ETHICS

Iloilo Grand Hotel

Jerome Elabra

Is a major branch of philosophy, encompassing right conduct and good life. It is

significantly broader than the common conception of analyzing right and wrong.

A central aspect of ethics is “the good life,” the life is worth living or life that is satisfying.

This is held by many philosophers to be more important than moral conduct.

“Kon nasakitan kaw, gina-igo ta gidman kaw”

Philosophy: It is easier to do than define. But it is often associated with thinking.

Insight:

It is seeing with the mind, e.g., insight into a joke.

It is the crucial element in thinking.

Methaphor:

Sharpens the insight and fixes it in the mind.

Abstraction:

A tool that we use for the analysis of the insights.

But too much abstraction can “dilute or desiccate” and insight. So it is necessary
to return to the original insight.

“At first you know a thing. But as you continue thinking you don’t know about it at
all” – HannaH Arendt

Thinking goes beyond concepts. Philosophy is an activity rooted on lived

experience.

The happiest people are those who can face the mirror and see themselves! - Harry
Potter
 “To advocate reason is not to advocate debate but to communicate.” – Jurgen
Habermas

“We see things as we are.” Experience is the life of the self. So there is no reality
outside of experience.

Shifthappens (Did you know that…)

Something for us to learn from.

People have biases.

Holistic approach…

“Sens de la vie.”

The life which can have a DIRECTION, TERXTURE, OPENINGS and MEANINGS.

Mango (dumb) – who are arrogant of their perspective..

Tao po - Manila
Tagbalay – Iloilo
Ayo – San Carlos

Ethics

Is significantly broader than the common conception of analyzing right and wrong.

A central aspect of etichs is “the good life.

“Why be GOOD?”

“It is better to suffer injustice than the commit it.” – Socrates

“It is better to be wronged than to do something wrong.” Hannah Arendt

The term “better” literally means “more advantageous,” which does not
mean; “the best policy.”

Committing injustice does one more harm than suffering it does, even if
suffering it causes more hurt.
The Art of Letting Go
…once you give up, it comes back!

“Ang ayo nga tawo, wa gadugay pamigado.”

Ethos (Greek) means custom.

But it could also mean (about) CHARACTER (Ethics)

“Good practice proceeds from good character, and not good customs.” – Aristotle

“Being good is more advantageous than appearing to be good.” – Socrates

Where’d all the good people go?

I’ve been changing channels
I don’t see them on the TV shows…

The Human Person

Scholastic Understanding
- A rational animal
- Composed of body and soul (Psyche)

Scholastics:
a. Dualistic
b. Looks at wo/man as an object, an animal.
c. Process proceeds from the external to the internal

Phemomenological
a. Holistic
b. Describes wo/man from what is properly human, i.e., not an animal
c. Proceeds from the internal to the external

The Human Person

- A Relational Being
- An Embodied Subject
- A Historical Being
- A Being Fundamentally Equal to Others but Uniquely Original
MODEL OF MORAL PERSPECTIVES

a. Classical Model

Focus:
Law-Centered
Centered on Sexual Taboos – Tabloidal, highlighting sexually-related
topics
Act-Centered – story not important, act is more important

Method:
Deductive (From general principles to particular principles)

Worldview:
Fixed or unchanging

Person:
Dualistic (body is evil, soul is good)

Theology:
Deposit of truth as given by the Church
God is above our own history, a judge.

Fear is beginning of wisdom.

b. Renewed Model

Focus:
Personhood (i.e., the story of every person)
Being is a subject not and object
Person as historical
Person as embodied

Method:
Inductive (from concrete to general experiences)

Worldview:

Person:
A unity of body and soul (e.g., being at home or secure with your looks)

Theology:
God is involved/acting in history
 A dying person told to Mother Theresa: “You know, I do not believe is God but
whoever your god is, I’d like to believe in Him because I can see Him in you.”

c. Liberative Model

Focus:
Impact of societal structures to human behavior. Dialectal, i.e. conflict in
inherent in every society

Method:
Inductive but the process is See-Judge-Act

Worldview:
Violent incursion of the poor in history

Person:
A unity, however, the poor have no “public face” (defenseless before the
law)

Theology:
God is with the poor

d. Eco-Feminism

Method:
Inductive, See-Judge-Act which is to be done by Women

Worldview:
Cosmic (influence of ecology)

Person:
Women
We are only a part of the universe, not masters

Implications of Moral Perspectives

The radicalness of today’s situation is how we see things. How we see things. How we see
and learn…

Eyes of a Child (Air Supply)

Show producer software.

THINGS TO ALWAYS REMEMBER

FOR GOOD (From the Musical “Wicked”)

Will you do something that you fully know as evil?

Most likely you will do something because you were able to see something “good” in it.

Or you were able to realize that this option is the most CONVENient one.

Oftentimes the issue is between GOOD and CONVENIENT.

SITUATIONS TO PONDER UPON IN THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE ENVIRONMENT

Kahoy nga Lomboy

“Every choice moves us closer of farther away from something. Where are your choices
taking your life? What do your behaviours demonstrate that you are saying yes or no to in
life?” – Eric Allenbaugh

“Nobody ever did, or ever will, escape the consequences of his choices.” – Alfred A. Montapert

A Leader’s Prayer

ETHICAL BASIS OF DECISION MAKING

“He is the most powerful who has power over himself.” Seneca

PSYCHOANALYSIS OF HUMAN BIRTHING – Sigmund Freud

World of the Mother’s Womb

- Without language
- Without difference
- Without problems
- Without fear
- Whole protective world

World Outside of Mother’s World

- World of language
- World of problems
- World with fear
- Unprotective world
Upon going out of the world:

- Whe have to speak

- Face problems
- Face fears
-

Easiest Choice: GO BACK TO MOTHER’S WOMB

“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test man’s character, give him power.”
- Abraham Lincoln

“Imagination,” imagine in a positive sense.

“Oftentimes in life, you only have two choices, one is easy…and only reward is that it’s
easy.”

“Maxim for life: You get treated in life the way you teach people to treat you.” – Dwayne Dyer

I Want to be Possible

“My mom is always telling me I’m impossible.”

“So when I get to be big, I want to be possible.”

We thought, because we have power, we have wisdom.

Viva La Vida – Coldplay

…power is not an institution, and not a structure; neither is it a certain strength we are
endowed with; it is the name…
- Michelle Foucault

HOW POWER IS NOT…

Methods of Decision Making

a. Deontological Method

Points of Reference: Law, duty and obligation

Question: What does the law require? What is my duty

b. Teleological Method
Points:
 c. Relation-Responsibility Method
Points of Reference: Whole relational context
Question: What is happening?

Failure and Opportunities are the same symbol

Christian Revenge

Why Be Good? It is the most rational thing to do.

- 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE

Parallel system

Parallel thinking

Models of morality

Best to do is understand them