My Understanding Of Ethics and Its Use In My Life

Introduction
According to my understanding, ethics is a significant branch of philosophy that solely
deals with how we distinguish between right and wrong, what we are supposed to do in
specific situations, and numerous other issues concerning moral principles. However,
as my knowledge about ethics deepened, I started to realise that ethics is not just a
theory; it is far more dynamic and robust. It influences the decisions that shape the
world. It navigates into people's minds on how we ought to think and act. Ethics is
indeed an ongoing process that needs the gentle balance of principles, empathy, and
practical realities.

In the present world, the escalating pace of both individual and societal problems, along
with the complex nature of human beings rises the demand for ethics like never before.
To contribute towards a fair and peaceful society, it is necessary to adhere to ethical
practises for the betterment of both human and animal rights. Moreover, it is my
understanding that ethical thinking operates on numerous levels, such as social
agreements, moral convictions, and legal obligations. We can consider ourselves as an
example, we, human beings, are not only protected by the law but also rooted in the
moral principles and reasoning. Through engaging in numerous philosophical
perspectives like Utilitarianism and Kantian ethics, I have learned to evaluate actions
through their intentions and applied principles.

My Understanding Of Ethics

My study on Ethics has made me understand that moral reasoning is neither absolute
nor singular, as it is constructed by multiple structures that challenge and complement
each other. For instance, at the beginning of learning ethics, I thought the definition of
good to be singular and absolute, as I think of it, but as I got to acknowledge that good
is based on perspective and situations, therefore, it is complex and contains multiple
frameworks. Each individual's definition of Ethics is sometimes a compliment and also
an opposition to another’s. Through ethics, I got to know that human rights have
dimensions such as moral, legal, and contractual. Here, legal rights are enforced by the
institutions mainly through a utilitarian mindset where, on occasion, injustice might exist.
But moral rights are simply based on respect, fairness and dignity, which influences us
to challenge the unjust systems. Contractual rights, on the other hand, emphasises on
mutual obligations and corporation. In my understanding, all these components add up
together to create a layered understanding of right and wrong in both practical and
principle contexts.
Furthermore, ethics also shapes the idea of reducing suffering across all sentient
beings. It does challenge the traditional concept where humans were the centre of
moral concern, but now animal rights are also rising. Moreover, Kant’s principle has
taught me the valuable concept of respect and autonomy towards other individuals.
Humans should not be treated merely as means but should be aided. However, in
contrast, utilitarianism focuses on choosing the act which causes the maximum
happiness for the maximum number of people. But through utilitarianism, I have learnt
to raise questions such as whose interests are being ignored, or is this harm
unavoidable, or what is the most justifiable harm? This concept has raised many
questions in my mind regarding fairness and potential sacrifice of individual rights,
which can sometimes be sacrificed for collective benefit. Ofcouse in some situations this
concept can be wrong. The rise of such questions has made me recognise that ethical
decision-making is not so straightforward as we have to navigate through principles and
consequences rather than settling on one concrete framework. So we have to carry the
regulations or law, and at the same time we have to line practise with other virtues such
as equity, respect, honesty, and ingenuity, according to my understanding.

Ethics does help us to become self-aware so that we can navigate through our biases,
motivations and the way in which we use self-interest or ethical egoism as justification.
This is quite essential for transforming our behaviour from reactive to being rational
beings. Another important aspect I learnt is that ethics draws the boundaries which
prevent harm from occurring, even when it means sacrificing a good outcome. This
might include acts which compromise integrity, such as taking advantage of situations,
cheating or manipulating. This is very challenging as the situations are somewhat
always tempting. But with the learning of ethics, I have learned to restrain myself from
such acts. As a result, I have strengthened my sense of restraint as well as self-control.
It is also important to stay put on this ground even when nobody is watching, so one can
become ethically mature.

Application Of Ethics In Personal Life

When it comes to the application of ethics or what I learned from it in my day-to-day life,
I would accept that some things regarding my behaviour and convey has changed
gradually. There are numerous acts, either good or bad, which I would do unknowingly
before, but now I do most of the acts in a state of ethical consciousness. For instance,
previously I would help my friends and family through several acts like helping do
chores, babysitting for them, or even looking after them when they stay ill, but now I do
the same things whenever I get a chance, and I always think of the term “Do unto
others, as you would have them do unto you”. The thought always lurks, what if I were
in their situation, I would have appreciated the help. Furthermore, earlier, I never
thought or imagined that caregivers could eventually become tired or exhausted. So if
my parents ever seemed to be a little less enthusiastic about anything regarding me, I
would get upset, but now I look at them and appreciate how they have been providing
for my every need, even with all the exhaustion for uncountable days. So now, I
constantly try to provide some care to them whenever I get the chance. Also, through
analysing the utilitarian concept, I have stopped supporting the majority blindly, as,
every time they are not right, they can sometimes prove to be wrong. As a result, now I
analyse any situation rather than going with the crowd, which has allowed me to elevate
my rational thinking mindset. For instance, I would often follow my other peers to fit in,
even when I was unsure that the act was right or wrong; now I am more independent in
my judgement. So, now I can shape my actions based on my beliefs rather than being
pressured. Also, my understanding of human rights has changed how I view equality
and fairness. I would overlook small acts of injustice earlier. I thought those were
insignificant, but now that I have realised that these minor issues contribute to the larger
ethical problems, I am trying to treat everyone with equity and dignity by acknowledging
their personal boundaries and interests. These have aided me in stabilising my
interactions with the people with whom I have concrete bonds. I have started to
acknowledge that my community is what defines me. As a result, I have rooted myself
deeply in my own culture and traditions, allowing me to be more down-to-earth.

In addition, I have realised that I would previously act purely in my own interest, or I
would completely ignore my needs for the satisfaction of other individuals. However,
now I attempt to balance my self-satisfaction with the needs of others. Nowadays, I am
trying to act in ways that benefit me without causing anyone harm. Neither mentally nor
physically. Not only do I follow moral principles for mental satifaction but also because I
take it as a responsibility which I have towards society. As I now understand how to
distinguish between what's ethical and what’s not, I can take supposedly proper
standpoints in any situation. For instance, now that I know about the living rights of
animals, I try to stop any injustice from happening to them whenever I see some
wrongdoing. Now that I have strong grounds regarding this context, therefore, protecting
the street dogs and cats in my area from individuals who sometimes throw hot water at
them or perform such cruel acts is now on firm ground.

Conclusion

Ethics, as I now understand it, not only moulds the thoughts of individuals but also
defines a society. As our societies are built on the pillars of the values that establish the
rules between individuals, based on how our social framework works. I believe that
through the appropriate practise of ethics, some basic characteristics such as equity,
fair play, and justice will prevail upon us. Without ethics, we become a barbaric society.
In search of the meaning of what is good, I have engaged myself in numerous more
ethical theories, which have influenced me to brainstorm in every type of situation. Just
like the coin, every situation has both sides: good or bad, depending on the perspective.
Through proper analyzing I have implemented some of these theories into my own life,
which in turn proved to be quite fruitful, as now I am more accountable.