers and high-ranking officials are aware of the ethics of business communication - a set of standards of official behavior that is aimed at achieving their goals. It often includes the following components:

confident and tactful interaction with subordinates, superiors, competitors and partners;
ability to lead, make decisions and avoid conflict situations;
negotiation skills;
cohesion and desire to work in one team.

In most cases, some rules of business communication run counter to the character and mentality of the employee. In this situation, you have to choose between the requirements of the work process and habit or your own principles. In some cases, adherence to ethical business communication can be the key to successful business development and career advancement.

Religious ethics

Church traditions are characterized by their own moral values, because religion and ethics are inextricably linked with each other. Religious ethics is a system of moral principles that characterize human behavior and consciousness. They are based on church commandments, but are not limited to them. In addition to relationships within society, ethics in religion establishes moral rules and norms for the relationship between man and God, the possibility of forgiveness, healing and people’s faith in the divine.

Foundation for building a harmonious society

Moral norms and principles ensure the achievement of harmony and integrity when people enter into relationships with each other. In addition, there is greater scope for creating a favorable environment in your own soul. If good has a creative role, then evil has a destructive role. Malicious intentions harm interpersonal relationships; they are engaged in the decomposition of the individual’s inner world.

A person’s moral standards are also important because their goal is the integrity of kindness in a person and the limitation of its negative manifestations. You need to realize the fact that the soul needs to maintain a good internal climate, set yourself the task of becoming well-behaved.

Moral standards emphasize the duty of each person to renounce sinful behavior both towards himself and those around him. We must make a commitment to society, which, however, will not complicate our lives, but, on the contrary, will improve it. The extent to which a person respects moral and ethical standards is controlled by the outside world. Adjustments are underway with the help of public opinion. Conscience manifests from within, which also compels us to act in the right way. By succumbing to it, each person realizes his duty.

Ethics of family relations

In a family, the ethics of relationships, in addition to love and affection, are a fundamental part of a happy marriage. In this case, moral values are based on the following principles:

mutual respect;
trust;
absence of unreasonable criticism;
refusal to clarify relations with third parties;
categorical refusal of rude communication and the use of physical force;
choosing yourself as a worthy example for raising a child;
equal treatment of all children in the family without singling out or additionally encouraging anyone.

Please note that the ethics of relationships between marriage partners and relatives is important for maintaining a full and happy family, moral and ethical education of the future generation. Due to the fast pace of life, a large number of the population sometimes do not even react to the words or actions of people close to them: spouses, parents, children.

Moral principles

Throughout human history, one moral principle has replaced another. Some were similar, some were different, but their essence remained the same.

A universal cliché on the basis of which all other moral norms are generated:

The principle of talion (from the Latin “talis” - “same”). In other words, revenge, where the punishment must be equal to the damage caused. This principle is reflected in the Old Testament (Leviticus 24:20): “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.”
The principle of morality. The “Golden Rule of Morality” is reflected in the religions and philosophies of the West and East. It is found in Buddha, Christ, Confucius, and is the basic principle of world ethics. In general terms it sounds like this: “What you don’t wish for yourself, don’t do to someone else.”
The principle of the golden mean. Its description is contained in Aristotle’s book “Nicomachean Ethics”, but this term itself is not there yet. The principle teaches to avoid extremes and observe moderation with everything. Moral virtues are located in the middle between two extremes. For example, courage lies between recklessness and cowardice.
The principle of greatest happiness. It is based on the principle of benefit, formulated in the 18th century. Achieving personal happiness should also benefit other people. The criteria of morality are, in this case, benefit, benefit, pleasure.
The principle of justice formulated in the 20th century by an American scientist. It talks about providing equal rights and freedoms to citizens. On the equality of people economically and socially.

Secular ethics

When answering the question of what secular ethics is, it is important to remember the definition of the term “secular” - civil, not ecclesiastical. It follows that secular ethics is a set of moral principles based on the activities of civil society without the influence of the church. These principles, as a rule, are highlighted by reason, and not by human consciousness. They regulate relations between people from a moral point of view, introduce the concepts of good and evil, beneficence and compassion, without which the life of a civilized society is impossible.

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Ethics on the Internet

On the Internet, networking ethics is the manner in which a person communicates in the absence of personal contact with an opponent. Regardless of this feature, it is not permission to insult or make obscene jokes addressed to others. In addition to such a common problem when communicating on the World Wide Web, online communication ethics may include the following principles:

keeping to the topic of conversation;
addressing interlocutors using “you” or “you”;
absence of plagiarism and possibility of citation;
discussion of advertising terms;
features of writing messages - font, size, color of text, presence of pictures or emoticons.