Ethics and Morality
Mrs Alina Karlos-Ndadi
2024
Module aim
Use and apply ethical principles in perspectives of
studies, personal life, and workplace
Critically assess the relationship between theory and
practice in ethics and morality
Evaluate the relationship between taking moral
responsibility and being ethical, and how this applies to
one's own life and decision-making.
Identify ethical risks in personal life, studies and
workplace that can lead to unethical behavior.
What is ethics and morality?
Close terms but distinct meanings.
Ethics: the study of moral principles that govern behavior and
decision-making.
• explores questions about what is right and wrong, good and
bad, just and unjust.
• Ethical inquiry involves examining the principles, values, and
reasoning behind moral judgments.
• Ethical theories provide frameworks for understanding and
evaluating moral dilemmas and guiding ethical conduct in
various contexts.
What is ethics and morality?
Morality: principles, values, and beliefs that guide individual
behavior and interactions within a society or community.
• It encompasses the standards of right and wrong that
individuals internalize and use to make ethical decisions in
their lives.
• shaped by cultural, religious, and societal norms, as well as
personal conscience and empathy.
• Influences how individuals perceive their obligations to
others, resolve moral conflicts, and uphold principles of
fairness, justice, and compassion.
Why ethics and morality?
Foundational Understanding - ethical principles and moral
reasoning.
Critical Thinking - evaluate arguments, consider different
perspectives critically.
Foster personal growth and development.
Preparation for Professional Life - in many professions, ethical
considerations play a crucial role.
5Social Responsibility - impact of their actions on others and
society
Ethical Leadership - develop the moral courage and integrity
necessary to lead
Examples of ethics and morality
In Business
A company is faced with the decision of whether to continue
manufacturing a product that is profitable but harmful to the
environment.
A lot of money and jobs, but product cause pollution.
Ethical Considerations: The company must weigh the financial
benefits against the environmental impact and potential harm to
society. The decision involves balancing economic interests with
ethical responsibilities towards environmental sustainability and
public health.
As the CEO, how will you navigate this matter?
Examples of ethics and morality
Moral Conflict in Social Justice
A government official is tasked with implementing a policy that
unreasonably affects marginalized communities, intensifying
existing inequalities and social injustices. The official must decide
whether to comply with the policy directives or advocate for more
equitable alternatives.
Moral Considerations: The official confronts a moral conflict
between fulfilling their professional duties and upholding principles
of social justice and human rights. The decision requires ethical
courage and a commitment to challenging systemic injustices, even
in the face of institutional pressures and political constraints.
Examples of ethics and morality
Examples related to students
 Academic Integrity
A student is under pressure to perform well academically and
considers plagiarizing a research paper or cheating on an exam to
achieve a higher grade.
Ethical Considerations: The student faces a moral dilemma
between pursuing academic success through dishonest means and
upholding principles of integrity, honesty, and intellectual integrity.
The decision involves weighing short-term gains against long-term
consequences for personal integrity and academic reputation.
Examples of ethics and morality
Peer Pressure and Ethical Conduct
A student is invited to participate in a fraternity or sorority initiation
ritual that involves hazing or engaging in risky behavior that goes
against their personal values and beliefs.
Ethical Considerations: The student confronts a moral dilemma
between fitting in with peers and adhering to principles of dignity,
respect, and personal safety. The decision requires courage to resist
peer pressure and stand up for ethical principles, even in social
situations where conformity may be expected.
Examples of ethics and morality
Consent and Sexual Ethics
A student is involved in a romantic or sexual relationship and must
navigate issues of consent, boundaries, and respectful
communication with their partner.
Ethical Considerations: The student encounters ethical dilemmas
related to respecting autonomy, ensuring informed consent, and
maintaining healthy and respectful relationships. The decision
requires sensitivity to the needs and feelings of others, clear
communication, and a commitment to affirmative consent and
mutual respect.
Examples of ethics and morality
Social Justice and Activism
A student witnesses discrimination, injustice, or systemic inequality
on campus or in the broader community and must decide whether to
speak out, take action, or remain silent.
Ethical Considerations: The student faces a moral dilemma
between staying silent and avoiding conflict or taking a stand for
social justice, equity, and human rights. The decision involves
considerations of moral courage, solidarity with marginalized
communities, and the potential risks and consequences of activism
in challenging power structures and entrenched prejudices.
Examples of ethics and morality
These examples highlight:
 the diverse range of moral and ethical dilemmas that
university students may encounter,
 emphasizing the importance of ethical awareness,
moral reasoning, and integrity in navigating complex
ethical challenges during their academic and personal
journey.
Module outcomes
Use ethical principles in perspective of personal
life, studies and workplace.
Apply fundamental ethical principles and
meaning in personal life, studies and the
workplace.
Critically assess the relationship between theory
and practice in ethics and morality.
Module outcomes
Evaluate the relationship between taking
moral responsibility and being ethical, and
how this applies to one's own life and
decision-making.
Identify ethical risks in personal life,
studies and workplace that can lead to
unethical behavior.
Ethics and morality
CLASS DISCUSSION
Why be Moral?
Ethics and morality
Why be Moral?
 Every human has a deep desire for good.
 desires what is best for himself/herself.
The ethical principles and moral practices help
one to attain what is best.
Morality has to do more with one’s interior self
than the practice of some customs or set rules.
What is ethics and morality?
Summary
Ethics is the systematic study of moral principles and
theories, while morality is the practical application of
those principles in everyday life.
Ethics provides the intellectual framework for
understanding morality, while morality reflects the lived
experience of ethical decision-making and behavior.
What is ethics and morality?
Summary
Ethics is the study of human behaviour. It studies human
actions and judges them to be right or wrong.
Ethics is the theory of right and wrong conduct. Morals,
its practice.
While ethics involves the values that a person seeks to
express in a certain situation, morals refers to the way
one sets about achieving this.
What is ethics and morality?
Summary
 Ethics is concerned with the principles of human
behaviour, morals with the application of these
principles, in a particular situation.
 An action is said to be moral when it is done
deliberately to attain the ultimate happiness.
Immoral means ‘not observing a particular known moral
rule’. Immoral actions are all those actions that are
morally bad actions. E.g. reflex actions & accidental acts
Thank You