Ethics merely instructs a person on what not to do: Morals is what a person won't do. By example: By ethics a man/woman may know it's not right (generally situational) to commit adultery or lie or cheat or steal because a "rule" tells them so-Morally a man/woman won't commit adultery or lie or cheat or steal.(no exceptions). Ethics rules in many cases aren't worth the paper they are written on.