Chapter I

The Ethical Dimensions of Human Existence

Introduction
This module gives us a background on the nature of morality which is
the subject of Ethics as well as the process of value experience including the
difference between values and moral values. This will tell you what is right
and wrong and will help you in determining it for yourself. This will also
present you with the conceptual and analytical tools that will hopefully
guide you in your ethical thinking. This will help students to develop
themselves to be well rounded individuals in securing their identities as
Filipinos and in being aware of their role in life of the nation and in the
larger communities. This also examines the nature of freedom as it relates
to morality together with the wide range of values including the basis of the
choice that we make.

Learning Outcomes
After studying this module, students should be able to:

1) Define Ethics and understand the principles that govern a person’s

behavior.
2) Explain the importance of Ethics in the development of a person in
the outside world.
3) Discuss and describe the clarifications and terminologies attached
to Ethics.
4) Identify and evaluate the relationships of Ethics with other Social
Sciences.

Leaning Contents

I. Definition of Terms

1. Ethics – a branch of knowledge that deals with the moral principles

that governs a person’s behavior .
 2. Moral – specific beliefs or attitudes that people have or describe acts
that people perform and fall to proper standard.\
3. Ethical – an act of doing what is right/good.
4. Immoral – if one falls short of behaving properly.
5. Moral issue – refers to the particular situation that is often the source
of considerable and inconclusive debate.
6. Moral decision – when one is placed in a situation and confronted by
the choice of what act to perform.
7. Moral reasoning – defending self to decide or to judge that a certain
way of acting is either right or wrong.
8. Moral dilemma – the more complicated situation where one is torn
between choosing one of the two goods or choosing between the lesser
of two evils.
9. Moral principle – a rationally established grounds by which one
justifies a maintained moral decision and judgment.
10. Moral theory – a system of thoughts or ideas which can be
referred to as a framework or structure which can evaluate our
reasons for valuing a certain decision or judgment.
11. Moral judgment – when on analyzes and evaluates the moral
action or character of another person.

II. Value in Ethics

In studying ethics, there is a common concept that is under incessant
deliberation and scrutiny. That is value which is bestowing importance onto
a person, thing, ideal, or even, action. Values go under fire at a time of
judging or decision – making. Value judgment makes us think and weigh
our values in order to give our own assessment whether something is good
or bad, right or wrong. Such issues or concerns that require value judgment
may range from simple to crucial to critical depending on the circumstances
involved. Giving your thumbs up to a movie is sign of approval of its value
to you. Reprimanding a child who does not say “po” and “opo” to the elderly
is based on how much you value good manners. However, in ethics value is
not a simple subject. This is where the crucial to critical comes in. Value, in
this case, contributes to how we determine what is good or bad, right or
wrong to issues that concern significance of human life and well – being.
Moreover, in ethics, which in our subject will be used interchangeably with
the term moral, value is useful to making a decision or judgment to a moral
issue, or the more difficult, moral dilemma. Study the below diagram for
clearer understanding:

Moral Issue Value Moral Decision

You accidentally found
the answer key to your
next exam…
Moral Dilemma
Your friend is in deep
financial trouble but
he/she sees an
opportunity to steal
from someone to be
able to pay lender…
What is more What will you do?
important to you?
Value Moral Judgment
What do you think is What will you advise
more important? your friend she/he
must do?

III. Ethics and Authorities

These sources of authorities whose values they impose upon us by
requiring our obedience: LAW, RELIGION, and CULTURE. Standards of
valuation of these authorities affect how we view what is moral/ethical or
not. It is a noteworthy discussion to study how these authorities positively
contribute or conflict or contradict with ethics. The following table suggests
probable matters of scrutiny if we are to apply on ethics to the valuation of
these sources of authorities. However, such scrutiny does not intend you to
be overly skeptical or rebellious against these authorities. It just intends to
emphasize the claim that ethics is not simply saying yes to values thrown to
you. Ethics involves the critical assessment or study of what is wrong or
right and why should it be wrong or right.

SOURCES POSITIVE MATTERS OF SCRUTINY UNDER

OF CONTRIBUTIONS TO ETHICS
AUTHORIT MORAL VALUATION
 Y
LAW - demands obedience - there are ethical issues that law
from every citizen for overlook but may be questionable to
peace and order an individual like eating dog meat.
(it may be prohibited in our country
- informs us that but not in other countries)
since it is prohibited
by law it must be - it only tells us what not to do but
wrong not what is the right thing to do
when faced a situation like when
- makes us not you see a cat hit by a car
choose the wrong
because we can be
punished by it
RELIGION - prohibits us from - practical level – ethical standards
(no specific doing bad acts are different for different religions –
religion) are we then to look down on the
- “provides ideals to values of other religions and regard
pursue (Bulaong, Jr., them as wrong?
Oscar et al 2018)”
- conceptual level – is it good
- “Supreme Authority because God says so or God says it
that can inspire and is good because it is good in itself
compel our obedience like stealing – is it wrong because
in a way that nothing God said so or God said it is wrong
else can (Bulaong, Jr., because it is bad in itself?
Oscar et al., 2018)”
- there are even cases of distorting
God’s messages to advance man’s
own interest like the Crusades
during the Middle Ages
CULTURE - basis of our culture These are the contradictions of
is the standard of James Rachels, an American
Cultural valuation of our own philosopher:
Relativism people as a result of
- if in the case of disagreement that
 our own experiences
needs a decision, which will be
- belief that decided as right or wrong if every
- teaches us to be
there are culture is right?
respectful of others’
diverse
cultures as they also
cultures - cultural relativism insists that we
should respect our
and that should accept and tolerate others’
culture
the cultures but what about issues like
standards genocide or genital mutilation or
- hence, there appears
of valuation sex slavery – if it is allowed in these
no superior or inferior
(the wrong cultures should, we, who find them
cultures
and right, unethical just let it be?
the good
and bad) is - but what if a person belongs to
dependent more than one cultures – like what
on one’s if you are a child of Filipino and
own culture Arabic parents – which culture do
you belong to – which culture will
you base your ethical standards on?

As Bulaong, Jr., Oscar et al (2018) mentioned in the book:

Ethics? It’s simple. Just follow whatever the law says.
Ethics? It’s simple. Just follow whatever your religion says.
Ethics? It’s simple. Just follow whatever your culture says.

It actually is not so when making ethical valuations and thinking of

the moral decision or judgment to the moral issue or dilemma you are
facing, you can draw knowledge, guidance or even enlightenment from these
sources of authority. But to solely base on any of them without analysis or
scrutiny is not ethics but blind obedience.

IV. Ethics and the Self

If the standard of valuations of these sources of authorities as a basis
of moral decision or judgment is not infallible or unquestionable, how now
do we decide? We, then, turn inwards, to ourselves. The following are
theories about ethics that are founded on the self. The outline below
describes each and discusses the good thing about them and how they are
just not enough.

I. Subjectivism
A. Definition – the main character is the person (subject) and he/she
is at the frontline of the moral situation and is burdened to make the moral
decision
B. Strong point – There is a sense of accountability to it and readiness
to take the responsibility.
C. Shortcomings
1. The subject thinks that only he/she knows what is right or
wrong in the situation but no one always knows what is right or wrong – one
may need to listen and learn from others.
2. The subject thinks that only his/her opinion matters - this
however is not absolute because what he/she thinks is right may actually
be not accepted as right by others – example when you bully a classmate
because you think he should be bullied for being different.
3. In this theory that subject has no other basis to look forward
but his/her imperfect and flawed self.

II. Psychological Egoism

A. Definition – “The ego or the self has its desires and interests, and
all our actions are geared toward satisfying these interests (Bulaong, Jr.,
Oscar et al, 2018)”.
1. Explanation – The person may or may not know it but what is
directing his/her action is his/her own interest. Like what seemingly good
deed you are doing for or to others might just be to alleviate your feeling of
guilt but you do not realize.
B. Strong point – This is a plausible theory because our actions are
product of our motivation which comes from our desire and interest.
C. Shortcoming – it seems to mean that we are beings simply dictated
by our inner desire or interest that sometimes may not be aware of and do
not have control over and that you do not even have to decide because
whatever you desire it will automatically be sought after.

III. Ethical Egoism

A. Definition – The person may choose to act for the benefit of others if
it will also eventually benefit him/her. The difference of this from
psychological egoism is that the person is aware of and chooses what
interest of him/her should be satisfied.
B. Strong point – This is a goal – oriented theory which will direct a
person pursue his/her ways to his/her own success.
C. Shortcoming – In Socrates’s The Republic, he presented that “the
good human life stems from proper harmony of the parts of the soul
(Bulaong, Jr., Oscar et al, 2018)”. One may be working to achieving his/her
personal interest but may result to misery of others just like tyranny when
one person holds the power to do as he/she wills that may lead to injustice
and suffering of others. It is then suggested that ethics is better if a person
can think of his/her own interest alongside the interest of others.
Learning these may seem that we can justify our actions and not be
concerned about what others say or feel about them. But, think about it, if
ethics is based on the self, and the billions of people have to follow their own
selves, what would life and the world turn into?

V. In a Nutshell
This chapter has presented the basics about ethics. You were
introduced to the notion of how values is imperative in the discussion of
ethics. Several ideas were presented to make you contemplate on your own
moral convictions. To reinforce your comprehension of ethics and guide you
better to making moral decision or judgment the next four chapters will
introduce you to the well – thought moral theories by reputable philosophers
of earlier eras that are nonetheless relevant and useful until today.

Practice Activities
Directions: Choose the correct answer by writing the letter only on the
space provided.
___ 1. It refers to the study of morality or right and wrong conduct of a
person.

A) Ethics B) Psychology C) Sociology

___ 2. A branch of knowledge that deals with the moral principle.

A) Ethics B) Psychology C) Sociology

___ 3. It means something worth having, worth keeping and worth doing.

A) Ethics B) Code C) Values

___ 4. A system of moral principles which defines what is good for

individuals and society.

A) Ethics B) Code C) Values

___ 5. It concerns with the right and wrong actions which is often referred
to as the proper way of doing things.

A) Aesthetics B) Etiquette C) Values

___ 6. The term which refers to the judgments of personal approval or

disapproval that we make about on the use of our five senses.

A) Aesthetics B) Etiquette C) Values

___ 7. It claims that an individual is the sole determinant of what is morally

good or bad, right or wrong.

A) Ethical egoism B) Psychological egoism C) Subjectivism

___ 8. Human beings are naturally self – centered, describing the

underlying dynamics behind all actions.

A) Ethical egoism B) Psychological egoism C) Subjectivism

___ 9. This prescribes that we should make our own ends, our own
interests as the single overriding concern.
 A) Ethical egoism B) Psychological egoism C) Subjectivism

___ 10. It echoes the idea of “no one knows any situation better than
myself”.

A) Ethical egoism B) Psychological egoism C) Subjectivism

Assessment

Directions: Identify what is being described. Write your answer on the

blank before the number.
__________1. The term referring to a specific belief or attitude if he/she falls
short of behaving properly.
__________2. The knowledge of an act of doing what is not right/or not good.
__________ 3. A theory that centers on the self which states that the
recognition of an individual person is at the heart of moral
valuation.
__________ 4. This theory centers on the self-serving or on the motive at the
heart of everything.
__________ 5. It refers to whom one is placed in a situation of inconclusive
debate which is helpful to distinguish which calls for moral
valuation.
_________ 6. It is considered a more complicated situation when one is torn
between two goods or between two evils.
__________ 7. A system of thoughts or of ideas which can be referred to as a
framework of inter – connected ideas and at the same time, a
structure which can evaluate our reasons for valuing a certain
decision or judgment.
__________ 8. A source of authority when one is guided by ethical behavior
in a certain society/country/nation.
__________ 9. An ethical theory that argues for the goodness of pleasure and
determination of right behavior or the usefulness of the action’s
consequence.
__________10. A type of pleasure that requires mental faculties that only
educated human could obtain.

Enrichment Exercises

1. Have students reflect in writing (orally) on what the quote or essential

question means to them,
1. (How do we determine what is right and wrong?)

2. ( What conflicts are created when a person follows his/her own

sense of ethics and it imposes on the rights of others?)
3. ( How can such conflict be achieved?)

Rubrics :

Element Description
Contents (20 points) Identify the material content
Identify the key ethical issues
Apply the ethical theory
Writing (30 points) Clearly written
Well organized and free from grammar
and other
writing errors (5 points for each error)