Lesson 1.

Moral and Non-Moral Standards

What is This Lesson About?

Lesson 1.c is an introductory lesson in Ethics. Specifically, it will emphasize the difference
between moral and non-moral standards, the importance of distinguishing one from the
other and their respective examples.

What Will You Learn

In this lesson, you are expected to have:

Acquired clear understanding as to the difference between moral and non-moral

standards, the importance of distinguishing one from the other and the examples under
each.

Significant Culminating Performance Task and Success Indicators:

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to develop the HEAD, HEART and HANDS
(3H) Matrix that would show the concepts that you have learned, the values that you
gained and how you would apply your learnings in real life.

The topics that will be discussed in this lesson are:

1. difference between moral and non-moral standards

2. importance of distinguishing moral from non-moral standards
3. examples of Moral and Non-Moral standards.

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 Activities or Learning Tasks

Let Us TRY This

What do you know about moral and non-moral standards? What its difference?
What are the examples under each? What’s the importance of distinguishing one from
another?
To prepare you for the lesson, you have to accomplish these tasks:

TASK 1: a. Make a 3H Matrix that would show the difference between moral and
non-moral standards.

“MY 3H MATRIX SHOWING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MORAL AND NON-

MORAL STANDARDS”

HEAD

HEART HANDS

What concepts did I What values did I How will I apply my

learn? gain? learnings in real life?

Moral Standards are:

Non-Moral standards
are:

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-

Importance of
distinguishing Moral
from Non-Moral
Standards

EXAMPLES OF MORAL VS. NON-MORAL STANDARDS

3 Concrete Real Life Reason/s why each example falls

Examples of Moral under Moral Standards
Standards
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
3 Concrete Real Life Reason/s why each example falls
Examples of Non-Moral under Non-Moral Standards
Standards
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.

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 TASK 2: You need to refer to at least one educational video/ link/reference that would
talk about the difference between moral and non-moral standards; their examples, and the
importance of distinguishing moral from non-moral standards. Take note of the important
ideas or insights you learned from the educational link. Write them down on MY NOTES so
you will not forget them.

Title of the Video/Reference:__________________________________________

Link/Source/Reference: ______________________________________

MY NOTES

TASK 3: Provide answer to the incomplete sentences.

After referring to the link /DISCUSSING THE FOLLOWING (DIFFERENCE BETWEEN

MORAL AND NON-MORAL STANDARDS, THEIR EXAMPLES AND THE
IMPORTANCE OF DISTINGUISHING SUCH)

1. I realize that ________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________.

2. I feel that ____________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________.

3. I need to ___________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________.

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 Task 4. This learning task is entitled: “MY PERSONAL ENCOUNTERS WITH
MORAL AND NON-MORAL STANDARDS”. Please read the instruction very well and
answer the questions in paragraph form.

Think of instances in your life where you encountered these moral and non-moral
standards. Why do say that these instances are reflective of moral and non-moral
standards? Explain your answers.

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Let Us READ and STUDY

Please read the following lesson excerpts.

Ethics

OVERVIEW OF ETHICS
MORAL VS. NON-MORAL STANDARDS
MORAL STANDARDS NON-MORAL STANDARDS

- Standards about behavior - Standards about behavior or

or practices with serious or practices with no serious or
immediate effects upon immediate effects upon human well-
human well-being. being.

- Norms (general rules about - Refer to the standards by which we

actions or behaviors) that judge what is good or bad and right
individuals or groups have and wrong in a non-moral way (e.g.
about the kinds of actions
standards of etiquette, the law,
believed to be morally right
or wrong as well as the standards of aesthetics)
values (enduring beliefs
about what is good and
desirable or not) placed on
what we believed to be
morally good or morally bad
- Promote the “good”, that is, - Matters of taste or preference
the welfare and well-being
of humans as well as
animals and the
environment
- Force others to act - We have no right to impose on
accordingly others

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EXAMPLES:

Moral Standards Non-Moral Standards

Standards/rules on taking one’s life Standards/rules on wearing sexy
dresses in public
Standards/rules on child abuse Standards on cheating during exam

IMPORTANCE OF DISTINGUISHING MORAL FROM NON-MORAL STANDARDS:

-To identify fundamental ethical values that may guide our actions hence, avoid running the
risk of falling into the pit cultural reductionism and the unnecessary imposition of one’s
cultural standards on others

Moral Standards versus Non-moral Ones

Why the need to distinguish moral standards from non-moral ones?

It is important to note that different societies have different moral beliefs and that our beliefs are
deeply influenced by our own culture and context. For this reason, some values do have moral
implications, while others don’t. Let us consider, for example, the wearing of hijab. For sure, in
traditional Muslim communities, the wearing of hijab is the most appropriate act that women have
to do in terms of dressing up. In fact, for some Muslims, showing parts of the woman’s body, such
as the face and legs, is despicable. However, in many parts of the world, especially in Western
societies, most people don’t mind if women barely cover their bodies. As a matter of fact, the
Hollywood canon of beauty glorifies a sexy and slim body and the wearing of extremely daring dress.
The point here is that people in the West may have pitied the Muslim women who wear hijab, while
some Muslims may find women who dress up daringly despicable.

Again, this clearly shows that different cultures have different moral standards. What is a matter of
moral indifference, that is, a matter of taste (hence, non-moral value) in one culture may be a matter
of moral significance in another.

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Now, the danger here is that one culture may impose its own cultural standard on others, which may
result in a clash in cultural values and beliefs. When this happens, as we may already know, violence
and crime may ensue, such as religious violence and ethnic cleansing.

How can we address this cultural conundrum?

This is where the importance of understanding the difference between moral standards (that is, of
what is a moral issue) and non-moral ones (that is, of what is a non-moral issue―thus, a matter of
taste) comes in. This issue may be too obvious and insignificant for some people, but
understanding the difference between the two may have far-reaching implications. For one, once
we have distinguished moral standards from non-moral ones, of course, through the aid of the
principles and theories in ethics, we will be able to identify fundamental ethical values that may
guide our actions. Indeed, once we know that particular values and beliefs are non-moral, we will
be able to avoid running the risk of falling into the pit of cultural reductionism (that is, taking complex
cultural issues as simple and homogenous ones) and the unnecessary imposition of one’s own
cultural standard on others. The point here is that if such standards are non-moral (that is, a matter
of taste), then we don’t have the right to impose them on others. But if such standards are moral
ones, such as not killing or harming people, then we may have the right to force others to act
accordingly. In this way, we may be able to find a common moral ground, such as agreeing not to
steal, lie, cheat, kill, harm, and deceive our fellow human beings.

Now, what are moral standards, and how do they differ from non-moral ones?

Moral Standards and their Characteristics

Moral standards are norms that individuals or groups have about the kinds of actions believed to be
morally right or wrong, as well as the values placed on what we believed to be morally good or
morally bad. Moral standards normally promote “the good”, that is, the welfare and well-being of
humans as well as animals and the environment. Moral standards, therefore, prescribe what
humans ought to do in terms of rights and obligations.

According to some scholars, moral standards are the sum of combined norms and values. In other
words, norms plus values equal moral standards. On the one hand, norms are understood as
general rules about our actions or behaviors. For example, we may say “We are always under the
obligation to fulfill our promises” or “It is always believed that killing innocent people is absolutely
wrong”. On the other hand, values are understood as enduring beliefs or statements about what is
good and desirable or not. For example, we may say “Helping the poor is good” or “Cheating during
exams is bad”.

According to many scholars, moral standards have the following characteristics, namely: 1) moral
standards deal with matters we think can seriously injure or benefit humans, animals, and the
environment, such as child abuse, rape, and murder; 2) moral standards are not established or
changed by the decisions of authoritative individuals or bodies. Indeed, moral standards rest on the
adequacy of the reasons that are taken to support and justify them. For sure, we don’t need a law
to back up our moral conviction that killing innocent people is absolutely wrong; 3) moral standards
are overriding, that is, they take precedence over other standards and considerations, especially of
self-interest; 4) moral standards are based on impartial considerations. Hence, moral standards are
fair and just; and 5) moral standards are associated with special emotions (such as guilt and shame)
and vocabulary (such as right, wrong, good, and bad).

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 Non-moral Standards

Non-moral standards refer to standards by which we judge what is good or bad and right or wrong
in a non-moral way. Examples of non-moral standards are standards of etiquette by which we
judge manners as good or bad, standards we call the law by which we judge something as legal
or illegal, and standards of aesthetics by which we judge art as good or rubbish. Hence, we should
not confuse morality with etiquette, law, aesthetics or even with religion.

As we can see, non-moral standards are matters of taste or preference. Hence, a scrupulous
observance of these types of standards does not make one a moral person. Violation of said
standards also does not pose any threat to human well-being.

Finally, as a way of distinguishing moral standards from non-moral ones, if a moral standard says
“Do not harm innocent people” or “Don’t steal”, a non-moral standard says “Don’t text while
driving” or “Don’t talk while the mouth is full”.
Ref: Philonotes.com

Let Us THINK About and Let Us REMEMBER

For your Rubrics in the above-mentioned activities, please be guided by the following:

Criteria 4 (Distinguished) 3 (Proficient) 2 (Basic) 1

(Unacceptable)

Content All Ideas and Most Ideas and Some ideas and Ideas and
Accuracy thoughts are thoughts are thoughts are thoughts are not
correct and correct and correct and correct and
insightful insightful insightful insightful

Students For the most Explanations of No reference is

provided an part, the key concepts made to
accurate students are incomplete literature or
explanation of provided or inaccurate theory
key concepts, accurate and taken from some
drawing upon complete reference There is little or
relevant explanations of sources no evidence of
literature key concepts valid research
drawing upon
relevant
literature

Organization Extremely well Organization is Somewhat Poor

organized. The generally well- organized; The organization. It

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 organization organized. The organization does not clearly
reveals organization demonstrates show
important reveals some minimal understanding of
connections connections understanding of the connections
between ideas between ideas the connections of the
and of the ideas/insights
demonstrates a ideas/insights
thorough
analysis of
content

Presentation Appealing; clear; Clear and Lacks clarity; Not legible;

graphic legible some words are Difficult to
elements are hard to read understand
carefully drawn;
worlds clearly
written

Total Points

GOODLUCK AND ENJOY LESSON 1.C….

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END OF LESSON 1.C

Prepared by:

PROF. PRISCILITA “NANNY” PENETRANTE PEREZ

Course Facilitator

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