Ethics and Values - Differences, Characteristics & Principles

The Difference between Ethics and Values is based on human behaviour, daily needs, choices, and opinions. Ethics and Values together are responsible for building a sustainable foundation. Although the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, ethics refers to a system of guidelines for behaviour developed by a community or culture. Values are the opinions that a person consistently holds in high regard, and Morals are the individual or personal perception of things. Morals are dynamic, i.e., it depends from person to person. This explains the difference between ethics, morals, and values.

The Difference between Ethics and Values is among the most important topics for the UPSC IAS exam. It covers a significant part of the General Studies Paper-4 syllabus.

In this article, we shall detail the difference between ethics, morals, and values and between values and ethics UPSC.

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Difference between Ethics and Values

Ethics and values incorporates important facets of human life. Ethics determines what is proper and values decide what is significant. Ethics and values are used in many professions such as teachers, business, entrepreneurs, bureaucrats, engineers, doctors, and so on. Check out the difference between ethics and values in the table given below.

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Ethics

Ethics is significant in any profession, business, bureaucracy, engineering etc. It studies morally righteous actions and choices, examining what should be done. Human behaviour can be moulded and shaped by ethics. It helps workers carry out their responsibilities. The science of ethics is the evaluation of distinctively human aims and the connection between means and those purposes. In a sense, it is also the art of managing means so that they can be used to further human objectives.

Characteristics of Ethics

Let’s discuss some of the characteristics of ethics listed below.

• Ethics apply universally and impose responsibilities and ideals on all members of society, including in business and politics.
• Different communities have ethical norms, and definitions of ethical behaviour can vary between societies.
• There is no clear line between moral and unethical behaviour, leading to difficult ethical choices.
• Ethics guide lawmakers in creating appropriate legislation to regulate citizen behaviour.
• Ethics challenge existing norms and aim to test them thoroughly.
• Ethics inherently include justice and fairness, treating all people equitably.
• While related, ethics and morality are not the same thing.
• Ethics are prescriptive, focusing on what should be rather than what is.
• Laws do not bind ethics but hold more influence due to social acceptance.
• Ethics are applicable in societal contexts and consist of accepted moral principles and ideals.
• Ethics govern human behaviour and discourage deviations from accepted norms.
• Ethics serve as a standard for behaviour in personal and professional settings, preventing actions harmful to society.
• Ethics apply to individuals and groups, while other creatures' behaviour is exempt.
• Ethics are not absolute laws but reflect society's attitudes and values, allowing for some discretion in following moral guidelines.

Principles Guiding Ethics

Some of the principles guiding ethics are listed below.

• Non-Violence or Peace: Violence permeates every aspect of society and is its worst problem.
• Benevolence: A fundamental ethical behaviour principle is stated by the beneficence principle.
• Less Harm: The second ethical rule to keep in mind is the least harm to others must be caused by our acts.
• Autonomy: In essence, this principle argues that we must respect the autonomy of others in their acts.
• Justice: According to the notion of justice, our acts must be fair to all parties involved.
• Truthfulness: The quality of telling, upholding, or maintaining the truth.

Values

Values are the significant and permanent concepts or beliefs that serve as the foundation for decisions a person makes. It serves as the focal point of our life and a code of conduct. They have a profound impact on a person’s emotional state of mind. They may be moral principles, cultural norms, or business principles.

Characteristics of Values

Check out the characteristics of the values listed below.

• Values are powerful influences that guide a person's behaviour and determine their priorities in life.
• Values play a role in motivating people's decisions and highlighting what is important to them.
• Values encompass moral and competency standards and are less common than attitudes.
• Values tend to resist change and are long-lasting, encompassing broader concepts rather than specific things, situations, or individuals.
• Values have two aspects: intensity and substance. Substance refers to the importance of a specific code of behaviour, while intensity describes the significance of a particular rule of behaviour.
• A person's values can be discovered by ranking them according to their level of intensity.
• Each individual has a hierarchy of values within their value system, reflected in the relative importance they assign to values such as freedom, self-respect, honesty, and more.

Principles Guiding Values

Let's discuss the important principles guiding values.

• Integrity: Integrity is the sole principle that guides the values. It also includes being humble and gentle. Integrity is an important principle of value that empowers the human being.
• Attitude: Values influence the attitude and behaviour of a person, organisation or institution.
• Perception: It includes personal opinions. There can be different perceptions of people, and every perception needs to be respected.
• Unity: It is one of the important principles of values. Unity binds every human being, and it must be carried out in every scenario.

Conclusion

The difference between Ethics and Values tells about human nature and behaviour, especially their profession, attitude towards their surroundings, interpersonal relationships and decision-making abilities. In short, ethics are universal values. Values are personal, and ethics are standard protocols. Values are situation-dependent; however, ethics remains the same through the circumstances.

Previous Year UPSC Questions on the Difference between Ethics and Values

Q 1 Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have the right to do and what is right to do.’- Potter Stewart . (2022)

Q 2 Integrity is a value that empowers the human being.” Justify with a suitable illustration. (2021)

Q 3 Identify five ethical traits on which one can plot the performance of a civil servant. Justify their inclusion in the matrix. (2021)

Q 4 Discuss the role of ethics and values in enhancing the following three major components of Comprehensive National Power (CNP), viz. human capital, soft power (culture and policies) and social harmony. (2020)

Difference between Ethics and Values – Study Their Comparison, Characteristics & Principles: Download PDF Here!

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