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Definition of Ethics and Morals

A. Definition of Ethics

Understanding of Ethics:
According to the Big Indonesian Dictionary (1989), Ethics is:
a. Knowledge of what is good and what is bad and about moral rights and obligations.
b. A collection of principles or values that are related to moral.
c. The value of right and wrong adopted by a group or society.

B. Definition of Moral/Morality

Understanding of Moral / Morality:

Moral / Morality is a value system contained in advice, orders, or rules that are inherited
through religion and culture about how humans have to live well or about good and bad quality.

2. Ethics as Moral and Science

A. Ethics as moral

Ethics as moral means a system of values about morals, namely how humans must live well as
humans

B. Ethics as Science

Before we discuss ethics as a science, we have to know, what is science? Science is the
intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and
behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment.

According to De George, ethics as a science can be classified in three approaches:

a. Descriptive Ethics

Descriptive ethics only describes and does not provide an assessment. The norms
described will not be examined whether the norm is right or wrong. Anthropologists and
sociologists, for example, may study the moral standards that a particular village or culture
holds. In doing so, they try to develop accurate descriptions of the moral standards of that

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 culture and perhaps, develop a theory that explains how they came to hold those standards.
However, it is not the aim of anthropologists or sociologists to determine whether these moral
standards are corrector incorrect.

b. Normative Ethics

According to normative ethics, human beings only use norms as role models, but do not
respond to the feasibility of moral measures. Normative ethics must provide an assessment of
human behavior, formed an opinion to accept or reject a moral phenomenon that occurs.
As we have seen, ethics is the study of moral standards which is possible to determine as
possible which standards are supported by the best reasons, and so it tries to reach conclusions
about moral right and wrong and moral good and evil.
c. Meta-ethics
Meta-ethics shows a description of moral sayings. Meta-ethics moves at the level of
analytical philosophy to a number of moral phenomena. Descriptive and normative ethics
requires meta-ethics in making rational and critical arguments and requires in-depth analysis
of concepts that affect human understanding of a problem.
Ethics is widely understood as a moral philosophy, namely the science that discusses and
examines moral values. Ethics in this sense is more normative and can be formulated as a
critical and rational reflection on:
a) Values and norms regarding how humans being should live well as humans
b) Problems with human life based on moral values and norms that are generally
accepted.
Ethics as a science requires people to behave morally critically and rationally, act
autonomously and not heterenom, which means act independently but can be accounted for.

3. Moral Awareness

Moral awareness arises when a person must make decisions about something that concerns
the interests, rights or happiness of others (Magnis, 1975: 22).
Moral awareness is an awareness of reality, rational, objective and absolute. Moral awareness
is rational because the person is aware of it as something that was already supposed to be. Moral
awareness applies generally and is objective. It means that everyone in the same situation has the

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same obligation. Moral awareness is absolute in accordance with the conscience / like an inner
voice which is the realization of doing something as an obligation.

Example:
A research team from University of Newcastle placed a box in front of the school canteen for
several weeks. Payment for the items purchased will be put in the box. No one is oversee.
However, different posters were placed in the box each week, pictures of flowers and pictures of
a pair of human eyes. Interestingly, when the image installed is a pair of human eyes, the amount
that pays increases 2.76 times compared to the flower image.
From the picture of the flower, there are some people who still ignore how they should be
honest in shopping. When the flower image is replaced with a picture of a pair of human eyes,
the number of people who are aware of paying increases because they realize the meaning of the
image attached is a reflection of the person watching them. Then arises awareness of those
people who should pay when shopping. That is moral awareness.

4. Individual Moral Development

A person's moral norms grow and develop according to the age, experience, and
environmental situation. According to Khlberg (in Robby I. Chandra, 1995: 81), individual moral
development consists of three stages and each stage includes two levels of morality, namely
(starting from the lowest level)
A. The conventional stage
At this stage there are 2 levels of morality, namely:
a. Heteronom
A person's morality is at this level if an action is carried out not on his own
consciousness, but due to an external drive or motivation. For example, taking action to
obey regulations with reasons to avoid punishment. This level of morality usually
develops in childhood, when a child knows the right and wrong actions or good and bad
not from him but because he is told by someone else.
b. Individualistic
At this level, the reason for one's morality is to take good or right actions to fulfill their
personal interests or needs. For example, children take good actions to get praise or
rewards.

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B. Conventional Stage
The level of morality at this stage is:
a. Interpersonal conformity
A person feels the need to take care of his actions to suit the family and group where
he is a member of the group (for example, schools, clubs, associations, etc.) and try to
show loyalty to the family or group. Behavior that is considered benear is behavior that is
in accordance with the moral standards of the family and community groups.

b. Conformity with social systems

The morality of a person is viewed from his loyalty as part of the social system
towards the wider moral standards of the community environment. For example, loyalty
to the nation and state.

C. Post-Conventional Stage
The level of morality at this stage is:
a. Autonomy
At this level, it is starting to realize that people have personal views and opinions that
often conflict and emphasize fair ways to reach consensus. For example, an act of
obedience to the law is done consciously for the sake of legal order and protection of the
rights of all people, not just to avoid punishment.

b. Universal
At the highest level of morality an action is carried out with a high awareness based on
the moral principles chosen because logically it is comprehensive, universal, and
consistent. To reach a universal level in all actions, it is not an easy matter and this level
is the goal of ethical enforcement.

5.The Role and Benefit of Ethics

A. The Role of Ethics

Social change refers to any significant alteration over time in behavior patterns and
cultural values and norms.Examples of significant social changes having long term effects
include the industrial revolution, the abolition of slavery, and the feminist movement.

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 Social change moves more dynamically and infiltrates each individual and community
through electronic media. The advancement of technology and science brings new values that are
not same in line with existing values. This causes difficulties in assessing whether an action is
right or wrong morally and cause to a moral crisis.
Moral crisis is the decline of moral values or behavior or personal ethics.Moral crisis is
when you are torn between doing what you know to be the wrong thing and the right thing. The
crisis challenges your beliefs.
An example would be if there is a person who is responsible for feeding their family had
no money and no food. They had the opportunity to steal food, which they know is steal food is
wrong or starve. Moral crisis is does that person do what they have always believed to be
wrong,which is steal . other example is coruption,cheating in test,etc
To solve the moral crisis that occurs in society, enforcement of legal norms is not enough.
The role of ethics is also needed in overcoming the moral crisis that occurs in society. The reason
for legal norms is not enough to overcome the moral crisis as follows:
a. Legal norms do not cover all human activities. Legal norms do not specify to detail all
types, levels, and motives of crimes that are threatened with punishment.
b. Legal norms are quickly outdated because of changes that occur in society.
c. Market mechanisms do not provide an effective signal to owners and managers of
companies to respond to crisis situations that have an ethical impact in the future
d. Ethical issues require understanding and concern for honesty, justice, and reasonable
procedures for humans, human groups, and society
e. The principle of legality must be distinguished from the principle of morality.

From the description it can be seen that the role of ethics is as follows:
a. As morality, ethics guides human behavior in order to be able to manage this life well. In
addition, ethics also provides a measure of human actions in the daily life, both
interpersonal, between groups and between professions. Ethics helps to overcome
conflicts and prevent their spread. immoral actions
b. As a science, ethics provides fulfillment to human curiosity and requires humans to
behave morally critically and rationally.

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B. The Benefit of Ethics
The benefit of ethics are as follows:
a. Can encourage and invite people to be critical and rational in making decisions based on
their own opinions, which can be accountable.
b. Can direct the community to develop into an orderly, peaceful and prosperous society by
obeying the prevailing norms in order to achieve orderlines and social welfare. This is
called a legal justitia or generalist justitia, that is justice that demands everyone's
obedience to all legal rules. and social rule for social order and social welfare .