ethics

Everyday

1. Ethics are the ideas about what is right and wrong that guide how people act. tree →
2. Ethics is a school subject or part of philosophy that thinks about right and wrong, fairness, and how to be good. tree →
3. (formal) The ethics of a job are its rules for honest behaviour, like a doctor keeping your secrets. tree →

In the lessons

In class, ethics lessons use dilemmas: should you tell on a friend who cheated? Pupils weigh consequences, rules, and kindness. Adults talk about business ethics, medical ethics and the ethics of science (for example, testing on animals). Phrases: a code of ethics, work ethic (being willing to work hard), against my ethics, the ethics of something.

Examples

• In ethics class we argued about whether lying is ever right. tree →
• The ethics of keeping animals in zoos is a big question. tree →
• Doctors follow a strict code of ethics. tree →
• The ethics olympiad asked teams to solve hard dilemmas. tree →
• Gran has a strong work ethic and never misses a day. tree →
• Taking the money would be against his ethics. tree →
• Ethics is about how we should treat each other. tree →

Note

As a subject, "ethics" takes a singular verb: "Ethics is interesting." As someone's principles, it is plural: "His ethics are strict." Adjective ethical. Not "ethnics" (about peoples and cultures).