Ethic 与 moral，都是指人的行为规范。两个词有什么差别？

其微妙的差别在于，moral定义的是个人品格（personal character），而ethics强调的是应用了这些品格的某个社会体系。换句话说，ethics所指的行为规范或准则，是群体的意志。所以，对于个体来说，他的moral通常是不易变的，然而他的ethics则会随外界环境的不同而发生变化的，这些所谓的外界环境就是不同的社会群体，比如国家，社会，企业，职业，家庭等等，不同的群体当然会形成不同的行为规范或准则。

英汉词典中，将这两个词都译成“道德”，也有特意将ethic译成“伦理”将moral译成“道德”，用以显示二者的区别的。但查阅了汉语“伦理”与“道德”的区别发现，在汉语中，这里强调一下，尤其是古汉语中，二者的区别并不完全等同于“ethics”和“moral”的区别。对此，这里不做细述。但假如将现代汉语的“伦理”与“道德”概念拿来与“ethics”和“moral”对应，或许是可以的，因为，许多现代汉语词汇的概念就是借用了现代西方科学中的词汇的概念的。然而，即使在现代汉语的现代用语的翻译中，也还是出现许多混淆，比如，professsional ethics还是被习惯称之为职业道德，而不是职业伦理, company ethics译为企业道德，而非企业伦理，只有social ethics，family ethics，这些词汇中人们会习惯于选择伦理这个词，可见，这种现代汉语翻译中的不规范，还是有受到汉语语言使用者本身对伦理的传统理解的影响的。

总之，“Ethic”与“moral”，或者说现代汉语中的“伦理”与“道德”之间的差别在于，前者是集体的意志，而后者是个人的价值观。

辩护律师是辨别这两个词的区别的一个好例子。辩护律师都有自己的个人道德准则（moral code），这种道德准则促使他相信杀人是不道德的、应当受到谴责的行为，然而另一种道德准则（ethics）却要求他竭尽全力为被告当事人辩护，哪怕他本人知道该当事人是有罪的，如果他最终被释放，有可能会给社会带来更大的危害。在这里，法律的道德规范（legal ethics）必须超越个人的道德观，为的是更好地维护一个能给予被告人公正判决的司法制度。

另一个有可能发生个人道德观于集体道德观之间的冲突的领域是工作场所。如果一家公司故意模糊企业道德的边界而无理要求员工超时工作，那么员工就不得不面临选择：是选择一个高压、苛刻、耗时耗神的职业道德，还是选择家庭责任，这一被认为是对伴侣和孩子应承担的道义。

The difference between ethics and morals can seem somewhat arbitrary to many, but there is a basic, albeit subtle, difference. Morals define personal character, while ethics stress a social system in which those moralsare applied. In other words, ethics point to standards or codes of behavior expected by the group to which the individual belongs. This could be national ethics, social ethics, company ethics, professional ethics, or even family ethics. So while a person’s moral code is usually unchanging, the ethics he or she practices can other-dependent.

When considering the difference between ethics and morals, it may be helpful to consider a criminal defense lawyer. Though the lawyer’s personal moral code likely finds murder immoral and reprehensible, ethics demand the accused client be defended as vigorously as possible, even when the lawyer knows the party is guilty and that a freed defendant would potentially lead to more crime. Legal ethics must override personal morals for the greater good of upholding a justice system in which the accused are given a fair trial and the prosecution must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Another area in which ethics and morals can clash is at the workplace where company ethics can play against personal morality. Corporate greed that blurs its own ethical lines coupled with unreasonable demands on time can lead to having to choose between a stressful, demanding and consuming work ethic, and family obligations seen as moral obligations to spouse and children. Conversely, people lose jobs every day because of poor personal morals, employee theft being a common reason for dismissal.

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