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What are ethics and morals? Philosopher: These words are used in different ways. The word “ethics” is sometimes used to refer to the philosophical study of morality. On other occasions, however, “ethics” is used as a synonym for “morality” or “morals”. Morality is about doing what is right and avoiding doing what is wrong. Morals and ethics are like a warning system that prevents us from hurting ourselves and others Are morals and ethics relative or absolute? Philosopher: As is often the case, it depends on what one means by “relative” and “absolute”. Many people make the mistake of thinking that ethics is just a matter of opinion and that people cannot err in setting their own moral standards. If that were true, however, then we would not be able to offer moral criticism of abhorrent behaviour – including murder, robbery, rape and assault – if the people performing those actions though that they were doing the right thing. It seems, then, that actions can be wrong even if those performing them do not realize that they are. However, it does not follow from this that context is irrelevant to working out what the right action is. Killing somebody, for example, is usually wrong. There are circumstances, however, such as legitimate self-defence, where it is not wrong. Thus morality may be relative to circumstances, but it is not relative in the sense that anything is permissible just because one thinks it is. Wisdom- experience and knowledge together with the power of applying them critically and practically Wisdom comes through experiences and watching others mistakes.. You can learn from your own bad experiences or interview others/ search our good ethics and morals and save yourself the hurt Making rushed decisions is often like settling for instant gratification instead of the delight of a gourmet one of a kind burger that was made with lots of thought and care. What would you suggest as a good means of making an ethical/moral decision? Philosopher: There is no simple answer to this question, but there are a few crucial steps: One needs to make sure that one knows the facts, as these can be crucial to making a moral decision. One has to think about the reasons for and against performing the various possible actions and judge which action is supported by the best reasons. One often has to overcome one’s own biases, in order to do this. We have to probe whether the received “wisdom” really is wisdom. Sometimes it is and sometimes it isn’t. It often helps, when one is facing a particularly difficult decision, to get the help of somebody who has good judgment or has the ability to think through the issues carefully and dispassionately. How does peer pressure influence morals and ethics? Sociologist: During your teenage years, there is tension between peer pressure and parent pressure – in other words, a tension between how much you are influenced by your parents and how much by your peers. Many families have collapsed, resulting in parents not being present in the activities of their children. This results in teenagers relying only on the opinion of their peers to bolster their self-esteem. When your parents are ‘otherwise occupied’, peer opinion is all you have, so your friends will influence the decisions you make.