My personal definition of ethics is based on the key aspects that the discipline addresses. Specifically, I see ethics as the field that allows determining which behaviors are morally justified and which are not. This definition helps view ethics as an area that studies the nature of relationships among people from the perspective of prerequisites but not consequences, and such a background conveys the essence of individual ethical concepts. After researching relevant sources on this topic, in particular, the works by Ethics Workbooks and Velasquez et al., I can note that my perception of ethics has not changed significantly. However, due to these readings, it has been supplemented and broadened in terms of the aspects involved that influence the forms of behavior. As a result, I have received comprehensive information about which drivers form the concept of ethics and which outcomes they bring.
Each of the articles has given me an opportunity to assess the basic nuances of ethics, although I did not find any extraordinary ideas. For instance, in work by Ethics Workbooks, much attention is paid to individual criteria and reasons leading to specific actions. Velasquez et al., in turn, cite different people’s opinions on what ethics is. This diversity of views has allowed me to evaluate others’ opinions and compare their thoughts with mine. However, the reasoning about the standards of right and wrong has not made much of an impression on me. Velasquez et al. mention social norms and principles as markers that identify the specifics of ethical behavior. This approach does not allow identifying the depth of the concept under consideration and confirms my basic ideas about the moral justification of behavior. Therefore, despite some original thoughts, the information from the sources presented has turned out to be rather an addition to my views than a means of their comprehensive change.