ethics or morals

[mycatis]

I was reading a book recently and the main character was talking about his computer having ethics but no morals, I was wondering if anyone knew what the difference would be? It really got me thinking!

[KEJ2000]

My opinion... Ethics = doing something only because you know society thinks it's the right thing to do.  Morals = doing something (or not) because you, yourself, feel it's right (or wrong).  Morals are personal/individual convictions, ethics are societal/general guidelines for behaviour.

[Yeah Bee]

I agree with allen Ethics are a set of rules moral is what your heart tells you to do

[KEJ2000]

OK, fair enough!  If many Americans use words improperly, it is probably only because we use Webster's dictionary rather than the OED.  It is just a bad habit, not really done intentionally.  The OED costs much more money, and, honestly, regular people usually buy whatever's cheapest!  Also, people who are looking to spell words the "American way" find that Webster's makes that easier.  Webster's gives more concise definitions, perhaps too concise!  So we are learning from an ignorant teacher.  I am happy to rescind my def'n of morals and ethics.  You are all very polite.

[Hippy]

To rescind is to withdraw a law or an agreement. I don't think KEJ2000 enacted a legal statute, and we certainly entered into no agreement with him or her.

Perhaps they meant to withdraw their earlier assertion or suggestion.

[SimonMorton]

It's the wrong way round, clearly. For example, my cat has no ethics, but morally my computer is bankrupt. We can thus infer, imply, deduce and otherwise hypothecate that I do not after all know the point that I am trying to make. It is only through a personally imbedded sense of fairplay, but with no regard whatsoever to the morality of ethics that I can say, hand on heart, head on lap, foot on shoulder, there is no need to worry.