Ethics Overview (Encyclopedia of Business and Finance)  Ethics
is the study of questions of morality, the search to understand
what is right, wrong, good, and bad. It is the branch of
philosophy that systematically studies moral ideals and goals,
motives of choice, and patterns of good and bad conduct. Ethics
is derived from the Greek ethikos, meaning "character." Issues
of personal character, and the search for the best patterns for
living, were at the core of Greek ethical philosophy. In
contrast, moral is from the Latin more (MOR-ay). The Romans used
this term to describe the customary ways that people tended to
act. Thus, though the two terms are often used interchangeably
today, morality has evolved to mean the social norms that people
are taught and conditioned to follow, while ethics has come to
refer to  Greek philosopher Socrates was a pioneer in virtue-
ethical thinking. Greek philosopher Socrates was a pioneer in
virtue-ethical thinking.  the rational investigating and
questioning of these norms. Th