Is practical ethics different from Philosophy?

Question

Or are such considerations merely a distinct part of philosophy itself?

Answer 1

That's purely semantic. To disentangle a continuum of overloaded terms like those would not be worthwhile even if it were possible.

Answer 2

Any set of practical morals/ethics are part of some sort of Philosophy. Therefore, they are as you said, a distinct part of philosophy itself.
As the definition and range of Philosophy is a hard argued and a long undecided question in itself... It can sometimes be confusing to determine what is within it!
I feel, and believe most think so as well, that Philosophy is the study/search of understanding of any and all fields of reasoning... it precedes and gives birth to most if not all other fields. Before anything can be done, it has to be pondered about! So, there you go... this is my take on your question! Practical ethics must be just a small part of a philosophy within General Philosophy.

Answer 3

Practical ethics come not only from one's head but also from one's heart. Relationships and personal feelings play a big role in people's decisions about the good and bad.

But philosophy is a dispassionate consideration of ideas and circumstances. And philosophical ethics often don't work well in practice precisely because philosophical considerations cannot quantify and take into account people's feelilngs.

Answer 4

We cannot compare ethics and philosophy. These are two different subjects even though in western philosophy ethics is included in philosophical discussions. Philosophy is more to do with human wisdom of understanding essential nature, knowledge and reasoning. Ethics is a subject more to do with moral standards and established social norms of good and bad. Ethics may change according to the needs of the time, profession and society, whereas Philosophy is based on established theories, which can be denied or accepted. In Hinduism philosophy is called "Darsanas" meaning "calling insights or points of view" and Ethics form Dharma sastras meaning "upholding social values".

Answer 5

Ethics is the discipline in which one deals with what is good and bad and philosophy provides us with the wisdom to discipline ourselves to do so. Philosophy provides us with the power to justify our human values and act in accordance with those values, which in turn, becomes our own ethics. Therefore, within philosophy, there is ethics; within ethics, there is philosophy. Ethics can be defined as moral philosophy, to be rather exact, and moral philosophy can be defined as ethics. Although they complement each other rather well, ethics is concerned with decisions about right or wrong, but philosophy, on a grander scale, is also concerned with what is good, what is true, what is just, what is beautiful, amongst many other endless topics. To simply answer your question, it is, in my opinion, a distinct part of philosophy itself.

Answer 6

'Practical ethics' relates to oneself and other ethical beings actions, how you react to situations given your ethical standing. Philosophy can apply to everything, anything and nothing, and to an extent it can be used and contemplated specifically in order to refine ones own practical ethics, to decide with insight and reason what is the best ethical decision to make for the given situation, but it's only the tip of the iceburg when talking of philosophy.

Answer 7

Ethics is an excellent place to begin a journey into philosophy!

Answer 8

Don't you mean "are" practical ethics different...of course they "are" ! Philosophy tells us lying is wrong. I just took my 87 year old mother the the hair dresser and told her she looked great when I really thought she looked terrible. Is me practical or what?

Answer 9

I hope it is the result of philosophy and for philosophy. The Will is positive, the Judgment is negative.

Answer 10

Practical things always have a contradiction with theory.