Ethics
Values are the rules by which we make decisions about right and wrong, should and shouldn't,
good and bad. They also tell us which are more or less important, which is useful when we have to trade off
meeting one value over another.
Beliefs of a person or social group in which they have an emotional investment (either for or
against something); "he has very conservatives values"
Morals have a greater social element to values and tend to have a very broad acceptance.
Morals are far more about good and bad than other values. We thus judge others more strongly on morals than
values. A person can be described as immoral, yet there is no word for them not following values.
Motivation based on ideas of right and wrong
You can have professional ethics, but you seldom hear about professional morals. Ethics tend to
be codified into a formal system or set of rules which are explicitly adopted by a group of people. Thus you
have medical ethics. Ethics are thus internally defined and adopted, whilst morals tend to be externally
imposed on other people. If you accuse someone of being unethical, it is equivalent of calling them
unprofessional and may well be taken as a significant insult and perceived more personally than if you
called them immoral (which of course they may also not like).
A theory or a system of moral values: “An ethic of service is at war with a craving for gain".
The rules or standards governing the conduct of a person or the members of a profession. Ethics of principled
conviction asserts that intent is the most important factor. If you have good principles, then you will act
ethically. Ethics of responsibility challenges this, saying that you must understand the consequences of your
decisions and actions and answer to these, not just your high-minded principles. The medical maxim 'do no
harm', for example, is based in the outcome-oriented ethics of responsibility. Ethics and morals must be
known to be followed.