Unit 1: Nature and Scope of Ethics
The study of what is right, what is wrong, and why.
Table of Contents
1. Definition and Etymology
The word Ethics is derived from the Greek word ethos, which means "character," "custom," or "habit." Similarly, the word Morality comes from the Latin mores, meaning "customs."
Ethics is the branch of philosophy that systematically studies the Summum Bonum (The Highest Good) of human life and the principles that determine the rightness or wrongness of human actions.
2. Ethics as a Normative Science
Science is generally divided into two types: Positive Sciences and Normative Sciences. Ethics belongs to the latter.
| Positive Science | Normative Science (Ethics) |
|---|---|
| Deals with what is (facts). | Deals with what ought to be (ideals/norms). |
| Describes natural phenomena (e.g., Biology, Physics). | Evaluates human conduct based on standards (e.g., Logic, Ethics, Aesthetics). |
| Objective and descriptive. | Evaluative and prescriptive. |
3. The Concept of Human Conduct
Ethics does not judge every human movement. It only focuses on Conduct. Conduct refers to voluntary actions—actions done with a purpose or an end in mind.
- Voluntary Actions: Actions done with knowledge of the end and with the freedom of will (e.g., telling the truth). These are the only actions subject to moral judgment.
- Non-voluntary Actions: Reflexes, actions of infants, or the mentally insane. These are outside the scope of moral evaluation.
4. The Nature of Moral Judgment
Moral judgment is a mental act that evaluates a voluntary action as right or wrong. It involves three components:
- The Subject: The person who judges (the moral agent).
- The Object: The voluntary action being judged.
- The Standard: The rule or ideal used to judge the action (e.g., Utility, Duty, or Virtue).
5. Scope of Ethics
The scope of ethics is vast, covering:
- The Individual: Personal character and virtues.
- The Society: Social justice, rights, and duties.
- The Meta-Ethics: The meaning of ethical terms like "good" and "right."
- Applied Ethics: Ethics in specific fields like Medicine, Environment, or Business.
Exam Essentials
- Key Question: "Why is Ethics called a Normative Science?" (Standard 5-mark question).
- Common Pitfall: Do not confuse "Motive" with "Intention." Motive is the feeling that moves us; Intention is the goal we aim for.
- Mnemonic: Ethics = Character (Ethos). Logic = Truth. Aesthetics = Beauty. These are the three Normative Sciences.