Definition of Ethics - Essay Example

In the professional world, ethics refers to “the principles of conduct governing an individual or a group” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). Professional ethics are rules that govern the actions of the people it covers. Ethics tells them what is acceptable behavior from one that is not. Connotative Meaning Ethics connotes a clear sense of the right things to do and the wrong things to avoid. Since ethics corresponds to established rules and laws, everyone is expected to follow and adhere to them.

Ethics governs the behavior of people; it tells them how to behave and act in different situations that are acceptable to the norms of society. It is a standard against which people’s behaviors are measured. Being moral means conforming to accepted standards of behavior. Ethics also connotes a system of belief from which people subscribe. It is a shared consciousness among people composed of their beliefs, values, and aspirations which guide their daily living. Similar to laws, however, ethics in this sense is developed by the people and is passed on to other generations.

Having survived the test of time, this gives ethics a sense of legitimacy making it even more useful as a set of guiding philosophies for the next generation to use. Ethics can also be considered an area of inquiry. Studying ethics as a branch of philosophy reveals the fundamental nature of the term and the sets of knowledge that have been built around it by philosophers. In this sense, the true nature of right and wrong is argued and debated. Inconsistencies, gaps, and limitations in the definition of morality are threshed out.

This results to a connotation of ethics that transcends the boundaries of time and space. Professional ethics, on the other hand, emphasizes the need to adhere to those rules since deviations from them can result to legal consequences. Examples of professional ethics include physician, journalist, and business codes of ethics. These ethics act as guidelines that help professionals make the right decisions when faced with morally-challenging situations. Examples of these situations include a doctor considering euthanasia, a journalist covering a hostage crisis, or a corporate executive dealing with union issues.

I see ethics as a set of moral standards that must be observed and followed. Having a sense of right and wrong is important because it translates into the behavior and actions of a person. Ethics is what directs a person to choose the right thing over the wrong one. Knowing the difference between right and wrong allows a person to make informed decisions when dealing with difficult situations. It enables a person to align his/her moral convictions with those of the established ethical rules. Adhering to ethics, however, remains to be a personal choice.

Despite societal expectations to act and behave according to ethical rules, it cannot be avoided that people’s actions may sometimes deviate from the norm. Ethics, then, is a conscious decision that requires constant effort from the person adhering to it. It is a conviction to follow established moral principles in order to achieve societal harmony. Ethics in this sense involves having to compromise one’s beliefs with the collective belief system that a society holds about proper behavior.

Since ethics is constructed by society,