ethics
English edit
Etymology edit
From Middle English etik, from Middle French ethique, from Late Latin ethica, from Ancient Greek ἠθική (ēthikḗ), from ἠθικός (ēthikós, “of or for morals, moral, expressing character”), from ἦθος (êthos, “character, moral nature”).
Pronunciation edit
- IPA(key): /ˈɛθ.ɪks/
Audio (Southern England): (file)
Noun edit
ethics (countable and uncountable, plural ethics)
- (philosophy) The study of principles relating to right and wrong conduct.
- Morality.
- The standards that govern the conduct of a person, especially a member of a profession.
Usage notes edit
- Although the terms ethics and morality are often used interchangeably, philosophical ethicists sometimes distinguish them, using ethics to refer to theories and conceptual studies relating to good and evil and right and wrong, and using morality and its related terms to refer to actual, real-world beliefs and practices concerning proper conduct. In this vein, the American philosopher Brand Blanshard wrote concerning his friend, the eminent British ethicist G. E. Moore: "We often discussed ethics, but seldom morals. . . . He was a master in ethical theory, but did not conceive himself as specially qualified to pass opinions on politics or social issues." [1]
Synonyms edit
Derived terms edit
Related terms edit
Translations edit
study of principles governing right and wrong conduct
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standards of conduct
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
See also edit
Further reading edit
- “ethics”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
References edit
- ^ Paul Schilpp, ed., The Philosophy of Brand Blanshard, Library of Living Philosophers, →ISBN, "Autobiography", p. 85.
Anagrams edit
Categories:
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle French
- English terms derived from Late Latin
- English terms derived from Ancient Greek
- English 2-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio links
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English uncountable nouns
- English countable nouns
- English indeclinable nouns
- English nouns with irregular plurals
- en:Philosophy
- en:Directives
- en:Ethics