Name: Jamie A.

Cahapon Course: BSA-1

Professor: Ms. Glenda O. Bejona Score:

REACTION PAPER
“What is Ethics?”
By Jovito R. Salonga

In Jovito R. Salonga’s article about what is ethics, He said that ethics is the discipline with right
and wrong. He also mentioned that when we ask what things are right, common sense will tell us
the things that are right are the things that help the people and society at large, such as honesty,
fairness, decency and accountability. Salonga stated that ethics has a spiritual dimension where
people have an inner sense of right and wrong, that is why we feel guilt and shame.
Salonga also stated some examples of situation focusing on ethics, that is: something like the
Golden rule- “Do unto others what you would like others to do unto you” and the reciprocal of it, that
means that if you want good treatment, then you should give o good treatment to others first. And
Salonga also mentioned a story about an old man, a friend of his late father that for him, he was
convicted by a biased judge, so he defended that man by appealing on that man’s case and then
after He defended that man, he stated in his article that during that time when the judgment of
acquittal came, he was the happiest man in the world. In that story, Salonga tried to explain that
beyond honesty and fairness, compassion and caring for people, especially those who are in need,
are among life’s highest ethical values.
Based on his argument, I definitely agree to all it because as what I have knew, ethics is a
moral principle that governs person’s or group’s behavior which he explained well in his article. It is
also true that we as a human, we have that common sense that will tell us on what are the right
things to do and what decisions to make. And I believe that Salong explained ethics correctly and
coincides to my ideas and understandings on what ethics is.