Ethics - CHED Compliant General Education Notes

CHED Compliant General Education: Ethics Notes

The Grounds of Morality and the Search for the Good Life

  • Exploration of ethics in the context of general education.

  • Consideration of right and wrong decisions.

  • Authors: Alvin A. Galeon, Orlando Ali M. Mandane, Jr., Daryl Y. Mendoza, Jerry F. Pescadero, Maria Majorie R. Purino, Ruby S. Suazo, Lot T. Tabilid, Jr., Ryan C. Urbano.

  • Publisher: Verbum Books, an imprint of the University of San Carlos Press.

  • Copyright: © 2018 by the University of San Carlos Press.

  • ISBN: 978-971-539-135-1

Contents Overview

  • Part I: Introduction

    • Chapter 1: Ethics: An Overview by Alvin A. Galeon, PhD.

  • Part II: The Moral Agent and His Act

    • Chapter 2: Culture and Ethics by Daryl Y. Mendoza, MA.

    • Chapter 3: Freedom and Rationality by Lot Tapia Tabilid, Jr., MA.

    • Chapter 4: Lawrence Kohlberg's Theory of Stages of Moral Development by Jerry F. Pescadero, MA.

    • Chapter 5: Moral Reasoning by Jerry F. Pescadero, MA.

    • Chapter 6: Moral Character by Jerry F. Pescadero, MA.

    • Chapter 7: Moral Courage by Jerry F. Pescadero, MA.

  • Part III: Ethical Theories

    • Chapter 8: Virtue Ethics by Ryan C. Urbano, PhD.

    • Chapter 9: Immanuel Kant's Deontological Theory of Morality by Ruby S. Suazo, PhD.

    • Chapter 10: Natural Law by Daryl Y. Mendoza, MA.

    • Chapter 11: Utilitarianism by Daryl Y. Mendoza, MA.

    • Chapter 12: Situation Ethics: Finding a Middle Ground by Orlando Ali M. Mandane, Jr., PhD.

    • Chapter 13: Theories of Justice: John Rawls and Jürgen Habermas by Alvin A. Galeon, PhD.

    • Chapter 14: Asian Views: Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism by Maria Marjorie R. Purino, PhD.

  • Part IV: Cases in the Philippine Context

    • Chapter 15: Global Justice by Ryan Urbano, PhD.

    • Chapter 16: Democracy and Ethics in Politics by Ruby S. Suazo, PhD.

    • Chapter 17: Environmental Ethics by Ryan Urbano, PhD.

Foreword

  • Comprehensive, locally produced ethics textbook for college students.

  • Includes objectives, discussions, exercises, and references.

  • Reflects the standards of a center of development like the Philosophy Department of the University of San Carlos.

  • Each chapter is written by a faculty member with expertise in the area.

  • Two approaches to philosophy courses: historically and systematically.

  • Historical Approach:

    • Start with Aristotelico-Thomistic philosophy (Chapter 10, "Natural Law").

    • Followed by Immanuel Kant's radical grounding of ethics (Chapter 9, “Immanuel Kant's Deontological Theory of Morality").

    • Includes utilitarianism (Chapter 11), existentialism (Chapter 3), situation ethics (Chapter 12), theories of justice (Chapter 13), virtue ethics (Chapter 8).

    • Also covers psychologically-based ethics of Lawrence Kohlberg (Chapter 4) and Asian views (Chapter 14).

  • Systematic Approach:

    • Discussion on the nature of the human act (Chapter 10, Chapter 3).

    • Exploration of man as a rational animal equipped with intellect and will.

    • Discussion on freedom, responsibility, and consequences of actions.

    • Consideration of teleological and deontological approaches.

    • Introduction to virtue ethics (Chapter 8), environmental ethics (Chapter 17), and situation ethics (Chapter 12).

    • Inclusion of Oriental or Eastern systems like Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism (Chapter 14).

  • Acknowledgement of the inclusion of Eastern philosophy and ethics signifying a shift past Western/Eurocentric views.

  • Part IV focuses on cases in the Philippine context: global justice, democracy and ethics, environmental ethics (Chapters 15-17).

  • Textbook produced by young faculty members of the USC Department of Philosophy.

Preface

  • Addresses changes and demands of the time, in response to CHED's new general education curriculum.

  • Aims to produce Filipinos who are secure, aware of their identity, and able to contribute to society.

  • Goal of the curriculum: thoughtful graduates with humanistic values, analytical skills, and awareness of ethical/social implications.

  • Ethics course teaches moral decision-making using dominant moral frameworks and a seven-step moral reasoning model.

  • Tasks teachers with analyzing context and explaining moral principles for students.

  • Textbook presents ethics comprehensively: fundamental concepts, Western theories, and Eastern views.

  • Tackles the role of ethics in politics, religion, environment, globalization, and pluralism.

  • Unravels the importance of ethics in one's life, providing principles for sound judgment.

  • Aims to develop sensitivity to the common good and appreciate ethical behavior in modern society.

  • Helps those who want to live life holistically and meaningfully.

  • Hopes the reader accepts the obligation to be moral as the way to be worthy as a human being.

Part I: Introduction

  • Meaning of philosophy and its distinctive approach.

  • Origin and concerns of the study of philosophy.

  • Advantages of philosophizing and critical thinking.

  • Philosophy as a guide to day-to-day activities.

  • Moral issues and problems and making possible right judgments to ethical dilemmas.

Chapter 1: Ethics: An Overview

  • Nominal and real definitions of ethics.

  • Importance of ethics.

  • Ethical dilemmas and moral import of issues.

  • Objectives:

    • Define ethics and explain its importance.

    • Explain the characteristics of moral issues and the nature of ethical dilemmas.

    • Identify some moral issues and dilemmas.

  • The human person is endowed with intellect and free will, capable of seeking truth, good, and beauty.

  • Ethics brings the human person back to his nature and eventually attain his dream of a good life.

  • Etymology of philosophy: Greek words philia (love) and sophia (wisdom) = love of wisdom.

  • Thomistic-Aristotelian definition: science of the ultimate reasons, causes, and principles of being acquired by the aid of the human intellect alone.

  • Karl Jaspers: philosophy as the search for the meaning of life.

  • Ethics from Greek ethos (a way of life) and Latin mos/mores (custom), study of human custom.

  • Ethics: philosophical study dealing with the rightness and wrongness of the human act, inquires into ultimate principles of human conduct by the use of reason alone.

  • Importance of Ethics:

    • Helps actualize our nature as rational beings.

    • Enlightens us to live with moral integrity.

    • Directs us to do our tasks rightly as workers or professionals.

    • Helps build a strong foundation for our society.

    • Enables us to confront moral problems and dilemmas and make sound moral decisions.

  • Moral Issues and Dilemmas: confusion about the right decision to make in a moral dilemma due to competing values.

  • Story 1: An Affair (Neil and Yera): whether to divulge an affair.

  • Story 2: The Cure (Stephen): Stealing medicine to save his mother.