Give example of Common Ethical Theories:

1. Relativism
- There is no universal right or wrong. Different individuals or groups can have opposite
perspective of morality and both can be right.
- There are two type of relativism: Subjective Relativism and Cultural Relativism.
o Subjective Relativism - You yourself is the only source of ethical standards. If you
believe something is right, it is right.
 Example:
- Stealing is okay if you are hungry.
- Cheating on exam because you had not able to review due
to your family problems.
- It is fine to lie as long as you are helping someone.
- Bribery is okay for faster transaction process.
- Abortion is okay is you are not yet ready to have a family.

o Cultural Relativism - Ethical standards set by your culture. Whatever your culture
says right is right.
 Example:
- Criticizing the Chinese for eating dogs.
- Criticizing same sex marriage
- Child Marriage

2. Divine Command Theory

- This theory is morality that is somehow dependent on God. It is based on obedience
to the Word of God which is the Holy Bible where all of God’s commandments were written. It is based
on obedience not with reason because the instruction is right because it is commanded by God himself,
who is all knowing and ultimate authority.
Example:
- The Ten Commandments
3. Ethical Egoism
- Ethical egoism is the belief that people should follow their own self-interest and no
one has any responsibility to further the interests of someone else.
- Egoism has two kinds, descriptive and normative.
- Descriptive (or positive) type also known as psychological egoism, contends
that people always act in self-serving ways, though they may try to disguise their selfish motives.
Example:
- Render overtime to finish the target output with a self-
motive to increase salary pay.
- Do the household chores with a self-motive to go out with
friends.

- Normative type also termed ethical egoism, claims people should act in self-
serving ways because it is morally right.
 Example:
- Study hard to get a higher grade for good education
background when applying a work.

4. Consequentialism
- judges whether or not something is right depending by what its consequences are. An
action that brings about more benefit than harm is good, while an action that causes more harm than
benefit is not.
- Two examples of consequentialism are utilitarianism and hedonism.
- Utilitarianism measures the consequences by a criterion of "the greatest good
for the greatest number."
Example:

- Doctors decide that a number of experiments on a few

people, even if most of them died, would be worth it if they could find a
cure for a disease that would relieve the suffering of millions of people.
- Killing drug related person to save the young people future.

- Hedonism says something is "good" whether the result creates satisfaction or

prevents pain.
Example:
- Eating Chocolates and Ice Cream to relieve the stress or
cramming.
- Biking to the places I want to go to avoid transportation
expense.

5. Kantianism

- Kantianism is the name given to the ethical theory of the German philosopher Immanuel
Kant (1724-1804). Kant believed that people's actions ought to be guided by moral laws,
and that these moral laws were universal. He held that in order to apply to all rational
beings, any supreme principle of morality must itself be based on reason.
-Example:
- Protecting Human Rights
- Applying the Golden Rule – “Do not do unto others what you do not
do unto you.”

ASSESSMENT
IDENTIFICATION:
1. Loosely referred to as "the greatest good for the greatest number” - Utilitarianism
2. A belief that people should follow their own self-interest and no one has any responsibility to further
the interests of someone else. - Ethical egoism
3. There is no universal right or wrong. - Relativism
4. Divine Command theory is based on reasons. True or false. - False
5. What are the two types of relativism? Discuss their difference.
o Subjective Relativism - You yourself is the only source of ethical standards. If
you believe something is right, it is right.
 Example:
- Stealing is okay if you are hungry.
- Cheating on exam because you had not able to review due
to your family problems.
- It is fine to lie as long as you are helping someone.
- Bribery is okay for faster transaction process.
- Abortion is okay is you are not yet ready to have a family.

o Cultural Relativism - Ethical standards set by your culture. Whatever your culture
says right is right.
 Example:
- Criticizing the Chinese for eating dogs.
- Criticizing same sex marriage
- Child Marriage