Module I

At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:

1. define ethics
2. differentiate between human acts and acts of man
3. cite two ethical approaches
4. distinguish between General Ethics and Special Ethics
5. expound man as a person

ETHICS

The word “ ethics” is derived from the Greek “ethos” which means “”characteristic way
of acting,” “habit,” or “custom”. The Latin equivalent is mos, mores, from which come the word moral
and morality. Ethics studies the chararacteristic behavior of man as endowed with reason and freewill.

The study of ethics started with the Greek philosophers, notably Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.
Socrates is regarded as the father of moral philosophy. However, it is Aristotle who has greatly
influenced ethical thinking, with three important treatises - the Nicomachean Ethics, the Eudemian
Ethics, and the Magna Moralia (Great Ethics).

DEFINITION OF ETHICS

Ethics is the science of morality of human acts.

Human acts are actions done intentionally and freely, like walking, reading, working, playing,
shopping, joining a contest, or signing a contract. Human acts are differentiated from acts of man
which are instinctive, such as the physiological and psychological movements like breathing, feeling
happy, or falling in love. Ethics does not study the acts of man in themselves but as factors affecting
man’s judgment and violation.
Ethics is the study of man as moral being, one who is rationally able to distinguish between right and
wrong. It examines how man is accountable for his actions and its consequences. It proposes how man
ought to live his life - meaningfully.
Ethics is concerned with morality, the quality which makes an act good or evil, correct or wrong.
Ethics examines and explains the rational basis why actions are moral or immoral. In other words, Ethics
is concerned with the norms of human behavior.

The Art of Correct Living

Art provides for what is orderly and harmonious in an artwork. Ethics is an art, “ the art of correct
living,” because it teaches how we may put order and harmony in our lives. Thus, Ethics is a practical
science and differs from one that is purely speculative. Ethics is beneficial only when its truths are put
into practice as rules of conduct.
Every person is expected to be decent and trustworthy. Since moral integrity as attested by people
is the true measure of man’s greatness, some philosophers regard Ethics as “the only necessary
knowledge.” Indeed, unless they are also morally upright, the rich, the famous, and the powerful
live vainly. On the other hand, the poor and ignorant who is God-fearing, patriotic, diligent, honest,
helpful of others, self-respecting, and protective of his family is truly a great person - dakila, says
Emilio Aguinaldo.
 Morality is not only necessary to a person but also to society. Bertrand Russel states that “ without
civic morality, communities perish; without personal morality their survival has no value.” When people
do not accept the rule of law, society crumbles.

ETHICAL APPROACHES

There are two approaches - the atheistic and the theistic ethics

1. The atheistic approach assumes that only matter exists and man is responsible only to the State
Since there is no God who rules the universe. Morality is an invention of man to suit his
requirements and to preserve society. Moral truths are temporary and changeable depending
on the situation. Accordingly, the concept of good and evil is relative. Some of its tenets are
the following:
a. Matter is the only reality.
b. Man is matter and does not have spiritual soul.
c. Man is free and must exercise his freedom to promote the welfare of society.
d. There is no life after death
e. Man is accountable only to the State.

2. The theistic approach, to which we adhere, assumes that God is the Supreme Lawgiver.
Everything must conform to God’s eternal plan of creation. Man must exercise his freedom in
accordance with God’s will. There are absolute principles of morality which are not changeable.
Man is accountable for his actions and deserves either a reward or punishment in this life or in
the next. Its tenets are:
a. God is the Supreme Creator and Lawgiver.
b. Man is free and must use his freedom to promote his personal interest along with that of
others.
c. Man has an immortal soul.
d. Man is accountable for his actions, both good and evil.

GENERAL AND SPECIAL ETHICS

_________________________
Ethics is divided into general and special ethics.
General Ethics is about the principles of morality. It explains the norms with which the moral
significance of the human act is determined. Special Ethics is the application of the principles of
General Ethics to the problems and issues confronting a person on account of his circumstances
in life, for instance, as a citizen, neighbor, worker, wife, husband, or child. It includes the sub-
branches of professional ethics, such as medical ethics, business ethics, legal ethics, biological
and environmental ethics.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ETHICS AND MORALITY

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Ethics is called moral philosophy. However, there is a slight difference between ethics and
morality. Ethics provides principles on the morality of human acts. It provides man with the
theoretical knowledge of the morality of human acts. There is a big difference between knowing
and doing. Not all men follow what they know. Ethics, therefore, does not guarantee that man
will be moral. He can be moral if he applies ethics. In other words, ethics provides the theory or
principles of right or wrong or goodness and badness ,while morality actualizes the theory.
Morality is nothing but the doing of ethics.

MAN AS PERSON
______________
Ethics is the study of man as a moral being. What goals we assign to ourselves, what actions
we choose to do, and how we treat others - depend on how we understand ourselves as a human
being. Socrates is wise indeed for proposing that the starting point of wisdom is “ to know
oneself.”

Rational Animal
Man is an organism composed of a material body and a spiritual soul. He is the whole of his
materiality and immateriality, the substantial union ( hylomorphic) of body and soul, matter and
spirit. This essential wholeness is what we call human nature.
Human nature is made up of man’s biological, psychological, and rational powers. The
biological powers are nutrition, locomotion, growth, and reproduction. The psychological powers
include those of the senses, such as smelling, tasting, seeing, hearing, perceiving, imagining ,and
remembering; and those acts of emotions, such as love, hatred, disgust, joy, sorrow, fear,
despair, and courage. The rational powers are those of the intellect and the will –
comprehension and volition, respectively.

Natural Law
All human powers or faculties are operational tendencies towards what is good to man as a
rational animal. In this sense, human nature is the natural law because, like the laws of society, it
directs man in all his activities. Natural law differs from the so called laws of nature which are the
forces governing the material universe, including man. Natural law applies only to man as a
rational animal. When we speak of an act as “contrary to natural laws ,“ we mean the act to be
against human nature or humanity.

A Moral Being
Three characteristics reveal man’s moral nature
1. Man by natural insight is able to distinguish between good and evil, right and wrong,
moral and immoral. All people, including those we regard as primitive, have an
understanding of what is right or wrong, of what is permitted and prohibited behavior.
2. Man feels himself obliged to do what is good and to avoid what is evil. He is moved by the
inner force of his being demanding what is good “ ought” to be done and what is evil
“ought” to be avoided.
3. Man feels himself accountable for his actions so that his good deeds merit reward, while
his evil deeds deserve punishment. Man feels content with himself for doing a good deed,
or he feels remorseful for doing an evil deed. All cultures have a system of reward and
punishment based on the concept of justice.

These characteristics show man’s innate perception of truth, duty, and law. Contrary to this
view is the theory of John Locke suggesting that human nature is a blank sheet ( tabula raza)
on which culture writes its text, so that man is merely the product of social interaction and his
behavior is nothing more than “ a reflex of social conditioning.”
Man as Person
Man is born as an individual, or person. Person is human nature actualized and manifested in
the history of place and time.
Etymologically, the word “ person” comes from the Greek “prosophon” which is the mask
worn by stage actors. The Latin “personare” alludes to the mask which is constructed so as to
project forcefully the voice of the actor. Underneath the person is human nature which is the
principle of human activity.
Person is defined as “ an individual, existing separately and independently from others,
capable of knowing and loving in an intellectual way, and of deciding for himself the purpose
or end of his actions.” (Brennan) We also refer to person as “self” or “ego.”

Personality and Character

The person is an individual human being. Personality is the sum of those physical attributes
and tendencies which define a person’s distinctive behavior. Personality is the sum of a person’s
physical constitution, talents, abilities, and habits which define characteristic behavior. In
layman’s terms, personality consists of the physical qualities and mannerisms of an aesthetically
refined person.
As persons, all men are equal regardless of race. However, one person may have more
personality than another. Brennan observes:
“ The person does not grow in stature, but personality develops and enlarges itself according
to the pattern of his actions, the mature use of his powers, and the scheme of his habits. There
is no such thing as cultivating a person, but we speak of cultivation of personality. Hence,
personality is the result of one’s achievement.”
Character is often taken as synonymous with personality. This is correct if personality is taken
as the sum total of the psychological systems in an individual which enable him to adjust to his
environment. Character, however, refers to the person’s choice of values and his intelligent
exercise of his freedom. ( Collier’s Encyclopedia)
While personality is an aspect of the body, character is an aspect of the human soul. We
describe personality as pleasant or unpleasant, but we speak of character as good or bad in the
moral sense. “Personality is the principle of rational action; character is the principle of moral
action,” says Brennan.

Moral Character
Character is the will of the person directing him towards a recognized ideal. This is how
human actions are significant because they actualize man’s potential to be what he truly is as a
rational being. When a person falls short of the expectation, he is said to have bad character.
On the other hand, a person who lives up to the ideals of his humanity is said to have good
character, or moral integrity.
Character is not the product of a moment’s inspiration, but a disciplined tendency to choose
the right thing in any given circumstance. It is adherence to what is true, beautiful, and good in
us. History counts men of great character who acted against and above the prevailing beliefs and
practices of their day, like Jesus Christ, Buddha, Confucius, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jose Rizal,
Ninoy Aquino, Pope John Paul II, and many more.

Social Dimension of the Person

Society is but an extension of the person. Ethics is particularly relevant because of man’s
social nature. The golden rule, for that matter, is concerned about the other person.
Among modern thinkers, George Hegel teaches that man is fully developed in his participation
in family life civic community, and in the State. Likewise, Thomas Hill Green expresses the
conviction that a person’s morality must identify itself with public welfare.
 Paul Tillich puts it more clearly and emphatically when he says that natural law is the demand
for us, “ to be a person in the community of other person’s.”

Reference: Ethics and the Filipino by Ramon Agapay, 2008. National Book Store

Exercise 1
Identify the following:

_______________1. Voluntary actions

_______________2. The father of moral philosophy
_______________3. The only necessary knowledge
_______________4. Instinctive actions
_______________5. The subject matter of Ethics
_______________6. Tool of ethical ethics
_______________7. A godless theory
_______________8. Root word of morality
_______________9. Characteristic way of acting
_______________10. Deals with general principles of morality
_______________11. Study of man as a moral being
_______________12. Natural law
_______________13. Forces governing the material universe
_______________14 an aspect of the body
_______________15. An aspect of the human soul
_______________16. Comprehension
_______________17. Volition
_______________18. Application of the principles of general ethics
_______________19. Greatly influenced ethical thinking
_______________20. Approach that believes in God

Exercise 2

Answer briefly the following:

1. Give three definitions of Ethics.
2. Differentiate between human acts and acts of man and give five examples for each.
3. Contrast the two ethical approaches.
4. In what sense is human nature a natural law?
5. What is the significance of human action with regards to character?
6. What is the demand of natural law according to Paul Tillich?
7. Differentiate between personality and character.

Exercise 3

Write an essay: Be Proud You are Human