Values And Ethics – How Are They Different?

Both “values” and “ethics” are important to ensure that the behavior and actions of people in society are appropriate. Many people erroneously opine that these two terms are synonymous with each other. But it is not so. When “values” and “ethics” are minutely examined, we get to see that there are many differences between these two words.

• “Ethics” are moral rules formulated by a society/ country, and every person needs to follow these guidelines. Generally, these moral norms remain unchanged for all individuals. For example, the ethical injunction urging people not to be dishonest is universally applicable.
• “Values” are behavioral standards that are primarily focused on specific individuals. It is based on these standards that a person will be able to distinguish between right and wrong, for their given position and situation. Unlike ethics, values tend to change from one person to another. What is proper for one individual might not be so for another person.
• It is observed that ethical injunctions normally do not change with time. They incessantly remain relevant, irrespective of the geographic zone and passage of time. For instance, the ethical guidelines that forbid people from stealing will always be unchanged. But a few values can change with time. Therefore, the values appropriate at a given point in time could cease to be so in the near/ distant future.
• Ethics can be categorized as moral regulations that each and every person is expected to adhere to. Here, there is no question of whether people like to do that or not. This is because ethics are indispensable for the harmonious functioning of a society, country, or organization.
• Values include the preferences, dislikes, and overall approach of an individual, as well. Depending on all that, a person faces various situations in life and decides upon the correct course of action. In this connection, it can be said that values are elements that a person voluntarily chooses, as deemed necessary by their profession or social activities.
• The scope of ethics is predominantly confined only to comprehending between right and wrong/ good and bad. And, values are helpful to people in deciding what is of utmost importance for a specific circumstance. It is seen that the majority of people take the major decisions of their lives based chiefly on values, and not ethics.
• When we are speaking about things that motivate humans to achieve big things in life, values are more crucial than ethics. People have the choice of opting for aspects that are appealing to their overall attitude, likes, and abilities. In this context, ethics are not of much help, as they are just concerned with imposing restrictions on the behavior of individuals. Ethics are centered on making people conform to certain standards.
• Oftentimes there is a direct conflict between values and ethics. What exactly a person does in such scenarios is dependent on their perspective- choosing ethics or values. An example can be taken here. For a doctor, terminating an unwanted pregnancy of a patient is fully in accordance with their professional values. But, the ethics of their religion might consider this a wrong deed.

The subject of “values and ethics- differences” is a vast one, and all its aspects cannot be covered in a brief write-up. Yet, a sincere attempt has been made to include the most significant facets of the subject at hand.