Why Ethics Matter There are many situations where ethical perspectives are at odds with another person's opinion on the same topic. Each person found themselves looking over their shoulders wondering “am I doing the right thing?” Ethics is what a person does when no one is watching. Whether it's a business or a government agency, everyone expects their employees to behave ethically. What is ethics? Webster defines ethics as "a set of moral principles" or "a theory or system of moral values." A person's ethics may depend on how they were raised, their upbringing, their religious preferences, and their life experiences. Life experiences more than anything else can define a person's ethical nature. One bad experience can leave a person tired and more likely to lead an unethical lifestyle, while another person with positive ethical experiences is likely to have a positive influence in their life. As a person goes through different stages of life, their personal (and professional) ethics can clash with those of others depending on their point of view. Personal philosophies (and ethics) can (and do) aid in decision making. While this happens often, it's important for people to take a moment to acknowledge the decisions made by others. Just because ethical decisions are different doesn't necessarily mean they are wrong. An example of this is abortion. In many places abortion is illegal because people believe that abortion is murder and have managed to pass a law making abortion illegal. In places where abortion is legal you will often find protesters at legal abortion clinics holding picket signs and trying to stop abortions from happening. Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, used ethics to describe a standard or...... middle of paper ......dealing with sensitive information on a daily basis. Ethics keeps people grounded and grounded. References: Office of Citizen Services and Communications, Regulations. Retrieved October 6, 2007, from Regulations website: http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/mainHealth Care Service Corporation, (2007). Press room - Press releases. Retrieved October 5, 2007, from Health Care Services Corporation website: http://www.hcsc.com/newsroom.htmUniversity of Phoenix, (2007). Introduction to Ethics for University of Phoenix Students. Associated Press, (2007, October 4). Donna turns herself in with a bag full of $65,000. Retrieved October 7, 2007, from the Boston Globe website: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/10/04/woman_turns_in_bag_stuffed_with_65000/Moore-Bruder, (2005). Philosophy: the power of ideas. The McGraw-Hill Companies