What are Values?

According to the dictionary, values are “things that have an intrinsic worth in usefulness or importance
to the possessor,” or “principles, standards, or qualities considered worthwhile or desirable.” However,
it is important to note that, although we may tend to think of a value as something good, virtually all
values are morally relative – neutral, really – until they are qualified by asking, “How is it good?” or
“Good to whom?” The “good” can sometimes be just a matter of opinion or taste, or driven by culture,
religion, habit, circumstance, or environment, etc. Again, almost all values are relative. The exception,
of course, is the value of life. Life is a universal, objective value. We might take this point for granted,
but we all have the life value, or we would not be alive. Life is also a dual value – we value our own life
and the lives of others.

What are Morals?

Moral values are relative values that protect life and are respectful of the dual life value of self and
others. The great moral values, such as truth, freedom, charity, etc., have one thing in common. When
they are functioning correctly, they are life protecting or life enhancing for all. But they are still relative
values. Our relative moral values must be constantly examined to make sure that they are always
performing their life-protecting mission. Even the Marine Corps core values of “honor, courage and
commitment” require examination in this context. Courage can become foolish martyrdom,
commitment can become irrational fanaticism, honor can become self-righteousness, conceit, and
disrespect for others. Our enemies have their own standard of honor, they have courage, and they are
surely committed. What sets us apart? Respect for the universal life value sets us apart from our
enemies.

What is Ethics?

A person who knows the difference between right and wrong and chooses right is moral. A person
whose morality is reflected in his willingness to do the right thing – even if it is hard or dangerous – is
ethical. Ethics are moral values in action. Being ethical id an imperative because morality protects life
and is respectful of others – all others. It is a lifestyle that is consistent with mankind’s universal values
as articulated by the American Founding Fathers – human equality and the inalienable right to life. As
warriors it is our duty to be protectors and defenders of the life value and to perform the unique and
difficult mission of taking the lives of those acting immorally (against life) when necessary to protect the
lives of innocent others.

When you must kill protecting life it is still hard, but it is moral. Those who kill those not observant of
their narrow relative religious, ethnic or criminal values – in other words, kill over relative values – are
immoral. A dedication to protecting the life value of self and others – all others – makes the Ethical
Warrior different and moral.

The Definitions in Action — Sample Story: “The Bully”

If all of that is a little too philosophical, we also created this vignette to explain the terms in a more
down-to-earth way. We call it:

You are a kid in the schoolyard. You see a bully. He thinks he is the “top dog.” That is fine. That
perception is a relative value. But when his relative value supersedes the life value of another kid – in
other words, when the bully picks on and/or punches the other kid – this is wrong and must be stopped.
Here is the rule: relative values, no matter how “great,” cannot supersede the life value.

You see the bully picking on the other kid. You feel – in your gut – that this is wrong. Congratulations,
you are moral. (By the way, most people are moral – they know the difference between right and
wrong)

Now…you see the bully picking on the other kid. You overcome the “freeze,” you overcome the
embarrassment, and you go tell a teacher. Congratulations! You are ethical. (Ethics are moral values in
action).

Now…you see the bully picking on the other kid. You overcome the “freeze,” you overcome the fear, and
you go to the aid of the kid being bullied. You put yourself at risk. Congratulations! You have the
makings of an Ethical Warrior.

And it doesn’t end in the schoolyard. Almost all problems in our society and the world are caused by
bullies – those who would supersede the life value of others with their own relative values. Ethical
Marine Warriors counter the bullies.

New

Generally, the terms ethics and morality are used interchangeably, although a few different
communities (academic, legal, or religious, for example) will occasionally make a distinction. In fact,
Britannica’s article on ethics considers the terms to be the same as moral philosophy. While
understanding that most ethicists (that is, philosophers who study ethics) consider the terms
interchangeable, let’s go ahead and dive into these distinctions.

Both morality and ethics loosely have to do with distinguishing the difference between “good and bad”
or “right and wrong.” Many people think of morality as something that’s personal and normative,
whereas ethics is the standards of “good and bad” distinguished by a certain community or social
setting. For example, your local community may think adultery is immoral, and you personally may agree
with that. However, the distinction can be useful if your local community has no strong feelings about
adultery, but you consider adultery immoral on a personal level. By these definitions of the terms, your
morality would contradict the ethics of your community. In popular discourse, however, we’ll often use
the terms moral and immoral when talking about issues like adultery regardless of whether it’s being
discussed in a personal or in a community-based situation. As you can see, the distinction can get a bit
tricky.

It’s important to consider how the two terms have been used in discourse in different fields so that we
can consider the connotations of both terms. For example, morality has a Christian connotation to many
Westerners, since moral theology is prominent in the church. Similarly, ethics is the term used in
conjunction with business, medicine, or law. In these cases, ethics serves as a personal code of conduct
for people working in those fields, and the ethics themselves are often highly debated and contentious.
These connotations have helped guide the distinctions between morality and ethics.

Ethicists today, however, use the terms interchangeably. If they do want to differentiate morality from
ethics, the onus is on the ethicist to state the definitions of both terms. Ultimately, the distinction
between the two is as substantial as a line drawn in the sand.

What is moral new again comparison

Maybe you’ve heard these terms and wondered what the difference is. A lot of people think of them as
being the same thing.

While they’re closely related concepts, morals refer mainly to guiding principles, and ethics refer to
specific rules and actions, or behaviors.
A moral precept is an idea or opinion that’s driven by a desire to be good. An ethical code is a set of
rules that defines allowable actions or correct behavior.

The concepts are similar, but there are some subtle differences …

What does morals mean?

A person’s idea of morals tends to be shaped by their surrounding environment (and sometimes their
belief system). Moral values shape a person’s ideas about right and wrong.

They often provide the guiding ideas behind ethical systems. That’s where it gets tricky … morals are the
basis for ethics.

A moral person wants to do the right thing, and a moral impulse usually means best intentions.

What does ethics mean?

Ethics are distinct from morals in that they’re much more practical.

An ethical code doesn’t have to be moral. It’s just a set of rules for people to follow. Several professional
organizations (like the American Bar Association and the American Medical Association) have created
specific ethical codes for their respective fields.

In other words, an ethical code has nothing to do with cosmic righteousness or a set of beliefs. It’s a set
of rules that are drafted by trade groups to ensure members stay out of trouble and act in a way that
brings credit to the profession.

Ethics aren’t always moral … and vice versa

It’s important to know that what’s ethical isn’t always what’s moral, and vice versa. Omerta, for
example, is a code of silence that developed among members of the Mafia. It was used to protect
criminals from the police. This follows the rules of ethically-correct behavior for the organization, but it
can also be viewed as wrong from a moral standpoint.

A moral action can also be unethical. A lawyer who tells the court that his client is guilty may be acting
out of a moral desire to see justice done, but this is deeply unethical because it violates the attorney-
client privilege