Difference between principles and values
The principles are a set of universal ethical parameters, aimed at guiding life in society.
Values are guides to define the correct behavior of individuals in society.
| Beginning | Values | |
|---|---|---|
| Set of universal precepts that allow harmonious life in society | Set of norms or qualities that allow the individual to act according to what is considered correct. | |
| Types of principles |
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What are the principles?
Principles are a system of rules or laws that must be followed for a system to function properly. They are universal, therefore they apply to all individuals and are necessary to act correctly.
What is expected is that all people know and put into practice basic ethical principles to make the social coexistence is carried out in harmony, seeking personal improvement but never to the detriment of others.
Furthermore, the principles exist regardless of whether the individual is aware of them or puts them into practice.
The principles are the guide that determines what is correct from what is incorrect, therefore, they are the basis of human values.
Fundamental ethical principles
Life principle
It refers to the right to life as a support to the other principles, so everything that favors life both in a personal and collective sphere should always be privileged.
Principle of freedom
This principle proclaims the freedom of the human being from the moment of birth, so any measure that prevents him from being free is violating this principle.
Principle of humanity
The human being is the measure of all things and therefore, his life and dignity must be preserved and respected.
Principle of good
Doing good, understood as what is considered correct for the common good, and avoiding any conduct that contradicts this principle.
Equality principle
All human beings are equal before the law, without distinction of race, gender, nationality, social condition or any other characteristic.
Principle of morality
It refers to all the rules that must be followed to ensure stability and social coexistence, exercising the duties and rights established for this purpose.
What are values?
Values are individual skills or qualities that define an individual's behavior in society. These values derive from universal ethical principles, hence their objective is to guide individuals to act correctly, individually and collectively.
Types of securities
Depending on the origin of its precepts, the values can be:
Ethical values
They are guides or social guidelines to regulate social behavior in a general way. Responsibility and solidarity are examples of ethical values.
Moral values
It refers to those common practices in social doing. They are passed from one generation to another and can change depending on the environment. For example, in some societies it is well seen that children live for a long time with their parents, since this is associated with strong family values and traditions, but in other societies the right thing to do is for children to become emancipated early.
You may be interested in knowing more examples of moral values.
Religious values
They are the guidelines dictated by a religion as to what is right and wrong according to its tradition. In the Catholic religion, a religious value is marriage, which is considered the only way to start a family according to its fundamental precepts.
Civic values
They are those values that regulate citizen behavior, such as respect for the symbols or traditions of a country and its laws.
Family values
It refers to the behavior guide that is transmitted in the home, and that can be a compendium or selection of all the previous ones.
Personal values
They are the qualities that each individual decides to cultivate and put into practice based on what he considers correct for himself and for others. They are a compendium of ethical, moral, family, religious and civic values.
While the values are expected to be positive or good, there are also negative or antivalues. For example, unpunctuality, lack of respect for the other or for the group and disloyalty are anti-values, and are detrimental to social coexistence.
See also
- Values and antivalues
- Moral and ethic.
- Moral standards
- Examples of ethics and morals
