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ETHICS 2. Metaethics - study of the origin and meaning of ethical

Philosophy – a resolute attempt at understanding the cosmos, concepts.
existence and essence.
3. Normative Ethics - involves arriving at moral standards that
PHILOSOPHY =Greek words Philo means Love and Sophia means regulate right and wrong conduct.
Wisdom.
4. Applied Ethics - branch of ethics which consists of the analysis
In Hinduism, Philosophy or “darsana” is the search for the truth and of specific, controversial moral issues
living the highest kind of life.
MORAL STANDARD and NON-MORAL STANDARD
Ethics– is a Philosophy of Morality which involves systematizing, Moral Standard - with regard to behavior; A moral standard refers
defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior to the norms which we have about the types of actions which we
and moral judgments on what is good and evil. believe to be morally acceptable and morally unacceptable.

- a system of moral principles.They affect how people make -Specifically, moral standards deal with matters which can either
decisions and lead their lives. It is concerned with what is good for seriously harm or seriously benefit human beings. The validity of
individuals and society and is also described as moral philosophy. moral standards comes from the line of reasoning that was taken to
back or support them.
- derived from the Greek word Ethos which can mean custom, habit,
character or disposition. - moral standard is basically formed by the rationality that supports
it. Hence it is not formed or changed by some authority.
Morality – Refers to beliefs concerning right and wrong (good &
bad). Non-moral Standard - refers to standards by which we judge what is
good or bad and right or wrong in a non-moral way. Examples of
- beliefs that include judgments, values, rules, principles and non-moral standards are standards of etiquette and standards of
theories that justify actions as good or bad. aesthetics by which we judge art as good or rubbish.

- deviation from the social code, whether it is written or unwritten, DILEMMA

is generally called IMMORALITY. A situation where a person is forced to choose between two or more
conflicting options, neither of which is acceptable.
ETHICS VS. MORALITY
Ethics connotes theory of right action and the greater good, while It must be noted, however, that if a person is in a difficult situation
the Morality indicates practice, that is, the rightness or wrongness but is not forced to choose between two or more options, then that
of a human action. person is not in a dilemma.

Ethics undertakes the systematic study (that is, questioning and The least that we can say is that that person is just experiencing a
critical examination) of the underlying principles of problematic or distressful situation. Thus, the most logical thing to
morality.Morality tells us what we ought to do and exhorts us to do for that person is to look for alternatives or solutions to address
follow the right way. the problem.
When dilemmas involve human actions which have moral
Ethics is the science of “morals”, while Morality is the practice of implications, they are called ethical or moral dilemmas.
ethics.
Moral dilemmas, therefore, are situations where persons, who are
Ethics attempts to provide systems of moral principles and the called “moral agents” in ethics, are forced to choose between two or
reasons why these principles are valid. Hence, ethics is more more conflicting options, neither of which resolves the situation in a
concerned with theories that can be used to explain why a particular morally acceptable manner.
moral principle is valid or not. Morality refers to principles of right
and wrong behaviour or rightness and wrongness (that is, goodness MORAL AGENT
and badness) of human actions. Moral Identity(Moral Agent) - one who is capable of right or wrong
action; of doing good and evil.
Thus: - capable of human acts/ human action.
Ethical concept: Respect of Human Life
Ethics: Killing is bad/wrong. - it is a cognitive representation of the moral self that reflects the
Morality: Do not kill. degree to which moral traits like honesty, integrity etc. are central to
one's self-concept.
Ethical Concept: Honesty
Ethics: Lying is bad/wrong. - he is rational, conscious and aware.
Morality: Do not lie or Be honest.
Moral Responsibility - referring to our conscience; and being a
STRUCTURE OF ETHICS moral agent who encounters the concept of blame or praise,
1. Descriptive Ethics - the scientific study of moral beliefs and ascriptions of judgment and evaluation.
practices
ETHICS DISCUSSION GUIDE: PRELIMS
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- the moral agent being responsible of his acts; the effect and A mandate from heaven that man should do good and avoid evil.
consequence of which.
2. Moral Relativism – Skepticals believe that morality can never be
Freedom – the state of being free in having the ability to do and not absolute since it alters itself based on cultural and socio political
to do a human person wants.In general, it means the absence of structures.
restraint. Moral Relativists claims that the concept of right and wrong, good or
bad is a matter of opinion, of place or culture.
Will - faculty of the mind that manifest desire, motivation, kind of
causality belonging to living beings so far as they are rational. Moral Relativism has Two Forms
- the drive to act upon human’s freedom. a. Individual Relativism – Asserts that morality varies from
person to person.
- Freedom would then be the property this causality has of being b. Cultural Relativism – Believes that morality is culture
able to work independently of determination by alien causes; just as based on standards created by the community.
natural necessity is a property characterizing the causality of all non-
rational beings — the property of being determined to activity by B. MORAL ANTI-REALISM – states that morality is based on
the influence of alien causes. impression and feelings and that morality is neither true nor false in
context with objectivity.
Good - That which is beneficial to man, that which gives pleasure or
happiness and that which conforms to the moral ideal. 1. Moral Emotivism - Like subjectivism it teaches that there are no
objective moral facts, that moral statements are mere expressions
Evil- That which gives suffering and pain to man or any negative that arouse emotional responses.
outcome, usually due to abuse, misuse and over use of Freedom.
Expressing the feelings about a moral issue, moral statement may
The problem of evil - Man is the source of Morality since man is influence another person's thoughts and conduct, it is a theory that
capable of reasoning and exercise Freedom hence evil, as a claims that moral language or judgments:
phenomena occurs not in other living entities, neither in diseases 1) are neither true or false;
nor in nature but in the exercise of freedom. 2) express our emotions; and
3) try to influence others to agree with us.
HUMAN ACTS vs. ACTS OF MAN
HUMAN ACTS are acts done with the use of intelligence and 2. Moral Nihilism – holds that ethical claims are generally false.
freedomhence voluntary. These areacts that proceed from a
deliberate will and with full knowledge. Hence these are acts which 3. Moral Skepticism – holds that no one has any moral knowledge.
man has mastered. (or the stronger claim that no one can have any moral knowledge)

Examples: To love
Telling the truth C. Francisco
Telling a lie

ACTS OF MAN are acts done without the use of intelligence and
freedom hence not voluntary. Thus, pertains to acts of a man which
he performed without mastering them.

Examples: Yawning
Sleeping
Eating

MORAL JUDGMENT
Moral Judgments can be viewed either on Intention and Action of a
Phenomenon

Cognitive Morality/ Moral Judgment by Reason – Understanding

Morality as an Absolute Obligation of man.

Non-Cognitive/ Moral Judgment by Emotion – Moral Decision

based on affect and human emotions (Emotivism)

A. MORAL REALISM – states that moralityis exclusively true or false

and are presented as facts.

1. Moral Objectivism – Asserts that morality is universal, eternal and

fixed, it believes that morality is given within a spirit like realm and
an all powerful God wills it.

ETHICS DISCUSSION GUIDE: PRELIMS