I have asked many persons and dictionaries if the meanings of these two words are interchangeable or different.

There doesn’t seem to be a consensus. The two words seem to me to have branched out into separate meanings over time,  ie. from Aristotle to Wittgenstein to the present.

Will we have an ethics czar, or a morals czar? Would it make it any difference?

The word ‘ethic’ comes from the Greek êthikê from êthos - ‘nature, character, custom’. An ethic is a principle or standard by which one may live one’s life. In plural, ethics refers to a system or collection of such principles or standards, or the comparison of contrasting principles or standards. This last meaning is what is meant by the philosophical study of ethics: the study of the differeing principles by which one may live one’s life.

‘Moral’ comes from the Latin word mos, meaning ‘custom’. We somethimes use its plural form, mores, in English. It often translated the Greek word êthos. Thus, ‘moral’ is to do with mores. It can have the same meaning as ‘ethical’, but is not usually used in the objective, contrastive mode. That is, when we talk of morals (in the plural), we refer to a single system of principles. Whereas ethics may refer to a single system or the contrast of a number of systems.

- Garzo.

It’s funny indeed…

Moral law was, back in the ancient times, the law of tradition, that is, of the customs performed since the dawn of mankind. Any deed was judged "moral" if it fit the old establishments.  

As Garzo explains, both ethics and morals had the meaning of "custom" and therefore translated back then as rules for our living. Nowadays, we do not say an action is moral just because it agrees with the old ways. The sense we’ve given these words difers from "habit" or any of the kind. In Spanish I’d use "Ética" and "Moral" respectively as the theory and the facts of our behaviour. I guess this might be extrapolated to English.

            WS.

An observation of difference between morals and ethics.

Morals can refer to the essence or the lesson of a story with allegorical meaning (btw this is someting J.R.R. Tolkien disliked).

eg. The moral of Sour Grape story of AEsop is that people always justify their behaviour.

I think substituting moral with ethic(s) here sounds slightly odd.  This is an example of how English prefers Latin to Greek.

I  think substituting moral with ethic(s) here sounds slightly odd.  This is an example of how English prefers Latin to Greek.

The moral of the thread is that English prefers Latin to Greek?

Perry

Ah, a story may have a moral, and a good protestant may have a work ehtic, but you cannot confuse the two.

[quote author=Garzo link=board=etymology;num=1088355753;start=0#6 date=07/01/04 at 12:27:28]Ah, a story may have a moral, and a good protestant may have a work ehtic, but you cannot confuse the two.

... and is this your catholic viewpoint ...  ::)

Just curious, Garzo and RK . . . how come you didn’t capitalize Protestant and Catholic when referring to religion?

This is not a criticizm but an observation, OK, dear people?

Regards

Because they have been capitalizing on religion, per se. ::)

Perry

Dear RK and Garzo!

Sorry I  misread your postings regarding capitalization for "protestant" and "catholic."

Please accept my humble apology.   :-[

Your replies have helped me to sort out "morals" and "ethics", but American politicians have informed me that the current presidential campaign is about "values".

How does this term relate to the discussion of "morals and ethics"?  Have I once again been hurled back to square 1?

Personally, I think "values" have more to do with opinions, posturing, etc. "Ethics" and "morals" have to do with actions - what we actually choose to do in a certain situation, rather than what we say other people ought to do or have done.  

For example, I’m quite certain that Clinton’s values were more or less in the right place. His morals certainly were’t.

Ah, I’m forgetting. That’s all water under the bridge.

- PW