The Atlantic | September 5, 2023
"Philosophers debate whether artificial intelligence is amoral or capable of moral reasoning."
Amoral vs. Immoral
The '30 Seconds' Difference At A Glance
'Amoral' means having no sense of right or wrong, or existing outside moral considerations. 'Immoral' means knowing right from wrong but choosing to do wrong.
Nature is amoral, neither good nor bad, while deliberately causing harm is immoral.
A Deeper Look
'Amoral' means something isn't about right or wrong at all - it's completely outside moral judgement. Think of things that just happen naturally, without any intention to be good or bad.
A lion hunting its prey is amoral - it's just following its instincts.
The weather is amoral - a storm isn't trying to be good or bad when it damages buildings.
'Immoral' is about knowing what's right but choosing to do wrong anyway. This only applies to people and their actions, since you need to understand right and wrong to be immoral.
Stealing from someone who trusted you is immoral because you know it's wrong but do it anyway.
Lying on your tax return is immoral - you're choosing to break rules you understand.
Common Usage Patterns
Amoral
Common phrases: amoral behaviour, amoral universe, amoral nature, amoral force, amoral perspective
Immoral
Common phrases: immoral conduct, immoral behaviour, immoral acts, immoral choices, immoral practices
Key Patterns
'Amoral' often describes natural phenomena or abstract concepts. 'Immoral' typically describes human actions and choices.
What Teachers Say
"Philosophy students need to understand that 'amoral' isn't about being good or bad - it's about being outside that framework entirely."
-- Thomas, Oxford
"When discussing ethics, remember that immoral actions require moral awareness - you can't act immorally without understanding morality."
-- Lisa, Princeton
"In literature analysis, characters described as amoral often serve different narrative purposes than those labeled immoral."
-- Michael, Edinburgh
From The Headlines
The Times | July 12, 2018
"Ethics committee condemns immoral business practices in financial sector."
Scientific American | March 30, 2014
"Research suggests universe is fundamentally amoral, guided only by physical laws."
Test Yourself!
1. Deliberately cheating on a test is an _______ act.
2. The laws of physics are _______, operating without regard to human values.
3. While natural disasters are _______, exploiting disaster victims for profit is _______.
