Ethics vs. Scruples — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on May 9, 2024
Ethics are moral principles guiding behavior at an individual or societal level, while scruples are personal reservations or feelings that might prevent someone from acting against their values.
Difference Between Ethics and Scruples
Table of Contents
ADVERTISEMENT
Key Differences
Ethics represent a structured set of principles that govern how individuals or groups behave. Scruples, on the other hand, are individual moral reservations or hesitations that influence a person's actions.
Ethics often form the basis for societal norms, influencing laws, professional standards, and community expectations. Scruples are more personal, often rooted in someone's upbringing or personal beliefs and may vary significantly from one person to another.
Ethics provide a broader framework that can apply to various situations, helping individuals or organizations discern right from wrong. Scruples tend to be specific reservations that a person might feel about a particular action, even if it's considered acceptable by general ethical standards.
While ethics are often studied, debated, and codified in professional guidelines or philosophical treatises, scruples are more internal and not usually formalized in written rules.
Ethics guide collective behavior in professions like medicine, law, and business, promoting accountability and public trust. Scruples are personal and can sometimes lead to actions that differ from generally accepted ethical guidelines due to individual beliefs.
ADVERTISEMENT
Comparison Chart
Definition
Moral principles guiding conduct
Personal reservations about actions
Application
Broad, influencing societies and professions
Personal, varying between individuals
Codification
Often formalized in guidelines
Internal and informal
Flexibility
Generally consistent across contexts
Highly individual, specific to situations
Influence
Shapes professional and societal standards
Influences personal decision-making
Compare with Definitions
Ethics
Formal rules that outline expected behavior.
The organization's code of ethics requires honesty in reporting.
Scruples
Restraint due to moral discomfort.
He overcame his scruples and agreed to help his friend.
Ethics
Upholding ethical values consistently.
His commitment to ethics ensured transparent decision-making.
Scruples
Reluctance to act against one's principles.
She had scruples about lying to her parents.
Ethics
Foundational moral rules guiding behavior.
Business ethics dictate fair treatment of all clients.
Scruples
Doubts or objections due to personal beliefs.
His scruples about participating in the project made him withdraw.
Ethics
The study of moral principles and their implications.
Studying ethics helps people understand moral dilemmas.
Scruples
Inner sense guiding moral choices.
Her scruples wouldn't let her exploit the system for personal gain.
Ethics
Established norms for acceptable conduct.
Medical ethics prohibit physicians from exploiting patients.
Scruples
Personal perception of right and wrong.
Despite peer pressure, his scruples kept him from cheating.
Ethics
Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that "involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior". The field of ethics, along with aesthetics, concerns matters of value; these fields comprise the branch of philosophy called axiology.Ethics seeks to resolve questions of human morality by defining concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime.
Scruples
An uneasy feeling arising from conscience or principle that tends to hinder action
"He would have taken any life with as little scruple as he took my money" (Charles Dickens).
Ethics
Moral principles that govern a person's behaviour or the conducting of an activity
A code of ethics
Medical ethics also enter into the question
Scruples
A unit of apothecary weight equal to about 1.3 grams, or 20 grains.
Ethics
The branch of knowledge that deals with moral principles
Neither metaphysics nor ethics is the home of religion
Scruples
A minute part or amount.
Ethics
A set of principles of right conduct.
Scruples
To hesitate as a result of conscience or principle
"A man who could make so vile a pun would not scruple to pick a pocket" (John Dennis).
Ethics
A theory or a system of moral values
"An ethic of service is at war with a craving for gain" (Gregg Easterbrook).
Scruples
Plural of scruple
Ethics
Ethics (used with a sing. verb) The study of the general nature of morals and of the specific moral choices to be made by a person; moral philosophy.
Scruples
Motivation deriving logically from ethical or moral principles that govern a person's thoughts and actions
Ethics
Ethics (used with a sing. or pl. verb) The rules or standards governing the conduct of a person or the members of a profession
Medical ethics.
Ethics
(philosophy) The study of principles relating to right and wrong conduct.
Ethics
Morality.
Ethics
The standards that govern the conduct of a person, especially a member of a profession.
Ethics
The science of human duty; the body of rules of duty drawn from this science; a particular system of principles and rules concerting duty, whether true or false; rules of practice in respect to a single class of human actions; as, political or social ethics; medical ethics.
The completeness and consistency of its morality is the peculiar praise of the ethics which the Bible has taught.
Ethics
Motivation based on ideas of right and wrong
Ethics
The philosophical study of moral values and rules
Common Curiosities
Are ethics culturally specific?
Some ethical principles are universal, while others can vary across cultures.
Do all professions have ethical codes?
Most professional fields have ethical guidelines to maintain standards and trust.
Do scruples always prevent unethical actions?
Not necessarily; scruples might inhibit some actions but may not cover every ethical dilemma.
Are ethics and scruples the same?
No, ethics are broader principles, while scruples are personal moral reservations.
Can ethics change over time?
Yes, ethical standards evolve with societal values and scientific advancements.
Are scruples always rational?
Not always; they can be influenced by emotions, biases, or misconceptions.
Can scruples conflict with ethics?
Yes, individual scruples can sometimes lead to actions that differ from established ethical standards.
Are scruples universal?
No, scruples vary widely between individuals based on upbringing and beliefs.
Is formal training in ethics necessary?
It's beneficial in professions where ethical dilemmas are common, like medicine or law.
What is an ethical dilemma?
A situation where choosing between actions involves conflicting moral principles.
Do companies enforce ethics policies?
Many organizations have ethics officers or committees to uphold standards.
Can one person’s scruples differ from another’s?
Yes, scruples are highly personal and can vary widely between individuals.
Is it important to follow scruples?
Yes, following one's scruples aligns actions with personal moral beliefs.
Are scruples influenced by religion?
They can be; many people’s scruples align with their religious or spiritual beliefs.
Can ethics and scruples work together?
Yes, personal scruples can complement broader ethical standards.
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Superstrate vs. Substrate
Next Comparison
Cud vs. RuminateAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
