Ethics

Ethics is the branch of philosophy concerned with human conduct based upon moral principles.

Absolute Good

Many ethical systems are based on the concept of an absolute right and wrong. Some of these have been either derived from or created in the form of religious doctrine. Others have been based on specific metaphysical ideas. More, still, have been based upon a common feeling of a community, or the ideals of an individual.

Morals of Self vs. Morals of Society

One constant problem arises when defining morals, and that is the difference between the morals one establishes for oneself, and the moral obligations determined by the society. The appropriate authoritative level of morals is seldom agreed upon.

Some philosophers insist that people as a collective willingly follow their own moral consicene, and that few ethical boundaries need to be deemed absolute. Others, such as the utilitarianists Jeremy Bentham and James Mill, believe that a strong, absolute moral system should be put into place that will please the largest number of people possible. Others must conform to this law to existe within the society.

Plato was a strong believer in the moral capabilities of a person over the law. He believed that, for the most part, humans conformed to a sense of natural law, and that those in power had no right to take jurisdiction outside of the realms of this natural law, or to supress the people in excess of it. Plato held that it is just to disobey a law that is not just.

The Conscience

The conscience is the moral part of a human being—it is the internal awareness of right and wrong. Whether it's described as guidance from a divine power or as an evolved trait of our species, the conscience of humankind is certainly subjective. From person to person within a society, and even more between a generalized pair from different societies, the specifics of right and wrong vary greatly among different people. Arguably, it is shaped by both our natural makeup and by our experiences, and education by parents, elders and peers.