The Baker or the Taker?

According to Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, the edition that was published in 1973, ethic is defined as “the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation.” Moral is defined as “of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior; expressing or teaching a concept of right behavior; conforming to a standard of right behavior.”

Ethic is a discipline, whereas Moral is a principle. Discipline is adhering to a pattern of behavior, often resulting from previous education or training. Principle is a standard based on perceived assumptions concerning truths, and predetermined laws and rules.

Although often considered synonyms, there is a notable difference between ethics and morals. People
may consider themselves to be moral, and lack ethics. Ethical people within a society may be considered to be immoral by their fellow citizens. A woman who follows the letter of the law may end up sending a man to prison for thirty years for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his children, thus proving herself to be a highly moral person. The unfortunate father, may have an ethical nature in terms of putting his children's needs first; however, he violates the moral law by engaging in the desperate act of stealing food.

Morals depend on socially accepted norms (standards), many of which have been legislated into laws. Oftentimes, these standards are determined by religious zealotry and by political systems bent on controlling the majority of people. A moral code of conduct may even include a list of rules for torturing natives, who have refused to embrace the religious beliefs of their captors.

Ethics depend on acquiring the skills that are necessary in order to make sure that the law is tempered with understanding and mercy. The fundamental concept for adopting an ethical approach within a morally dominated society is the Golden Rule—we seek to be treated well by others: This involves
doing unto others what we would have them do unto us. We adopt the discipline of reciprocity by adhering to behavior that embraces being a good example to others, because we never know when we might end up in a similar situation and need them to respond in our favor.

The Baker or the Taker

I've stolen the bread.
My children are fed.
The baker's in a stew.
What will the townsfolk do?

Hang me?
Jail me?
Starve my children?
Beat my wife?
Let me work for the baker the rest of my life?