http://philosophy.lander.edu/ethics/issue.

html

What is a Moral Issue?

The Distinction Between Moral Actions and Nonmoral Actions
Abstract: A working definition of an issue of moral concern is shown to be any issue with the potential to help or harm anyone, including yourself.

I. Hypothesis 1: Moral issues are those which involve a difference of belief and not a matter of
preference.
A. In other words, a moral dispute would involve a factual disagreement (or a disagreement in belief)
where one or the other or neither belief is correct. It would not involve a disagreement in attitude (or a
disagreement in feeling).
If you need a clarification on this distinction together with some exercises in making the distinction go
to the varieties ofDisagreements in Attitude and Belief and the quiz on that topic.
1. On this view, an example of a moral issue would be cheating on exams or obeying the law.
2. A nonmoral issue would involve examples like eating grapefruit or listening to music, c.p.
B. Objection: Many nonmoral issues are factual. This distinction would not be sufficient distinguish
between scientific and moral beliefs.
II. Hypothesis 2: Moral issues are those which involve a specific kind of experience, i.e., a special kind of
feeling.
A. This feeling differs intuitively from other kinds of feelings such as religious or aesthetic feelings.
(Some people think they arise from a conscience.)
B. On this hypothesis, such feelings are a kind of satisfaction, shame, or guilt.
C. Objection: such feelings depend to a large extent upon how one has been reared.
1. Sociopaths or pyschopaths have no such feelings. These words are informal descriptors for . . .
"Antisocial personality: A personality disorder characterized by a basic lack of socialization and
by behavior patterns that bring the individual repeatedly into conflict with society. People with
this disorder are incapable of significant loyalty to individuals, groups, or social values and are
grossly selfish, callous, irresponsible, impulsive, and unable to feel guilt or to learn from
experience. Frustration tolerance is low. Such individuals tend to blame others or to offer plausible
rationalizations for their behavior." (American Psychiatric Association, A Psychiatric Glossary,
4th ed.)
2. Other feelings which some people experience are simply inappropriate. For example, feeling

guilty for taking your fair share; inferiority complexes, and so forth.
III. Hypothesis 3: Moral issues are those which involve a specific kind of situation, i.e., the acts which
affect other people.
A. On this view, whenever people interact, issues of moral concern arise.
B. By inference, then, there would be no matters of moral concern for Robinson Crusoe.
C. Objection: (1) There are self-regarding duties (your first duty is to yourself--you ought to develop
personal habits of courage, and so forth.) (2) Not all interactions are of moral concern; some or morally
unimportant.
1. Interestingly enough, this objection is a reason why the Golden Rule cannot be a universal
principle of morality.
2. We have duties to ourselves. Not all persons which to be treated in the same manner.
IV. Hypothesis 4: Moral issues are those actions which have the potential to help or harm others or
ourselves.
A. This is the definition we shall take as a working definition for this course.
B. Notice that if we have an issue of moral concern, it might involve something good. (Often, many
people think that if an issue is of moral concern then it is an issue involving some wrong action.)
C. On this definition, very few human decisions are actions are not of some moral concern--only those
with no foreseeable consequences which can help or harm others or ourselves.
1. The physical, biological, and social sciences would be used to determine the potential to help or
harm.
2. On this view, carelessness and unintentional actions are moral issues. The full explication of the
view is dependent upon a consistent theory of human action. (Is an accident of moral concern?)

Philosophy 302: Ethics

Ethical Terms: Amoral, Nonmoral, and Immoral
Abstract: The terms "amoral," "nonmoral," and "immoral" are characterized for our study of ethics. These terms differ somewhat from their ordinary language
use.

I. How do we distinguish between a moral issue and a nonmoral issue?

A. There is certainly a wide disagreement over the use of the terms.

1. Is littering on campus a moral issue?

2. Is which shoe you put on first in the morning a moral issue?
B. How we answer these questions depends in part upon the distinctions we make among the meanings
of the terms "moral," "immoral," "amoral," and "nonmoral."
1. Nonmoral actions or events: those areas of interest where moral categories cannot be applied.
a. Almost all examples involving human intention, volition, or behavior are described in terms of
moral categories,ceteris paribus, since such examples involve the possibility of helping or
harming oneself or others.
b. For example, wondering whether one should eat grapefruit, wear socks of a specific shade of
color, or part your hair on the left side of the head are all usually considered nonmoral issues. Yet
there are circumstances where such actions could have moral consequences.
c. Generally speaking, statements in the sciences (so-called "factual statements") are considered to
be about nonmoral issues as well.
2. Immoral actions or events: those areas of interest where moral categories do apply and of are
such a kind as to be evil, sinful, or wrong according to some code or theory of ethics.
a. Telling a lie is c.p. an immoral action.
b. An immoral action then can be defined as a violation of a rule or code of ethics.
c. Strictly speaking, on the one hand, an action could be considered immoral on the basis of one
rule, code, or theory and, on the other hand, be considered moral or even nonmoral on another
rule, code, or theory. Such examples are common from the point of view of sociological or moral
relativism.
1. Note that this observation does not imply ethical relativism is true since we are speaking in
terms of morals and not ethics.
2. Even though most persons do not clearly distinguish between morals (descriptive ethics) and
ethics (prescriptive ethics), the foregoing is a compelling reason to do so.
3. Amoral actions or events: those areas of interest exhibiting indifference to and not abiding by the
moral rules or codes of society.

a. Note that an amoral action by one person could be considered nonmoral (or even immoral) by a
specific society, depending upon the moral code of the society.
1. If I tell a lie without concern for the moral concepts of a society of what is good and bad,
then c.p. I have acted amorally. (Notice how such a view makes the use of "amoral"
intentional.)
2. For example, a sociopath, sometimes called a person without a conscience, and a very young
child are called "amoral" because such people have no feeling or understanding of the concepts
of right and wrong.
b. If I tell a lie without concern for the moral rules of society and it is a "white" lie and "white"
lies are permissible in that society, then I am actually acting amorally. Nevertheless, my action is
considered to be by the rules of that society nonmoral or morally permissible.
c. The "white" lie told in a society where such actions are against the moral code would be
considered an immoral action and would be called "wrong."
d. It should be noted that "amoral" is sometimes used in ordinary language in the
same way that "nonmoral" is used. Many dictionaries indicate the terms are
synonymous. E.g., the American Heritage Dictionary (4th ed. 2000) defines
"unmoral" as "1. Having no moral quality; amoral. 2.Unrelated to moral or ethical
considerations; nonmoral."

e. In this course, based on the reasons stated above, the distinction between "amoral" and
"nonmoral" is observed.
II. Let us summarize the differences between these terms in a slightly different way.
A. "Amoral" in dictionaries is sometimes defined with reference to value-free situations (neither moral
nor immoral).
1. This definition of "amoral" makes it a synonym of "nonmoral."
2. For example, physics would be an amoral discipline in this sense of the term.
3. Nevertheless, in this course we will not follow this ordinary language practice. Instead, we will
mark a theoretical difference between the two terms as described above.
B. "Amoral" is also used (in philosophy) in contrast to nonmoral and immoral. Amoral actions would
include nonintentional (but not necessarily unintentional) actions. I suspect then . . .
1. "Nonmoral" actions would be those actions where moral categories (such a right and wrong)
cannot be applied (such as matters of fact in scientific descriptions).

a. A nonintentional action such as reflex or an accident would be ordinarily a nonmoral action.

b. An unintentional action resulting from ignorance is sometimes called "nonmoral" and other
times called "immoral" depending upon the code of the society as to whether or not a person is
morally responsible for knowledge. (Cf., the Socratic Paradox.)
2. From this point of view, amoral actions would be without concern or intention as to moral
consequences.
C. In sum, "amoral" is ambiguous in ordinary language.
1. C.p., taking a sip of water can be described as nonmoral as well as amoral in the usual dictionary
definitions. Nevertheless, in this course of study we term such an action "nonmoral."
2. If, however, the water sipped contains hemlock and the subject intentionally sips it with
indifference to the wrongness of suicide, then the action would not be described as nonmoral but
would be properly called amoral. These are the senses of the terms we will use in this course.

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/differences-between-ethical-issues-moral-issues-business48134.html

What Are the Differences Between Ethical Issues & Moral

Issues in Business?
by Alex Saez, Demand Media

Business morals and ethics are related but not identical.

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In business, you will inevitably run into situations where your morals and ethics will be tested. It is
important to understand that the above terms are not interchangeable, so a comprehensive connection
is crucial if you want to run a consistent, successful business.

Definitions
By definition, morals are values that we attribute to a system of beliefs, be they religious, political or
philosophical, for example. Ethics are how business owners apply those beliefs in their short and longterm business decisions. As a result, these concepts inevitably are intertwined and must be applied
carefully to maintain an image of professionalism and accountability.

Moral Issues
Your business invariably will face potential moral issues and approaches. Most importantly, however,
your morals should be clear -- they will define your business and what it stands for. As such, it is
prudent to insert these morals into your organization's mission statement. Mentioning issues like
honesty, accountability, integrity and dedication creates a sense of trust between you and your clients.
It is also advisable -- for both legal and moral reasons -- that you promote yourself as an "equal
opportunity employer" in your mission statement, website and job postings. This indicates that you do
not discriminate based on areas such as age, marital status, disability, race, nationality or religion -- all
of which are protected under United States labor laws.
Related Reading: List of Ethical Issues in Business

Ethical Issues
Once your company's morals are established, they will be reflected in your actions. From a legal
standpoint, this can affect your hiring practices and employee treatment. For more ambiguous terms,
such as honesty or integrity, you put these into practice through transparency with your customers and
adherence to the morals your business claims to follow. In short, while morals affect your stance on
certain issues, ethics dictate how you deal with them.

Examples
Considering the connection between morals and ethics, the issues associated with them do not
necessarily differ. For example, assume that your business values environmental protection -- your
morals. In turn, your organization may feel inclined to associate with certain environmental
organizations, charities and sound environmental practices -- your ethics. The same applies, for
example, if you are faced with an applicant who is a close friend or family member. If you consider
yourself an "equal opportunity employer," then your ethical obligation is to consider her qualifications
against other potential candidates, rather than practice nepotism. You may even decide to rule her out
altogether or have someone else evaluate her if you fear your objectivity is compromised.

http://www.diffen.com/difference/Ethics_vs_Morals

Ethics vs. Morals

Diffen English Language Grammar Words

Ethics and morals relate to right and wrong conduct. While they are sometimes
used interchangeably, they are different: ethics refer to rules provided by an external
source, e.g., codes of conduct in workplaces or principles in religions. Morals refer to an
individuals own principles regarding right and wrong.
Comparison chart

Ethics

Morals

The rules of conduct recognized in

respect to a particular class of human
actions or a particular group or culture.

Principles or habits with

respect to right or wrong
conduct. While morals also
prescribe dos and don'ts,
morality is ultimately a
personal compass of right and
wrong.

Social system - External

Individual - Internal

Because society says it is the right

thing to do.

Because we believe in
something being right or
wrong.

Flexibility

Ethics are dependent on others for

definition. They tend to be consistent
within a certain context, but can vary
between contexts.

Usually consistent, although

can change if an individuals
beliefs change.

The "Gray"

A person strictly following Ethical

Principles may not have any Morals at
all. Likewise, one could violate Ethical
Principles within a given system of
rules in order to maintain Moral
integrity.

A Moral Person although

perhaps bound by a higher
covenant, may choose to
follow a code of ethics as it
would apply to a system.
"Make it fit"

Greek word "ethos"

meaning"character"

Latin word "mos" meaning

"custom"

Ethics are governed by professional

and legal guidelines within a particular
time and place

Morality transcends cultural

norms

What are
they?

Where do
they come
from?
Why we do
it?

Origin
Acceptabili
ty

Contents: Ethics vs Morals

1 Source of Principles

2 Consistency and Flexibility

3 Conflicts Between Ethics and Morals

4 Origins

5 Videos Explaining the Differences

6 References
Source of Principles

Ethics are external standards that are provided by institutions, groups, or culture to which
an individual belongs. For example, lawyers, policemen, and doctors all have to follow an
ethical code laid down by their profession, regardless of their own feelings or preferences.
Ethics can also be considered a social system or a framework for acceptable behavior.
Morals are also influenced by culture or society, but they are personal principlescreated
and upheld by individuals themselves.
Consistency and Flexibility

Ethics are very consistent within a certain context, but can vary greatly between
contexts. For example, the ethics of the medical profession in the 21st century are generally
consistent and do not change from hospital to hospital, but they are different from the
ethics of the 21st century legal profession.
An individuals moral code is usually unchanging and consistent across all contexts, but it
is also possible for certain events to radically change an individual's personal beliefs and
values.
Conflicts Between Ethics and Morals

One professional example of ethics conflicting with morals is the work of a defense
attorney. A lawyers morals may tell her that murder is reprehensible and that murderers
should be punished, but her ethics as a professional lawyer, require her to defend her
client to the best of her abilities, even if she knows that the client is guilty.
Another example can be found in the medical field. In most parts of the world, a doctor
may not euthanize a patient, even at the patient's request, as per ethical standards for
health professionals. However, the same doctor may personally believe in a patient's right
to die, as per the doctor's own morality.
Origins

Much of the confusion between these two words can be traced back to their origins. For
example, the word "ethic" comes from Old French (etique), Late Latin (ethica), and Greek
(ethos) and referred to customs or moral philosophies. "Morals" comes from Late
Latin's moralis, which referred to appropriate behavior and manners in society. So, the two
have very similar, if not synonymous, meanings originally.
Morality and ethics of the individual have been philosophically studied for well over a
thousand years. The idea of ethics being principles that are set and applied to a group (not
necessarily focused on the individual) is relatively new, though, primarily dating back to
the 1600s. The distinction between ethics and morals is particularly important for
philosophical ethicists.
Videos Explaining the Differences

The following video explains how ethics are objective, while morals are subjective.