Ethics

Is Morality the Same as Ethics

• Morality comes from 'mos' from Latin moralis, from mos, mor- ‘custom’. Custom implies no choice - 'that's just the way it is.' - implying denial of new information or change.
• Ethics - from Greek ēthos ‘nature, disposition’u. Disposition implies choice.
• Morals don't have to be ethical, and ethics don't have to be moral. [1]. This article seems to have it in reverse.
• The etymology of the 2 words seem to be a better guide for the subtlety.
• The key is - what is more objective? Should the more objective viewpoint be favored? So let's go deeper.

What is Right and Wrong

Moral Objectivism

• Teleological. One example is Utilitarianism - that which produces most happiness overall [2]
• Deontological - Categorical Imperative - it matters what kind of act something is. If it can be claimed as a universal truth, then it is good. This assessment appears to have a fundamental flaw - as many things could depend on the situation - or could not be interpreted correctly - based on principles of General Semantics.

Moral Relavism

Comes in 2 forms - subjectivism and conventionalism. Caused by decline of religion. As Dostoevsky famously wrote "If God doesn't exist, everything is permissible".

• Cultural diversity is not a good argument for moral relativism - [3]
• Decline of religion does not necessarily mean a decline in morality - have there been any studies that can give us a Gamma on that? [4]

Is Morality Objective

• Psychology Today on the topic - [5]