ETHICS And MORALITY

 Do "Ethics and Morality" similar to each-other ?? or Is there any difference between them ??

Many of us would say No, there is no difference between them they are synonym to each other. To say that they are similar to each other completely will arise the contradiction between the two, however we can say that in some situations, in some circumstances they are almost similar but not synonym with respect to each other. 

Let us take two examples which will clear the vagueness about the two little bit but later on with the completion of our discussion you will have a clear image of the two. So, without wasting time let's understand the situations in two examples.

But before moving towards our two examples let me tell you one-one point about Morality and Ethics.

Morality ----> Inner Feelings (your thoughts, observation, Conscience).

Ethics     ---->  Professional practice or we can say Rules and Regulation that is to be followed.

Case 1: Suppose you or your friend is an employee in Hospital A and the Hospital A has few code of conduct (Rules and Regulations, Guidelines) which every employee working in Hospital A have to follow and should not go against them, in case if overruled will have to leave the hospital. Now, a man age around 60 years having a wife and a child. His child is not able to walk around normally due to broken knee, so, he consulted with the doctors of his city where he live and doctors told that if he wants his child to walk as normal person he his child has to undergo a surgery and it will cost heavy amount. The man is not very strong financially but having a only child he do not want to compromise with his child health and desires to have his son's surgery in hospital that provides the best services. 

He went in two best hospitals one in which you are an employee of and another which is Hospital B. He came to know that Hospital A conducts is the best one and charges 5 lacs for the surgery while Hospital B does the same in 2 lacs. Now, the poor man came to your hospital A and you being a consultant and counselor in this hospital your work is to bring the patient under confidence that they have came to the best place and there is no fear with the surgery process, this hospital has the best doctors. But before the man submits the fees for the surgery he asks that Hospital B is doing the same surgery in 2 lacs, is there any difference in the surgery or services provided ? he says you are of the age of my child and he should honestly answer as like he is giving suggestion to his father, now this is a very emotional situation. Now comes here the situation where you have to choose one between Morality and Ethics. 

If you chooses Ethics you will feel morally down in future and if you choose the Morality you will go against the Ethics which is code of conduct of the Hospital.       

Case 2: Suppose a man had a major accident, his family brought him to the hospital and the situation is that there is no way left to save him, he will die within 4-5 hours and that is confirmed. Now, the condition of man is that he is in severe pain and is requesting the doctors and medical staff to kill him he is unable to bear the pain anymore. The medical staff is also saying to doctor that they have never seen any medical condition like this before. Both the medical staff, other co-doctors and even the family members are also saying that if there is no any chance to save his life than seeing him in this severe pain. 

Now, this is also a situation where doctor has to choose one between "Morality and Ethics", if he choose the Morality than he will go against the oath he took when he joined as a doctor in hospital (Ethics) and on other hand if he choose the Ethics than he will feel guilt whenever he remembers the pain the man had gone through. 

So, there is my question for you all, What would you choose in both the cases? please do list your answers in the comment section.

Now considering the above two cases let us understand about "Morality and Ethics".

When does Morality and Ethics Synonym?

Ethics and Morality could be same in some exceptional conditions like: 

1) Discipline 

• He is disciplined Morally.
• He is disciplined Ethically.

2) Patriotic

• He is Morally patriotic.
• He is Ethically Patriotic.

In the above we are unable to distinguish between the two "Ethics and Morality".

It is a fact that in philosophy and linguistic no two words are completely synonym in nature/meaning, there is subtle difference. The basic work of any language is to make someone express his/her feelings with others with in minimum amount of words. 

Morality

 

• It is related to one's inner conscience, feelings, thoughts; according to which you does the action.
• Subjectivity. It means every person has it's own way of observation and connection towards other, there is no any rule which is to be followed by every one. It's the choice of one.
• There no any rule or code of conduct that if you do not follow the rules and regulation you will be punished, but there could be something like guilt feeling with you whenever you remember those situations. 

Now, if we consider the above two cases in context of morality than in: 

Case 1.You will help the poor man and suggests him at personal level that there is no difference in the surgery process, while the surgery is not that major it could be operated in the Hospital B also and there is no risk to his loving child. After suggesting him the poor man blessed you and prayed to god for your happiness and growth in life, but apart all this you asks him to not tell anyone about the conversation that they had in this room as it would be not god for his career and could also lost his job if heard by any officials of the hospital.  

 

Case 2.  In this case everyone of you will say that if I were to be in place of the doctor I would help the patient to make his die peacefully. So, let us consider the same he let the patient die peacefully with some process. Now, the doctor will feel morally good and will not have any guilt in his life for this particular case. 

The above two decision is absolutely correct when observed through the window of Morality. 

But is it the same from the window of Ethics? let's understand it.

Ethics   

• It is related to external environment created by the professionals or we can say the rules and regulations, code of conducts; which makes person feel and think under that boundary. It includes Offices, Society, etc 
• Objectivity [It is same for all whosoever comes under this umbrella of Ethics], it means that there is no value for your innate conscience it's just rules that is to be followed and make decisions according to that.
• Going against the Ethics could take you behind the bars or have to undergo a strict punishment. 

Now, let us consider the two cases through the window of Ethics. The decision which are taken by You and the Doctor is punishable if observed through the Ethics part, which will seem to be very cruel to many of you all as per the humanity but there are situation you have to be Ethical; like someone whom you know and is close to you and he/she does the murder of someone than in this case you will be morally supportive to him/her but ethically you will have to accept his sentence to death.

Hope you would understand the difference between Ethics and Morality and never get confused about it in future. 

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