ETHICS ALL MODULES

MORAL PRINCIPLES

The moral thing to do depends on the consequences that will result from your action

CONSEQUENTIALIST MORAL PRINCIPLE

Locates morality in the consequences of an act in a state of the world that will result from the thing you do

CATEGORICAL MORAL PRINCIPLE

Locates morality in certain rights and duties regardless of the consequences

PHILOSOPHY

Science of all things by their ultimate causes and principles

philo - love

sophia - wisdom

METAPHYSICS

Branch of philosophy concerned with the nature of ultimate reality

EPISTEMOLOGY

Deals with the validity of human knowledge and the criteria for its certainty and truthfulness

ETHICS

Morality of human acts and man’s behavior

• aka MORAL PHILOSOPHY

• from the Greek word “ethos”

PSYCHOLOGY

Deals with the mind and with mental and emotional process and behavior of man

COSMOLOGY

Search for a deeper understanding of the universe

LOGIC

The philosophical science of correct thinking

AESTHETICS

Nature of art and beauty

PHILOSPHY OF MAN

Deeper understanding of what man is, to be fully human

THEODICY

Study of the ultimate being or God

THEOLOGY

Inquiry into the existence of God

MORAL PRECEPT

An idea which is driven by a desire to do something good

• An ethical code is a set of rules that defines allowable actions or correct behavior

• Correct behavior is not always the good behavior

MORALITY

• Goodness or badness of a human act

HUMAN  ACTS

• Acts that proper to human beings

• Utilizes knowledge, freedom, and voluntariness

ACTS OF MAN

• amoral - dont have a rational character

STANDARD OF MORALITY

Human actions are judged, measured.

MORAL PHILOSOPHY

Deals with the norms governing our conduct or act. It serves as a guide in determining which is good and bad.

AMORAL

• Ethically neutral - dont have a moral value or sense; indifferent to morality

NON-MORAL

Out of the realm of morality

• Inanimate objects are non-moral, but our use of them can be moral or immoral

ETIQUETTE

Concerned with something or act whether it is socially acceptable

ORIGIN OF MORALITY

Morality can have a subjective or objective origin based on the origin of value

OBJECTIVE ORIGIN

Three possibilities:

1. Supernatural - values are given by a supernatural being

2. Natural - values are part of the fabric of nature

3. Social - values are independently of human beings

SUBJECTIVE ORIGIN

Origin of value is related to human beings

• without human beings, subjectivists argue, there’d be no value

TRADITIONAL MORALITY

Moral systems handed down through customs from generation to generation

• aka STATIC MORALITY

REFLECTIVE MORALITY

Moral ideas are carefully examined

• Traditional morality can become reflective and dynamic when those moral ideas are simply handed down and accepted are subjected to analysis and criticism

APPLICATION OF MORALITY

1. Religion - morality determined by relation between human beings

2. Nature - morality determined by relation between humans and nature

3. Individuality - morality determined by relation the individual has to him or herself

4. Society - morality determined by relation between human beings and society

TYPES OF ETHICS

1. Normative Ethics

2. Non-normative Ethics

NORMATIVE ETHICS

Determines what moral standards to follow

GENERAL Normative Ethics

• reasoned search for principles of human conduct

• prescribes certain norms

• ex. bible

APPLIED Normative Ethics

An attempt to explain and justify positions on specific moral problems or issues

• an attempt to resolve a specific moral problem

NON-NORMATIVE ETHICS

Describes or evaluate moral attitudes or statements

DESCRIPTIVE or SCIENTIFIC Ethics

Study of moral behavior. It does not prescribe certain action, it simply describes.

• Absolutism and Relativism

META ETHICS

Highly technical discipline investigating the meaning of ethical terms

• doesnt propose any moral principles or norms, and only consists of philosophical analysis

MAN: RATIONAL AND FREE AGENT

We are endowed with rationality and free will. We are responsible for our actions but also for their consequences.

• Freedom cant be divorced with responsibility

FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY

The extent of our knowledge and freedom determine the extent of our responsibility

GOOD AND VALUE

Objectively the goal or fulfillment of being man. It is the end or object of the will.

• The good as the object of the will is considered to be the driving force of human action and human endeavors

THE GOOD

Could either be real and objective good or just an apparent good

• Real good are good in itself

VALUE

Assessment of worth. Could either be objective or subjective.

OBJECTIVE VALUE

The value is independent on the recognition or appreciation of man

SUBJECTIVE VALUE

Conferred by individuals on certain objects or situations

THE ROLE OF HUMAN EXPERIENCE

Awareness on the part if the individual performs, he is aware that he is the author of the act

GOAL OF THE WILL

Choosing/doing what is good

GOAL OF THE INTELLECT

Search for the truth

HUMAN ACT

When man acts in accordance to reason.

Are actions that emanate from the rationality of man.

ex. act to love, act to vote, act to decide

SOURCES OF MORALITY

• The object

• The end/intention/goal

• Circumstance

OBJECT

Specifies the act of willingnes

Is a good toward which the will deliberately directs itself

• matter of human act

END or INTENTION

The end doesnt justify the means

In contrast to the object, the intention resides in the acting subject

• it aims at the good anticipated from the action undertaken

CIRCUMSTANCE

Secondary elements of a mora act

• They contribute to increasing or diminishing the moral goodness or evil of human acts

ACTS OF MAN

DO NOT emanate from human reason, do not need thinking or rationality.

ex. breathing, eating, walking

KNOWLEDGE

The agent of the act knows what he is doing

FREEDOM

It is the state or quality of being free

VOLUNTARINESS

The agent does the act out of his own decision and willingness