nskroyer Author

How do we develop our ethics?

Most people develop their sense of ethics through their core moral beliefs. Those specific beliefs can be instilled by parents, religion, friends, and are primarily socially driven. I think most people will develop a core sense of moral beliefs during childhood development. These beliefs are primarily what gives people a sense of what is “right” and “wrong”. I think ethics is a branch of what society as a whole has deemed “right” and “wrong”. Different societies may have different values and core beliefs, as such their views of what is considered “right” and “wrong” may be drastically different from what another society deems as “right” and “wrong”, which would naturally lead to a different set of ethics.

 

What are the primary sources for us to develop our ethical position?

Societal pressure is definitely a large source of how people develop an ethical position. For example, many things society demeans unethical are also considered illegal. Things like theft, smuggling, and arson are clear cut things that many people would consider unethical. There are also some ambiguous issues such as abortion that clearly have people debating if the act of an abortion is “right” or “wrong”.

We can also develop an ethical position from views instilled by professional organizations. For example, the National Board of Physicians and Surgeons is an organization that establishes guides lines for doctors, physicians, and surgeons to follow and these individuals can establish a core set of values as doctors from these professional organizations.