What is the difference between ethics and bias?

Answer 1

Ethics and morals are similar, and very, very simple. They all boil down to variations on "What is harmful to you, don't do to others."

All religions and non-religious philosophies agree on this.

Values (also known as mores) are societal. What is acceptable dress, consensual sexual behaviors, dietary modes, etc., these can be relative from culture to culture without a great deal of detriment to any given culture.

Biases and beliefs are things that get in the way of observing the objective truth of something. If you believe a) and b) contradicts that, you'll ignore b) even if it gives you a more accurate representation of reality. Cognitive biases are ways our brains fool us into thinking something is objective, when, in fact, it isn't.

On of the most common is negative sampling bias, where you let the exception form the rule rather than the other way around.

Say you have ten exchanges with cashiers during a given day. Nine are neutral or semi-pleasant. The tenth is a disasters with some emo teen giving you tons of attitude. A friend later says, what's up with cashiers? And you say, I know right? I had one today who...and the other nine go right out the window.

Selective perception is another common coginitive bias. You go car shopping. You look at a Ford focus. Before now, you've not noticed them on the road. Suddenly, because you've selected for them by considering buying one, it seems like they're everywhere and everyone on the road is driving one.

There are many more cognitive biases which form pitfalls for our accurate perceptions, and the study of these is very, very helpful for critical thinking.