The concepts of ethics and morality are mostly used interchangeably to refer to the standards of right and wrong conduct. However, ethics refer to the set of standards outlined by an external source to govern one’s behavior while morality refers to the principles that differentiate between wrong or right. Thus, this paper discusses what it is to live ethically and morally as well as the moral issue of abortion.
According to Cohen and Morse (2014), to be an ethical person means acting in accordance with the principles of good conduct that relate to one’s profession or business. To be a moral person is to do the right thing in a given situation or towards a person(s) as well as demonstrating good conduct and character.
According to Albaugh (2010), leading an ethical and moral life begins with the realization of the surrounding environment because the environment not only influences one’s actions but also thoughts. Secondly, Albaugh (2010) proposes that living ethically or morally is guided by thinking and reasoning for oneself in order to rule the rightness or wrongness of an action. In this sense, therefore, living ethically and morally is when a person looks at him/herself inwardly, realize what they believe in, and why they want to do certain things or not.
The most pressing moral issue facing today’s generation is abortion. The question of morality in abortion sets in when a fetus is considered a person. Marquis (2017) asserts that a fetus is a person hence termination of pregnancy is morally wrong. Although the legalization of abortion remains controversial in many countries (Kaczor, 2014) whether it is made legal or not, the question of morality stands that it is wrong to kill since life begins at the conception.
In conclusion, the terms ethics and morality are used in various instances when referring to whether a conduct is right or wrong. Therefore, an ethical or moral person is described through the rightness of his/her conduct. Abortion as one of the serious issues facing the society is morally wrong although the issue remains contentious.
- Albaugh, J. (2010). Ethical Living in an Unethical Empire. ESSAI, 7(1), 7.
- Cohen, T. R., & Morse, L. (2014). Moral character: What it is and what it does. Research in organizational behavior, 34, 43-61.
- Kaczor, C. (2014). The ethics of abortion: Women’s rights, human life, and the question of justice. Routledge.
- Marquis, D. (2017). Why abortion is immoral. Applied Ethics: A Multicultural Approach, 367.