MODULE NO.

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Valencia Colleges (Buk) Inc.
Hagkol, Valencia City
[email protected]

GE 8: Ethics
Second Semester of A.Y. 2020-2021

Introduction

Morality according to Perry is man’s effort to harmonize conflicting human interests.

As mentioned in the past modules morality of a person is different from another
person. One example is the case of public execution. There are some sectors in the
Philippine society that consider this evil for taking life ran contrary to their belief that
taking human life is against the laws of God. On the other hand, public execution
especially the most humane type that is lethal injection is a necessity to curb men
from committing evil deeds, a necessary evil so to speak.
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Rationale

In this module, we will discuss and understand morality and conscience.

Intended Learning Outcomes

1. To understand the development of values

2. To learn the importance of conscience

3. To answer the question of the “greatest good”

LESSON 4:

Morality and Conscience

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Discussion

Morality is the goodness or evilness of the act that may be justifiable. People
mistook that anything that we find good is moral because man’s pursuit of
happiness is the primary reason why we live in this world.

This is not true, for man’s desire to be good is innate in him and may prevent his
pursuit of such act. A married man might entertain extra-marital affairs, especially
to a lovely woman that also implied interest in him and for him that is “good” for
that is a means to his pursuit of happiness.

But then again, he might neglect this passion once he recalled his marital vows
which is the greater good.

Values

Values are anything that satisfies human needs. Aristotle once said that the
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ultimate good is to find things that will give us happiness and that is where
happiness comes in, he further added that value is a “fitting function” –anything
that is important or significant to us. Anything that enriched our life or at least
made it meaningful such as a special someone, a friend, our laptop, our birthdays
or anything that is special are values. Even our beliefs and principles are values
that we even shared to our offspring that will guide them to their adulthood.
Values may also come as actions of our own or of others that we classify good
acts are values while evil acts are not because they result to unhappiness. Morally
good values are genuine for their goodness are evident whereas evil is called
apparent values for they are evil things masquerading as good.

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Kinds of Values

1. Biological values – they are important because they for the physical survival and

growth of man examples is food, shelter, work, pleasure, medicine and the likes.

2. Psychological values – this contributes to his psychological and social life

examples are companionship, friendship, marriage etc.

3. Intellectual values – this developed man’s mental fulfillment such as truth,

science, art and religion

4. Moral values – this is for the formation of one’s character. Examples are
generosity, kindness, charity and honesty

Conscience

Is a feeling or inner voice that served as a guide to the correctness or error of one's
behavior. Some authors viewed it as the “inner law” or the “sixth sense” that gives
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premonitions to acts we are to perform or acts we already did. Where did this
come from? Moral conscience is innate idea that simply follow God’s unwritten
dictum of “follow good and obey evil”. Man is basically, good for man is a creation
of God, being the source of goodness, He created man endowed with free will
but induced conscience to make sure His words are heard.

An upright conscience is a necessity for human dignity, because it knows moral

principles and practiced them in each circumstance. Only prudent judgments
can recognize the truth. Anyone who follows his conscience is prudent for he is
guided not only by human reason but by the voice of God. God is the source of
the truth and through conscience man can grasp a semblance of reason.
Inasmuch as conscience is present in man, he assumes responsibility. When an evil
act is performed, he realized his error by feeling remorse for his action then later
regret it, which is a manifestation of conscience. An act that is willfully done is
appeared to be guided by conscience thereby responsibility is undeniable.

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The Greatest Good

Jeremy Bentham a British philosopher during the 19th Century answered that
question when he said that the “greatest good is for the greatest number”. He
introduced Utilitarianism that is simply states that the ends of an action must be
good, if it is not then the action is unjustified. Which is simply anything of use is good
while useless are evil. But like a double-edged sword it also has a good side, he
implied the spirit of humanity where everyone lived in single planet and their desire
to be happy and goodness are innate in man. Everybody wants to be happy so,
the best thing is to follow happiness and goodness that is common to everyone.
Being children of God, we have identical aspirations, so whatever we find good
might also be good to others

Exercise
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Instruction: Fill in the blanks.

_____________________1. this contributes to his psychological and social life
examples are companionship, friendship, marriage.

_____________________ 2. this is for the formation of one’s character.

_____________________3 this developed man’s mental fulfillment such as truth,

science, art and religion.

____________________4. they are important because they for the physical survival.

____________________5. Is a feeling or inner voice that served as a guide to the

correctness or error of one's behavior.
____________________6. are anything that satisfies human needs
___________________7. He once said that the ultimate good is to find things that will

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give us happiness and that is where happiness comes in, he further added that
value is a “fitting function” –anything that is important or significant to us.
__________________8. is the goodness or evilness of the act that may be justifiable

__________________9. He introduced Utilitarianism that is simply states that the ends

of an action must be good, if it is not then the action is unjustified.

________________________10 Moral conscience is innate idea that simply follow

God’s unwritten dictum of “_______”.

Reflection

Essay
1. In your own terms how do you describe morality and conscience?
2. How do you absorb or understand the concept of the greatest good?
Resources and Additional Resources

. Moral Conscience;
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https://catholicity.com/catechism/moral_conscience.html; 2018

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