morals and ethics

Although we are often faced with the terms ethics and morals being used as synonyms, it is important to distinguish them. Morality is the set of norms and conduct recognized as appropriate to human behavior by each community. Moral establishes principles of life capable of guiding man towards a morally correct action. We can say that such principles belong to the vast field of morality in terms of reflection based on fundamental questions, for example:

• How can I best act to be fair?

• To guide my life properly, what values ​​should I choose? • Is there a hierarchy of values ​​that must be followed?

• What attitudes should I practice as a person and citizen?

Note that morality is related to a person's conscience, when he is constantly wondering what attitude to take, or when he reflects on whether a certain action occurred in accordance with what was learned as right or appropriate. We call this reflection moral conscience. As for ethics, it can be defined as a systematic study of the different moralities, in the sense of making their assumptions explicit, that is, the conceptions about the human being and/or human existence that sustain a certain morality. Thus, it is possible to say that ethics is a theoretical discipline about a human practice, which is moral behavior. However, ethical reflections are not restricted to the search for theoretical knowledge about human values, whose origin and development raise questions of a sociological, anthropological, philosophical, religious nature, etc. Ethics has, mainly, practical concerns when it is guided by the desire to unite knowledge and action.

When Aristotle sought to make his analysis of man, he identified three aspects that control his action: sensation, reason and desire.

Animals do not make choices, as their actions are determined by the genetic pattern, therefore, they are predictable. Humans, on the other hand, can deviate from the determinism that governs the world of nature.

Choices define the character of a human being. Their vices and virtues are manifestations of their choices throughout their lives, guided by living in a society full of values ​​accumulated by education, religion, culture, etc.

Aristotle poses this question: what does man most importantly want to accomplish in life?

There is no doubt that most human beings are always in search of happiness. We want to be happy, even if that happiness is seen by each one differently. For some, to be happy is to be healthy, for others it is wealth, full happiness can be the meeting of a person you love and is reciprocated, in short, this state is perceived and experienced by each one of us in different ways. Thus, many philosophers conclude that all human action aims at achieving permanent happiness.