I believe that ethics is basically the distinction between what is right and wrong. To know how to act morally, you have to know the ethics of it. It is still possible to act morally without any ethical understanding, or claim to be ethical when acting immorally. This is apparent in anybody that does something just because they are raised that way. For example, if you were raised to offer the last cookie on the plate to someone else even though you wanted it. You might not understand why, but you do it because your parents said it's the "moral" thing to do. You might not want to or understand why, but you do it anyway. This leads me to my next point. If you do something moral just because you know it is moral, doesn't mean you have a firm grasp of ethics. Ethics is the understanding of why you should behave this way, and why it is moral.
Many variables can influence ones views of what is right and wrong. But first you must distinguish what is right, and what is wrong. When something's moral value becomes greater then its ethical value the decision between right and wrong may be obscure. Such as Robin Hood stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. It is not ethical to take something that is not yours, but in this case it was moral for these actions. There is also the age old question that "ends justify means". That if doing something that may be considered wrong will eventually bring about something much better through the right decision, it is worth doing. And this is difficult to comprehend when you consider that the "wrong" decision you made, was in all actuality the "right" one.
Defining the difference between open and closed minds might seem a little easier then it really is. Nobody can be completely opened minded, it is not possible. Everyone is biased to some extent, it is only human nature. There is always some idea that someone is biased about and no matter what they say, they think otherwise.
