Ethics and Morality

Every wonder what the difference is between ethics and morality? Does the difference even matter?

Ethics is defined as a system of values or principles people use to determine what is right and what is wrong. Morality is basically a judgment call on how well someone has put their professed ethical values into practice. Or more realistically whether or not other people embody the values I personally wish that they would.----more---- Regardless, ethics is what you value. Morality is how you actually act. Why does this difference matter? Well in some ways it doesn’t, but ... it does help us to think more clearly about what it means to be moral. You can’t just talk a good talk. To be moral, you have to be responsible for your actions. Or to put it another way – Ethics is the reason why putting your shopping cart back is a good idea. Morality is actually putting the shopping cart back where it belongs. How do you determine what is ethical and what do you do to make sure you are acting morally?