Michael Josephson on Ethics

Definitions in Ethics

By Michael Josephson

President of the Josephson Institute for Ethics

To think clearly about ethical issues and develop practical approaches for dealing with ethical problems, it is important to speak a common language, with the vocabulary defined.

Ethics Ethics refers to standards of conduct, standards that indicate how one should behave based on moral duties and virtues, which themselves are derived from principles of right and wrong. As a practical matter, ethics is about how we meet the challenge of doing the right thing when that will cost more than we want to pay.

Aspects of Ethics There are two aspects to ethics: The first involves the ability to discern right from wrong, good from evil, and propriety from impropriety. The second involves the commitment to do what is right, good and proper. Ethics entails action; it is not just a topic to mull or debate. …

Values Values are core beliefs or desires that guide or motivate attitudes and actions. They also define the things we value and prize the most, and, therefore, provide the basis for ranking the things we want in a way that elevates some values over others. Thus, our values determine how we will behave in certain situations.

Values vs. Ethics The terms "values" and "ethics" are not interchangeable. Ethics is concerned with how a moral person should behave, whereas values simply concern the various beliefs and attitudes that determine how a person actually behaves. Some values concern ethics when they pertain to beliefs as to what is right and wrong. Most values do not.

Ethical Values Ethical values directly relate to beliefs concerning what is right and proper (as opposed to what is correct, effective or desirable).

Nonethical Values Most of what we value is not concerned with our sense of ethics and moral duty but rather with things we like, desire or find personally important. Wealth, status, happiness, fulfillment, pleasure, personal freedom, being liked and being respected fall into this category. We call them nonethical (not unethical) values, for they are ethically neutral. The pursuit of nonethical objectives is normal and appropriate so long as ethical values are not sacrificed in the process.

Conflicting Values Our values often conflict. For example, the desire for personal independence may run counter to our desire for intimacy and relationships of interdependency. Similarly, in particular situations, our commitment to be honest and truthful may clash with the desire for wealth, status, a job or even the desire to be kind to others. When values conflict, choices must be made by ranking our values. The values we consistently rank higher than others are our core values, which define character and personality. …