ETHICS

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Ethics =Ethos –custom or a particular way and manner of acting  Laws are only concerned with actions that

h actions that are usually


and behaving “public” (actions that often harmed those around us)
 It goes beyond the concern and parameters of law – it
Custom would also mean as a form of behaviour or includes human motivations in its investigation.
character (from the Latin word “mos” moral or “mores” morality (thoughts and feelings are included and subject them to
moral analysis and evaluation)
Ethics and Morality
 Laws are the product of a collective agreement decided
 Both deal with the goodness or badness, rightness or by a majority vote (What is right is right although no one
wrongness of the human act or human conduct is doing it. Wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it)
 study specifically morality  Ethics serves as the very foundation of our laws
 Morality gives Ethics a particular perspective of what to
study about Ethics and Religion
 Morality provides with a quality that determines and
 Ethics solely relies on natural reason, logic and
distinguishes right conduct from wrong conduct
experience
(Sambajon 2007:7)
 Religion relies primarily and mainly on supernatural
reason (divine revelation or divine authority)
Ethics: a Philosophy of Action

 The learning of Ethics does not actually guarantee What is Ethics


morality on the part of the person’s concrete and
 Practical science of the morality of human act or
practical conduct of behavior
conduct and of the good life.
 Ethics, a theory that provides certain principles and
 Body of knowledge systematically arranged and
guidelines as to what is good and bad, right and wrong
presented in a manner that it arrives at its conclusions
in human conduct, it is morality which actualizes the
coherently and logically
theory.
 A branch of Philosophy known as Moral Philosophy that
 Hence both Ethics and Morality complement each other
deals with how we ought to live.
– as Ethics outlines theories of right and wrong,
 A Philosophical discipline that deals with the ultimate
morality translates these theories into real actions.
principles and truth concerning the morality of human
conduct using human reason and experience
Ethics: A Practical Discipline

 Should be shown as a discipline which has an intimate Material Objects of Ethics


connection with the daily lives of man  Human Act or Human conduct – refers to the act that is
 It must be something more than the presentation of done by a human person which he/she is conscious of,
exacting moral theories, a proper interaction between which proceeds from one’s deliberation and freewill,
knowledge and practice. and thus which one is held morally responsible.
 It could become the most basic and fundamental motive
behind one’s day to day conduct (Christian ethics) Formal Object of Ethics
Importance of Studying Ethics  Morality of the moral rectitude of human act or human
conduct – deals with the human person’s right conduct
 It is indispensable in the living of life which is “truly whether his/her actions conform to right reason which
human” for without moral perception, man is only an is the immediate norm of morality
animal – “without morality man as a rational being is a
failure” (Agapay 1991:3) Division of Ethics
 Human faces several ethical choices in the course of
their lives – big or small choices and decisions made  General Ethics – considered as the basic course which
affect the kind of life to a considerable extent mainly deals with the morality of human acts and the
 Making moral decisions is oftentimes difficult – Ethics specific determinants of morality
can provide us with certain moral paradigms or  Special or Applied Ethics – essentially applies the
perspective that will guide us in determining what is specific and fundamental norms and principles of
right and what is wrong under such condition. General Ethics in various specific areas of human life
 Enables us to reason out our moral beliefs and why we and activity
hold them. – by critically examining the ground and Kinds of Valuation and types of Norms
foundation of our moral beliefs and claims, whether
they are valid or not. 1. Technical norm – refers to man’s needs which come
 Aids us to widen our horizon as to what is good and bad from his bodily space-time limitations
– allow us to broaden our understanding and make us 2. Societal norm – something to do with the need for
appreciate the richness and diversity of ethical views group cohesion and for strengthening the bonds that
held by various thinkers keep the community together.
 Not only of instrumental value but also valuable in its 3. Aesthetic norm – refers to typical perceptual forms
own right – knowing the good is good in itself though regarding colour, shape space, movement etc.
doing the good is even much better than “just knowing” 4. Ethical or Moral norm – refers to some ideal vision of
the good. a human person which serves as the ultimate goal and
 Deepens our reflection on the ultimate questions of life. norm.
(What is life and what it means to be truly human?) Characteristics of Moral Principles
 “An unexamined life is not worth living”- Socrates
1. Reasonability
2. Impartiality
Ethics and Law
3. Prescriptivity
 Ethical rules are necessary even if we have the laws 4. Overridingness
since legality is not identical with morality – (sometimes 5. Autonomous from arbitrary authority
what is legal is not always moral; what is moral is not 6. Publicity
always legal) 7. Practicability
8. Universalizability

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