ETHICS

What is ETHICS?

 Derived from the Greek ethos which means

“characteristic way of acting”
 Includes cultural mannerisms, religion, politics,
laws and social aspirations of a group of people
 Refers to those characteristics belonging to man
as a rational being, endowed with intellect and
free – will.
 Its Latin equivalent is mos, mores, meaning
“tradition of custom”
The ethos of man as man is revealed in the
following:

1) He is able to distinguish between good and evil,

right and wrong, moral or immoral.

2) He feels within himself an obligation to do what

is good and to avoid what is evil.

3) He feels himself accountable for his actions,

expecting reward or punishments for them.
 In other words, man is endowed by nature with a
moral sense.
 He is self – conscious of his dignity and submits
to the duty of doing what is good and avoiding
what is wrong.
 This much is expected of man: that he conducts
himself according to the “dictates of reason”.

 Thus, ETHICS is both science and a way of life.

We endeavor to teach the science and hope that
virtue follows knowledge.
 Ethics is for everyone, but we prefer to see its
relevance to the particularity of Filipinos.

 We focus our attention on our struggle for moral

decency which is embodied in our ideas of
pagpapakatao.

 This is indeed is what Ethics is all about – how

we ought to live as “persons in the
community of persons”.
Ethics, its meaning

 Ethics is defined as the science of the morality of

human acts. It is said to be the study of human
motivation, and ultimately of human behavior.

 Thus, ethics is morality.

 Morality is the quality of human acts by which

they are constituted as good, bad, or indifferent.
That which is good is described as moral; that
which is bad is immoral; and that which is
indifferent is amoral.
 Human Acts reveal the thoughts and inclinations
of the person doing them. Then, they are the
manifestation of one’s character or moral
conduct.

 A person who has the habit or inclination to do

good is said to be virtuous. On the contrary, one
who has the habit of doing wrong is vicious.

 Human Acts are those performed by man,

knowingly and freely. They are also called
deliberate or intentional actions, or voluntary
actions.
Ethics as Value Education

 in the classical tradition, ethics is Moral

Philosophy and is distinguished from Moral
Theology.

 Moral Theology employs reason insofar as it is

enlightened by faith or divine revelation

 Ethics or moral philosophy relies solely on human

reason to investigate truths.
Ethics as Value Education

 in the contemporary curriculum, ethics takes the

form of Value Education

 A VALUE is something a person prizes,

cherishes, and esteems as important to him.
Includes ideas, things, or experiences.

 The aim of Value Education is to guide the

individual in choosing wisely his values and in
acting upon them.
Ethics as Value Education

 ethics is the rational foundation of any attempt

at Value education.

 ethics goes deeper into the reasons why we must

choose certain values.

 ethics explains human values in relation to

ultimate purpose of human existence.
The Art of Correct Living

 Art is the appreciation of beauty. It implies order

and harmony of parts in a given whole.
 Human life does not imply merely physical
survival. It is a vocation towards the refinement
of the spirit. The demands of daily life includes
and derives meaning from the cultivation of
those traits that truly reflect man’s innate
dignity.
 Ethics is an art, it is the breath of life, pulsating
with the desire for growth and development.
The Art of Correct Living

 It is a master plan indicating where man must go

and what he ought to do in order to live well.

 Thus, every man is an artist, creating something

of beauty out of his self.
Why ethics is important?

 ethics is indispensable knowledge

 without moral perception, man is only an animal

 without morality, man as rational being is a failure

 because moral knowledge is too essential to be dismissed, the

Creator has seen it to fit to gift man with natural insight of it.

 Moral integrity is the only true measure of what man ought to be.

 Morality is the foundation of every human society, rightly,

according to Russel “without civic morality, communities perish;
without personal morality their survival has no value”.
Two Ethical Systems

1) Atheistic Approach – assumes that only matter

exists and that man is responsible only to himself
since there is no God who creates and rules the
universe.

- This approach propose the ff principle:

- Matter is the only reality
- Man is matter and does not have spiritual dimension
- Man is free and must exercise his freedom to promote welfare of
society
- There is no life after death
- Man is accountable only to the State
Two Ethical Systems

2) Theistic Approach – begins with the assumption that God is the

Supreme Lawgiver. Everything must conform to God’s
eternal plan of creation and accordance with God’s will.

This theories postulate the ff truths:

- God is the Supreme Creator and Lawgiver.
- Man is free and must use his freedom to promote his personal
and social interests along with his fellowmen
- Man has immortal soul which cannot die
- Man is accountable for his actions, both good an evil.
Ethics and Religion

- Ethics is science and depends upon rational

investigation of its truths.
- Religion is a system of beliefs and practices based on
faith or revelation
- Ethics teaches the value of religion, presenting it as a
duty to the Almighty.
- Religion as an organized church, contributes to the
teaching of ethics and continues to enrich with its
moral insights.
- Thus, all great religions hold life in deep respect and
propose universal brotherhood as necessary for
global peace and prosperity.
Ethics and Law

- Ethics studies human motivation, it goes deeper than

the study of external actions. It explores thoughts
and feelings.
- Law requires that we perform the required action
regardless of our feelings towards such action. Law
concerned with the externality of the act. “For law is
definitely concerned with what we do, not what we
feel”, (Adler, Ethics: The Study of Moral Values)
- Because law can ne either moral or immoral, what is
legal is not necessarily moral, but what is moral is
necessary worth legalizing.
Professional Ethics

- the practice of a profession cannot be regulated

entirely by legislation. Each profession therefore
subscribes to a set of moral code. This code guides the
actuation of a professional where the law is silent or
inadequate.
- Code of Ethics implies that before anything
else, a professional is a person who has the obligation
to listen to the “dictates of reason”
- “Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers”
Human Acts
Distinction is made between human acts and acts
of man.

 Human Acts – are those actions which performs

knowingly, freely and voluntarily. These actions are
the result of conscious knowledge and are subject to
the control of the will. We refer this actions as
deliberate, intentional or voluntary.
 Acts of Man – are those actions which happen in
man. They are instinctive and are not within the
control of the will. Such actions are the biological and
physiological movements in man such as metabolism,
respiration, fear, anger, love and jealousy.
Kinds of Human Acts
Human Acts are either elicited acts or
commanded acts. Elicited acts are those performed by
the Will and are not bodily externalized.

Elicit Acts are the following:

1) Wish – is the tendency of will towards something,
whether this be realizable or not.
2) Intention – is the tendency of the will towards
something attainable but without necessarily
committing oneself to attain it.
3) Consent – the acceptance of the will of those
needed to carry out the intention.
4) Election – the selection of the will of those means
effective enough to carry out the intention
5) Use – is the command of the will to make use of those means
elected to carry out the intention.

6) Fruition – the enjoyment of the will derived from the attainment

of the thing he had desired earlier. The joy of the woman on being
complimented for her attractiveness, or satisfaction of the salesman
in closing a deal with his client – is fruition.

 Commanded Acts – are those done either by man’s mental or

bodily powers under the command of the will, either internal or
external actions.
 Example of internal actions are conscious reasoning, recalling
something, encouraging oneself, controlling aroused emotions
 Example of external actions are walking, eating, dancing,
laughing, listening, reading, among others.
Moral Distinctions
- human acts ,ay either be in conformity or not with the
dictates of reason
- Dictates of reason refers to the shared consciousness of
prudent people about the propriety of a certain action or manner of
behavior. It stands the norm of morality which is the standard by
which actions are judged as to their merits or demerits. On the
basis of their relation to the norm or morality, actions are classified
into moral, immoral, or amoral.
1) Moral Actions – those which are in conformity with the norm of
morality. They are good actions and are permissible. Working,
studying, paying a debt, telling the truth, loving a friend.
2) Immoral Actions – those which are conformity with the norm
of morality. They are bad or evil and are not permissible.
Refusing to help the needy, committing murder, adultery,
stealing, telling lies.
3) Amoral actions – which stand a neutral in relation to the norm
or morality. They neither good or bad. Playing basketball is an
amoral act, but playing basketball when one is supposed to be
attending a class is wrong.

VOLUNTARINESS
- voluntariness comes from the latin word “voluntas”,
referring to the will. It is essential to an act. Without it, an act is
mere act of man.

1) Perfect voluntariness – present in a person who fully knows

and fully intends an act.
Ex: A man who, wanting to get even, takes a gun and shoots his enemy is said to be
acting perfect voluntariness.

2) Imperfect voluntariness – who acts without fully realizing what

he means to do, or without fully intending the act.
Ex: A drunken man might act irrationally without fully realizing what he is doing.
3) Conditional voluntariness – who is forced by circumstances
beyond his control to perform an act which he would not do
under normal conditions.

Ex: A child who is intimidated by his mother to study the lesson.

4) Simple voluntariness – a person is doing an act willfully,

regardless of whether he likes to do it or not. It is either positive
and negative. Its either negative or positive.

Ex: It is positive when the act requires the performance of an activity, such as
polishing the floor, paying rent, or playing tennis. It is negative when an act requires
the omission of activity, such as not taking prohibited drugs, remaining quiet, or not
listening to the radio.
The Greatest Good
◦ Man seeks that which is good. The greatest good as a matter of
fact. This is evident in our concern for the best in everything: best
friends, best parents, best food, best performance, amongst all the
best in the world. The greatest good is the Summum Bonum.

◦ Aristotle – the greatest good is happiness. Happiness is what man

aims to achieve in all his activities. The ultimate purpose of life is the
attainment of happiness.
◦ Aristotle does not go beyond earthly life in his dissertation on the last
ultimate end of man. St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas teach
man, in every deliberate actions acts toward an end, and ultimately, to
an absolute ultimate end – happiness.
◦ Since man’s desire and tendency towards happiness is unlimited,
nothing short of the Absolute Perfect Good can satisfy it perfectly.
Therefore God, the Infinite Good, is the greatest good, or “summum
bonum”, to be attained as the ultimate end.
“The End Does not Justify the Means”

◦ To the doer, an act is a means for achieving an aim or

purpose. We, for instance study in order to acquire
knowledge, to pass the course, to receive a degree, and
to qualify for a job, or today to pass the LET
examination, to be an LPT.
◦ It is however, wrong to attempt at a good purpose by
dubious or evil means. A student may not cheat in an
exam in order to graduate; an employee may not fake
his documents in order to be promoted to a job; the
impoverished father may not steal in order to feed his
family. The axiom – “the end (motive) does not justify
the means (action)”, means that the worthiness of
purpose does not make an evil act good.
Kinds of Law

1) Divine Positive Law – the command of God. Example: Decalogue of

Moses I

2) Human Positive Law – by legitimate human authority. This authority

resides either in the State or in the Church. Intended to preserve peace
and harmony within a society and to direct each member of that society
to work towards the common good. Ex. Constitution, Code of Civil Laws
and the Laws of the Church.

◦ Thus, both the divine and human positive laws originate from the
Eternal Law.
◦ Eternal Law is the design of God, as Supreme Creator, to direct all
created things to their respective proper ends.
◦ Either be positive and negative.
◦ Positive laws are those that require the performance of an act, as to
worship God, pay taxes, etc.
◦ Negative laws requires the omission of an act such as, not to steal, not
to kill, etc.
3) Natural Law – recognized by all men regardless of
creed, race, culture, or historical circumstances.
- it is universal
- it is obligatory
- it is recognizable
- it is immutable or unchangeable
- it is human nature
HUMAN VALUES AND THEORIES

◦ Self is the first an most fundamental of all values.

◦ Value is intimately related to the search for meaning in human life,
classified to the ff:

1) Biological Values – physical survival, life and health, food and

shelter, work
2) Social Values – the sensual needs and fulfillment, leisure and sex,
marriage, family and home, parental authority, education
3) Rational values – necessary to the functions and fulfillment of
intellect and will, - understanding and control of nature, guide and
control of oneself, solidarity with fellowmen, and religion

◦ The three levels of man’s life are the foundation of moral, socio –
political and religious rights of man.
Ethical Theories

1) Plato – he believed that man is free, thus man

deserves to be punished for the “sins” he freely
commits.
- happiness is not found in the things that merely serve
man’s use (utilitarianism), nor in the pleasures of earthy life
(hedonism), but in making the soul like to God by the
contemplation of the Idea of the Good and by the exercise of
virtues.

2) Aristotle – man has three folds nature, vegetal, animal and

rational
- thus man must realize his nature by cultivating all his natural
tendencies of the soul. He likewise needs to fulfill his basic biological
and sensual needs, guided by temperance.
3.) St. Thomas Aquinas – the highest good or the summum bonum
consist in “beatific vision” of God.
- no earthly good can fully satisfy human desires.

ETHICAL SYSTEMS

1) Islamism. Based on the Word of God revealed to Mohammed. Consist

of the Five Pillars:
a.) Confession of Creed: “There is no God but Allah, and
Mohammed is his prophet.
b.) Prayer brings man in the right relationship with God.
c.) Charity.
d.) Observance of the Ramadan.
e.) Pilgrimage to Mecca.
2) Buddhism. The greatest values according to Buddha is the
liberation of man from suffering through the abandonment of all
egoistic desires. The four noble truths of Buddhism are:
a) Life is the root of all sufferings
b) suffering are caused by desires
c) desires can be eliminated by negating life;
d) elimination of desires can be achieved by accumulating karma or
deeds that eventually free the individual.

3) Utilitarianism. The greatest value, according to Jeremy Bentham,

is pleasure. But man, being a social animal, must conduct his
affairs in a way that would benefit others. Thus, the greatest moral
good is that “which gives the greatest happiness to the greatest
number of people”.

- John Stuart defines the greatest good “by happiness is intended

pleasure and the absence of pain, by unhappiness, pain and the
privation of pleasure.
4. Communism. Based on the teachings of Karl Marx. The greatest
good is absolute equality. The mission of communism is the
production of material wealth by means of collective labor, so that
the goods of this world might be enjoyed in a paradise where each
would give according to his powers and would receive according to
his needs.

- aims to build a classless society, until such goal is attained, the

State shall rule absolutely.

5. Christianism. Based on the teachings and life of Jesus Christ. Christ

taught that the Greatest value is love. God is love.

- Christian morality is essentially based on love which embraces

even the enemy.
FILIPINO VALUES

- values are universal, shared by all people. What we call

“Filipino” values are those given emphasis in the culture and
tradition of the Filipinos. They shape character, or ugaling
pilipino.
- the values of the Filipinos spring from their peculiar way of
viewing life, its origin, its meaning, and its purpose.
- the value of pag –ibig, pakikipag – kapwa, pagpapahalaga
sa pamilya, hiya, utang na loob – take roots on their awareness
of social relatedness.
- from the awareness of his worth as a person, dignified and
responsible – comes dangal, amor propio, delicadeza, and
palabra de honor.
RIGTHS AND DUTIES
- man is born with rights and duties.

Kinds of rights:
1) Natural rights – based on natural law, that is, on human nature. Ex.
The right to live, the right to education, the right to work, etc
2) Human rights – based on human positive laws, either those enacted
by the State or a religious sect.
 civil rights – dependent upon the laws of the State. Ex: right to form
associations, the right to legal due process, the right to travel
 Ecclesiastical rights – dependent on the laws of the church or religious
sect. ex: right to worship, the right to marry within one’s church, and
the right to be educated in faith.
3) Alienable and Inalienable rights –
 Alienable rights are those, civil or religious rights, which can be
surrendered, renounced or removed, such as the right to travel.
 Inalienable rights – which cannot be surrendered, renounced, or
removed, such as the right to decent livelihood.
4) Right of Jurisdiction – the power of lawful authority to govern his
subjects and to make laws for them. A father has the right of
jurisdiction over his children.

5) Right of Property – is the power to own, to sell, to barter, to lend, to

change, or to give away one’s personal possessions. The farmer has
the property to rights to the land he owns and the produce thereof.

6) Juridical rights – refers to all rights insofar as they are based on law.
These rights must be respected, allowed, fulfilled.
LOVE OF GOD – Religion

• Religion comes from the latin word re – ligare, or to bind back.

Religio or religion implies a bond, a relationship or fellowship
between man and God.
• Ethics regards religion as the duty of man to bind himself in
worship of God.
• The ff are the acts of religion:
1) devotion – which is the readiness of the will to perform acts
od divine worship, such as prayer and fasting among
others.
2) prayer – which is the elevation of the mind to God in praise of
Him, in gratitude to Him, or in communion with Him.
3) adoration – which is the submission of the mind and will to do
the glory of God.
4) sacrifice – which is the offering of body and soul to God in
recognition of His dominion over the created universe.