INTRODUCTION TO ETHICS

WHAT IS ETHICS?
Ethics- is a branch of philosophy which studies
the principles of right or wrong in human conduct.
-It comes from the Latin word “ethos” means
customary, behavior, moral and Greek word
“ethikos” have the same meaning which is
customary.
- It deals with an act of being good or bad.( moral
philosophy)
•ETHICAL- it connotes condition in accordance with right principles
as define by a given system of ethics or professional conduct.
•ETHICAL STANDARD- it is a set of conduct and
behavior governing a group, class or organization.

•CODE OF ETHICS -an important agency for social

control, promulgated by all professions and prescribe
duties of an individual towards others.
 TWO DIVISION OF ETHICS
1) GENERAL-Study of principles of morality.
They affect how people make decisions and
lead their lives.
2) SPECIFIC- application of general morality to
a certain profession or calling.
• PROFESSIONAL ETHICS- set of moral code
to which ever profession must subscribe.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ETHICS AND LAW?
ETHICS LAW

Study of human motivation . Concerned with what we do, not

what we feel.

It explores thoughts and feelings. Concerned with the externality of

the acts.

Requires that man desires that of which Requires that we perform the
is good and act in accordance with that required action regardless of
desire.
 WHAT IS MORALITY?
-Morality is the foundation of every human society. Without civic morality,
communities perish; without personal morality their survival has no value.
Every culture admits the importance of morality as a standard of behavior.
When the moral foundations of a nation are threatened, society itself is
threatened.
-Morality (from the Latin word moralitas that means “manner, character,
proper behavior”) is the differentiation of intentions, decisions, and actions
between those that are good (or right) and those that are bad (or wrong). It is
determined by how one's genetic makeup interacts with the environment.

-Moralist is a person who values or follows good conduct, even in the absence
of religion.
 MORAL DISTINCTIONS

- “Dictates of Reasons”
stands for the norm of
morality which is the
standard by which actions
are judged as to their merits
or demerits.
CLASSIFICATION OF ACTIONS ACCORDING TO
THE NORMS OF MORALITY

1. Moral (Good) actions are those actions which are in conformity with the
norm of morality.
2. Immoral (Bad) actions are those which are not in conformity with the norm
or morality.
3. Amoral (Indifferent) – actions are those actions which stand neutral in
relation to the norm of morality. They are neither good or bad in themselves.
But certain amoral actions may become good or bad because of the
circumstance's attendant to them.
 Difference between Ethics and Morality?
ETHICS MORALITY
WHAT IT IS? The rules of conduct recognized Principles or habits with respect
in respect to a particular class of to right or wrong conduct. It
human actions or a particular defines how things should work
group, culture, etc. It defines according to an individual’s
how thing are according to the ideals and principles.
rules.

WHY WE DO IT Because society says it is the right Because we believe in something

thing to do. being right or wrong.
FLEXIBILITY Ethics are dependent on others for Usually consistent, although can
definition. They tend to be change if an individual’s beliefs
consistent within a certain change.
context, but can vary between
contexts.
Value-There are one’s
beliefs, principle that are
important, cherished,
upheld and defended.
- It comes from the Latin
word “valere” meaning to
be strong or to be worth.
 Kind of Values
1. Biological Values- those that are necessary for survival, such
as food, shelter clothing, sex, water, sleep.
2. Psychological Values- those that are necessary for emotional
fulfillment of man, such as relationship, companionship, family,
friendship and love.
3. Intellectual Values- those that are necessary for intellectual
fulfillment of man, such as achievements, career, success.
4. Moral Values- those that are necessary for the spiritual
fulfillment of man.
 WHAT IS VIRTUE?
• A habit that inclines the
person to act in a way that
harmonizes with his
nature.
• The habit of doing good.
• The opposite is vice, the
habit of doing bad
 FOUR MORAL CARDINAL VIRTUES
1. Prudence- the ability to govern and discipline oneself by
means of reason and sound judgement.
2. Temperance- one’s ability to moderate or avoid something
3. Fortitude

• Patience- the calmness and composure in enduring situations

• Perseverance- ability to go on despite the obstacles
• Endurance- ability to last
4. Justice- it is the virtue that inclines the will to give to each pne
of his rights.
 THREE DIVISION OF JUSTICE
1. Commutative- it is a virtue that regulates those
actions that involve the rights that exist between one
and another.
2. Distributive- it regulates those actions that involve the
rights that an individual may claim from society.
3. Legal- It is a virtue that regulates those actions which
society may justly require of the individual for the
common good.
WHAT IS CHARACTER AND
PERSONALITY?
• Character- traits of a person shown through his
thoughts, actions, values and virtues.

• Personality is the typical pattern of thinking,

feeling and behavior that makes a person unique.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
HUMAN ACT AND ACT OF MAN ?
 WHAT IS HUMAN ACTS?
Human acts are actions that proceed from the deliberate free will of man. In a broader
perspective, the term human acts refer to any activity performed by man. This activity
could either be physical, spiritual, internal, or external
Three-fold Elements of Human Acts
1. Knowledge- an action performed by conscious agent who is aware of its action and its
consequences.
2. Freedom- it must be performed by an agent who is acting freely, without any external
factors affecting its actions.
3. Voluntariness- it must be performed by an agent who decides willfully to perform the
act
 KINDS OF HUMAN ACTS
1. Elicited Acts - are those performed by the will and are not bodily
externalized.
a. Wish is the tendency of will toward something, whether this be realized or not.
b. Intention is the tendency of the will towards something attainable but without
necessarily committing oneself to attain it.
c. Consent is the acceptance of the will of those needed to carry out the intention.
d. Election is the selection of the will of those effective enough to carry out the intention.
e. Use is the command of the will to make use of those means elected to carry out the
intention
f. Fruition is the enjoyment of the will derived from the attainment of the thing he had
desired earlier.
 KINDS OF HUMAN ACTS
2. Command Acts – are those done either by man’s mental or bodily powers
under the command of the will.
a. Internal actions Examples: conscious reasoning, recalling something,
encouraging oneself, and controlling aroused emotions.
b. External actions Examples: walking, eating, dancing, laughing, listening,
and reading.
c. Mixed actions Examples: studying, driving a car, writing a letter, and
playing chess.
 MODIFIERS OF HUMAN ACTS
1. Ignorance – absence of knowledge which a person ought to possess.
Classification of Ignorance
a. Vincible ignorance- when we do not know something that we ought
to know
b. Invincible ignorance- when we do not know something impossible
for us to know
c. Concomitant ignorance- when we do not know something but we
would have done it anyway we had know
“Ignorance of the law excuses no one” – implies that no one should not act
in the state of ignorance and that no one who has done wrong may
not claim ignorance as a defense.
 MODIFIERS OF HUMAN ACTS
2. Passions – either tendencies towards desirable objects, or tendencies
away from undesirable or harmful things.
Classification of Passions
a. Positive emotions – love, desire, delight, hope, and bravery
b. Negative emotions – hatred, horror, sadness, despair, fear, and anger

Passions are psychic responses. As such, they are neither moral or

immoral, however, man is bound to regulate his emotions and submit them
to the control of reason
3. Fear – disturbance of the mind of a person who is confronted by an impending danger
or harm to himself or loved ones. Fear is an instinct for self-preservation. We even fear
new experiences or situations such as, embarking on a long journey, being left alone in a
strange place, or being asked to speak before a group of people.
4. Violence – refers to any physical force exerted on a person by another free agent for the
purpose of compelling said person to act against his will. Bodily torture, maltreatment,
isolation, and mutilation are examples of violence against person.
5. Habits – is a lasting readiness and facility, born of frequently repeatedly acts, for acting in a
certain manner. They are acquired inclinations towards something to be done. They assume
the role of a second nature, moving one who has them to perform certain acts with
relative ease.

The word “habit-forming” that we use to refer to certain experience shows how easy it is for
one to acquire a habit. Is also implies that a habit is not easy to overcome or alter. It requires a
strong-willed person to correct a habit successfully within a limited period of time.
 WHAT IS ACTS OF MAN

• Acts that man has in common with animals; acts that are biological or physiological,
instinctive and performed without freewill and deliberation.

• Actions without knowledge

 ACTIONS AND EMOTIONS
Emotions are generally instinctive in origin. Neither the degree of their intensify, clarity, or
awareness makes them human acts to be judged as good or evil. It means simply that man’s
thoughts and actions are colored by his emotions.

Moral perfection comes from within. We, Filipinos, refer to it as “Kagandahan ng loob”. It is
“loob” because from within the human personality.

Kagandahan ng Loob
Kagandahan ng Loob refers to attitude and it stands for all that is good, we call kaibigan,
in a human being. It is the multiplicity of sterling qualities, both natural and acquired,
which, because they proceed from the hearts and minds and it also greatly influenced
one’s behavior towards himself and others.
Kagandahan ng Loob includes such moral values as mapagmahal, may pakiramdam,
may pakikiramay, matulungin, masayahin, and hindi mapagkunwari.
 RIGHT
• It is anything that is owed or due
• It is something to which a person has a just and lawful claim
• It is anything to a person can lawfully demand
HUMAN RIGHTS
• These are rights pertaining to the rights of man
• These are rights inherent to man by virtue of being a human being.
• These are supreme, inherent, and inalienable rights to life, dignity and
self-development.
Supreme right- highest form of rights
Inherent rights- rights attached to men as human
Inalienable rights- rights cannot be transferred, cannot be borrowed and
cannot be taken away.
 BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS
1. RIGHT TO LIFE
Exceptions:
Self-defense
Death under exceptional circumstances
Death penalty
2. RIGHT TO LIBERTY
Exceptions:
For reasons of public health and public safety
Penalty for commission of a crime
Circumstances of warrantless arrest.
3. RIGHT TO PROPERTY
Exceptions:
Circumstances of warrantless search
By virtue of court order
 BILL OF RIGHTS
• This is a list of individual liberties , freedom and rights which are
guaranteed and protected under article III of the 1987 Philippine
Constitution.
• It is the protection of an individuals against abuses of the State.
• This likewise pertain s to protection of the rights of an accused.
DUTY
• It is anything that we are oblige to do or omit.
• It is moral obligation incumbent upon a person of doing, omitting or
avoiding.
• For every right, there is a corresponding duty.
 IMPORTANCE OF OATH TAKING
• Republic Act 11131- an act regulating the practice of criminology
profession in the Philippines, an appropriating funds, therefor,
repealing for the purpose RA 6506.

• An oath is a solemn promise, often invoking a divine witness,

regarding one’s future action or behavior. This is the reason why
nearly all profession have oaths; they use these words as a binding
contract to hold them accountable for ethical actions, behaviors and
ultimately, their decision.
 WHY IS OATH-TAKING IS IMPORTANT?
• The oath is an important ceremonial gesture signifying the official
start of one’s term in office. Importantly, it is a means of the official to
make a public commitment to the duties, responsibilities, and
obligation associated with holding public office.
 WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR THE NATION THAT
PROFESSIONAL BIND THEMSELVES WITH AN OATH OF
OFFICE?
• One purpose of the oath of office is to remind the government workers
that they do not swear allegiance to the supervisor, an agency, a
political appointee, or even the president. The oath is to support and
defend the Philippine Constitution and faithfully execute their
duties.
 WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR THE NATION THAT
PROFESSIONAL BIND THEMSELVES WITH AN OATH OF
OFFICE?
• One purpose of the oath of office is to remind the government workers
that they do not swear allegiance to the supervisor, an agency, a
political appointee, or even the president. The oath is to support and
defend the Philippine Constitution and faithfully execute their
duties.