Ethics and Morals

Ethics and Morals
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The question of whether ethics and morality are absolute or relative is likely to attract a wide range of opinions from even the best of the best in religious and scholarly fields. Ethics and morals basically entail a prescribed code of conduct or practice that is based on the principles and values of a people be it on a tribal, communal, state or national basis (IAC, 2013). This, therefore, implies that morals and ethics are somehow restricted when viewed from a tridimensional and intra- physicality point of view since they are limited to a particular group of people, a certain culture or some type of civilization. Additionally, ethics and morality are conditionally structured, in that, one is required to act in a particular manner in order to reap certain benefits. For instance, at work, the most hardworking, diligent and loyal are considered ethically upright hence the most suitable candidates for positions of leadership, governance, and power. This argument is crucial in determining whether ethics and morality are absolute or relative.
According to IAC (2013), our physical dimension restricts us to the perceptions and comprehensions that are within our scope of understanding. From a scientific perspective, for instance, one can only discern and understand what is within their level of evolution. Human beings, for example, have more developed and advanced brains hence are more able to distinguish between what is ethically correct and wrong as compared to an animal such as a dog.

With regard to this, it is only logical to state that ethics and morality can never be absolute as what is absolute to one may not be the case to another. There are only relative moral and ethical truths. Strong believers in phenomena such as religion and civilization may argue otherwise as they are strongly attached to their affiliations. However, one should ask themselves whether they would still ascribe to the same morals and ethical standards had they been born in a religion that preaches the contrary or if they were born at a different time period.
In the Bible, for instance, acts such as incest was allowed during the Old Testament era (Gen. 20:12 New International Version). However, modern-day Christianity discourages such acts, leading to the conclusion that what is morally or ethically accepted is also relative to one’s period of existence. In some primitive societies, technology is considered a marvel of nature and is even perceived as an act of evil. However, to a civilized person, technology bears no ethical implications, if anything, it has actually upgraded the quality of human life. There is, therefore, no such thing as absolute morality or ethics it only depends on one’s own principles and perceptions.

References
Bible, H. (2013). New international version. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan.
IAC UK. (2014, February 10). Are Ethics Relative or Absolute? And Are Ethics Subjective or Objective? • IAC UK. Retrieved from http://uk.iacworld.org/are-ethics-relative-or-absolute-and-are-ethics-subjective-or-objective/