CHAPTER 1: MORAL AND NON-MORAL STANDARDS

When classes were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you have
been staying at home most of the time. In the television, social media, or in print you
see different ways by which people display their behavior. Some might be appealing
to you; others may make you feel disgusted. But why such reactions? What makes
you happy when you like a Facebook post; and sad when the post seems not right?
LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
1. define ethics and morality and differentiate them;
2. identify the nature and purpose of morality, and
3. differentiate between moral and non-moral standards.

Activity

Take a deep breath and say the word “morality” in your mind three times.
Then, on a separate sheet of paper write a one-sentence description for each picture
using your understanding of the word morality as the guide of your judgment.
Photo A

Source: en.wikipedia.com

Analysis: do you think doing right actions is important? Why?

Ethics

Ethics is the philosophical study of what it means to live a good life, to act correctly,
and to fulfill one's duty and obligation to do good. Axiology, a philosophy concerned
with human values, includes it as a sub-branch of philosophy. As a result, ethics is
defined as the philosophical study of morals, sometimes known as moral philosophy.
It is made up of universal concepts or principles regarding what constitutes
goodness.
We can conclude that ethics is theoretical since it attempts to critically think
on the nature of goodness or ideals of what is moral and what is not. The ethical
principles that govern professional practice are also standards that govern
professional practice. Physicians and nurses are some of the many health
professionals who give frontline services in this COVID-19 pandemic. The reason
why they risk their lives in the name of their professions is because they are ethically-
bound to the life-giving oath that they have taken.
 Morality
Morality on the other hand is about the rules that govern the promotion of
human goodness so that individuals and the society may flourish (Pojman, 2005).
Morality then speaks of norms (Pojman, 2005) or rules of human conduct. If ethics is
theoretical, morality is practical and
most of the time relative. What we
believe to be moral in our culture may
not be for the other. Religion also
influences our view of morality. For
example, Muslims consider eating
pork as haram or forbidden because
the Holy Quran says that pork is
impure while for Catholics, a fiesta is
incomplete without lechon baboy.

Despite the fact that legality

and morality should always go hand in
hand, this is not always the case. Law
is a system of rules in a specific
country enacted by its ruling agency
and once violated a corresponding
punishment is given. Cheating during
a quiz may be morally unacceptable
but you can’t be put to jail just because
you let your classmate copy your
Photo D

ETHICS AND MORALITY

answers.
Source: en.wikipedia.com Morality deals primarily between bad
Hence, what and good—some things are right,
is immoral may sometimes be not others are wrong. Morality is the code
illegal or rules in which our actions are judged
against shared values. Ethics are
Why be ethical?
principles that form those moral codes
` Morality is, as Socrates said, (Boone, 2017).
“How we ought to live.” It is therefore
important that we study Ethics so that we would be able to align our thinking, feeling,
and action to what is good and beneficial not only to ourselves but to a much larger
community as well. For Boone (2017), Ethics helps us understand the world by
providing structure to it through the standards, virtues, and rules that it provides that
guide our behavior; he explains why it is important for us to act ethically with these
points:
1. Acting ethically is a requirement for life. Ethics help us choose the best
way to act so that the things that we do will not be aimless, pointless, and random;
hence, we live a life that is happy, productive, and purposeful.
In this time of pandemic, you have a moral obligation to yourself to keep your
mind and body healthy by following certain health measures.
2. Acting ethically is a requirement for society. Kindness matters; it helps unite
the society. As members of a much wider community there are roles to play and rules
to follow. Ethics helps build relationships that keeps the society from falling apart.
That is why, people are advised to stay at home in order to save other
people’s lives during this pandemic. If a Manila-based worker wants to go back to his
province, he needs to see his plan according to a much larger scheme of things
before deciding and not just according to his individual needs. One must do his or her
part in making everyone safe and avoid the risk of viral contagion by not travelling; it
is in this sense that the Balik/Hatid Probinsya Program of Senator Bong Go becomes
problematic.
3. Acting ethically has a religious purpose. Because we need incentives to act
morally, religion provides such reward. Acting according to the norms of religion
would make you take hold of the promise of an eternal reward, doing otherwise
would entail an after-life suffering. That is why, for some people, doing what is right
would mean following the commands of the holy text of their religion.
In 2021, the Philippines will celebrate its 500 years of being Christianized.
Christianity was signalled in the country when Magellan and his troops first landed in
Homonhon Island, Eastern Samar. Our country is the only predominantly Catholic
nation in the Asian region. In the present COVID-19 situation, it was featured in the
news that President Duterte said to shoot all those who would violate the lockdown
rules. Is his statement morally upright based on the teachings of Christianity?
4. Acting ethically is for the benefit of oneself. Kindness begets kindness. Even
when one behaves appropriately because of self-interest, surely good things will
follow. For Eastern philosophy, a good act brings good karma.
We have this proverb “Ang susi sa kaligayahan ay ang pagiging
mapagmapasalamat”. That is why, you feel happy when you pack food for our
COVID-19 frontliners because you feel grateful for their heroism. That feeling of
happiness is a personal gain yet it benefits not only yourself but others as well.
5. We act ethically because humans are basically good. This is the major claim
of moral philosophy. Humans are naturally good and they try to behave accordingly.
Do humans act accordingly because they have to, or do they pursue an ethical life
because there are acts that in themselves are naturally good and worth pursuing?
What do you think?
The Purpose of Morality
Source: pinterest.ph

Living ethically assures that

everyone will flourish. Although morality
may restrict our freedom, acting morally
upright brings greater freedom to do
good to oneself and to others. Pojman
(2005, p.7) enumerates these purposes
of morality:
1. To keep the society intact
Photo E
2. To improve human life
3. To encourage growth
4. To ensure justice and order in resolving indifferences
5. To recognize individual actions by providing due compensation that corresponds
to such actions.

The Nature of Moral Principles

To lead a moral life, one follows moral principles. These are practical guides
that govern our actions and these principles have these traits or characteristics
(Pojman, 2005):
1. Prescriptivity. As what the word “prescribe” means, moral principles are
imperatives, they give commands. For example, “Do not steal” or “Love your
enemies.”
2. Universality Moral principles must apply to all relevantly similar situation. If
cheating is prohibited in a certain exam, then in all kinds of exam, cheating must not
be tolerated. The key here is consistency. Just like the golden rule, do not do to other
people all the things that you don’t want to be done to you.
3. Overridingness. Moral principles take precedence over other principles or one
moral principle may take over another. For example, civil disobedience may be
morally upright when it is done with a higher cause. That is why, going to rallies
during the Martial Law or in the present Anti-Terrorism Bill mañanita rallies are
considered right even when they mean social disobedience because they serve a
greater purpose and that is to defend human freedom.
4. Publicity. Moral principles should be known by all who should follow them; they
shouldn’t be a secret because we use these principles to give commands, to assign
rewards or punishment or to give advice.
5. Practicability. Moral codes should be workable and they should not lay a heavy
burden to those who follow them. In other words, they could be done. If posting in
Facebook your criticism about the government would mean terrorism, then the Anti-
Terrorism Bill is impractical because turning a blind eye to what the government is
doing is not a practice of democracy.
Moral versus Non-moral Standards
Moral standards are principles that have moral impact. This definitely point
out to knowing what is good and bad. Moral standards provide a structure on how
you are going to live your life and how you relate with others in harmony as it outlines
the values that you share with others to promote goodness to everyone, or the
common good. That is why, not keeping your word, taking advantage of others, or
tarnishing your friend’s reputation in social media are seen as moral misconducts
because they do not promote goodness. Rules about table manners, classroom
procedures and routines, or dressing up for a party are considered non-moral
standards because they are outside the scope of morality, they do not have ethical
considerations and would not give a great dose of guilt when not followed. To violate
a moral code with intention is to be immoral. An amoral act is neither moral nor
immoral. Feeling angry is natural, anger is amoral; but the act of killing someone due
to anger is another thing—it is immoral.
 By now, you shouldn’t be surprised if in the preceding activity only the middle
picture speaks about morality. Answering your phone in a meeting, although it is
disturbing to others, does not mean immorality but stealing (the middle picture) does.
To sleep during a classroom discussion does not have a great moral impact but the
intention for doing so may convey a moral question.