Republic of the Philippines

BASILAN STATE COLLEGE

College of education
Main Campus Sumagdang, Isabela City, Basilan

COURSE CODE PED 104 WEEK 9

COURSE DESCRIPTION The Teaching Profession DURATION 1 Week

TOPIC The Foundational Principles of Morality LESSON No. 5

and You

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)  Manifest a caring attitude, respect, integrity and dignity in

teaching.

VALUE(S) INTEGRATION Obedience, Morality and Integrity

REFERENCES The Teaching Profession, Lorimar Publishing, Purita Bilbao et.al. 2015

MODULE DEVELOPER MARK C. MELGAR, LPT

Engagement on the Learning Content and Appropriate Activities

Read and Ponder!

When you carry out acts of kindness you get a wonderful feeling inside. It is as though
something inside your body responds ans says, yes, this is how I ought to feel. – Unknown

S omeone once wrote of teachers: “Even your worst day on the job, you are still some children’s best
hope.” Indeed society expects much from you, the teacher. Henry Brooks said it succinctly: “A teacher
affects eternity: he can never tell where his influence stops.”

For you to be able to cope with these expectations you should be anchored on a bedrock
foundation of moral and ethical principles. Let us begin this lesson by defining what morality is.

What is morality

As defined by one textbook author, morality refers to “the quality of human acts by which we call
them right or wrong, good or evil.” (Panizo, 1964) Your human action is right when it conforms with the
norm, rule, or law of morality. Otherwise it is said to be wrong. For instance, when Juan gets the pencil of
Pedro without the latter’s permission, Juan’s action is wrong because it is adherent to the norm, “stealing is
wrong”. A man’s acttion, habit or character is good when it is not lacking of what is natural to man, i.e. when
it is in accordance with man’s nature. For instance, it is not natural for man to behave like a beast because
he is not a beast. He is a man and, unlike the beast, he has intellect and free will. The intellect makes him
capable of thinking, judging and reasoning. His free will give him the ability to choose. Unlike the beasts, he
is not bound by instincts. It is natural occurrence for beasts when a male dog meets a female dog on the
street and mate right there and then, as they are not free but bound by their instinct, like sexual instinct. But

1|PED 104
 Republic of the Philippines
BASILAN STATE COLLEGE
College of education
Main Campus Sumagdang, Isabela City, Basilan

it is contrary to man’s nature when a man and a woman do, as the dogs. To do so is to go down to the level
of the beast.

Meaning of foundational moral principle

What is meant by foundational moral principle? The word principle comes from the Latin word
princeps which means a beginning, a source. A principle is that on which something is based, founded,
originated, initiated. It is likened to the foundation of a building upon which all other parts stand. If we speak
of the light, the principle is the sun because the sun is the body from which the light of this world originate.
A foundational moral prinicple is, therefore, the universal norm upon which all other principles on the
rightness or wrongness of an action are based. It is based. It is the source of morality.

Where is this foundational moral principle? It is contained in the natural law. Many moralists,
authors, and philosophers may have referred to this foundational moral prinicple in different terms. But it
may be acceptable to all believers and non-believers alike refer to it as natural law.

What is natural law? It is the law “written in the hearts of men”. (Romans 2:15) For theists, it is
“man’s share in the Eternal Law of God…” (Panizo, 1964) St. Thomas defines it as “the light of ntural
reason, whereby we discern what is good and what is evil… an imprint on us of the divine light…” (Panizo
1964) It is the law that says: “Do good and avoid evil.” THIS IS THE FUNDAMENTAL OR FOUNDATIONAL
MORAL PRINCIPLE..

All me and women, regardless of race and belief, have a sense of this foundational moral principle.
It is ingrained in man’s nature. “It is built into the design of human nature and woven into the fabric of
normal human mind.” We are inclined to do what we recognize as good and avoid that which we recognize
as evil.

Panizo says: “Writings, customs, and monuments of past and present generations point out to this
conclusion: that all peoples on earth, no matter how savage illiterate, have recognized as a supreme law f
divine origin commanding good and forbidding evil” (Panizo, 1964) The same thing was said by the
Chinese philosopher, Mencius, long ago:

All men have a mind which cannot bear [to see the suffering of] others… If they now men suddenly
see a child about to fall into a well, they will without exception experience a feeling of alarm and distress…
From this case we may perceive that he who lacks the feeling of commiseration is not a man: that he lacks
a feeling of shame and dislike is not a man; he who lacks a feeling of modesty and yielding is not a man…
man has these four beginnings… (FungYulan, 1948, 69-70)

The natural law that says “do good and avoid evil” comes in different versions. Kung-fu-tsu said the
same when he taught: “Do not do to others what you do not like others do to you.” This is also the golden
rule of Christianity only that is written in the positive form: “Do to others what you like others do to you.”
Immanuel Kant’s version is “Act in such a way that your maxim can be the maxim for all.” For Christians,
this Golden Rule is made more explicit through the ten Commandments and the Eight Beatitudes. These
are summed up in the two great commandments, “love God with all your heart, with all your mind, with all
your strength” and “love your neighbor as you love yourself.” The Buddhists state this through the eightfold
path. For the Buddhists, they do good when they “(1) strive to know the truth; (2) resolve to resist evil; (3)
say nothing to hurt others; (4) respect life, morality, and property; (5) engage in a job that does not injure
2|PED 104
 Republic of the Philippines
BASILAN STATE COLLEGE
College of education
Main Campus Sumagdang, Isabela City, Basilan

others; (6) strive to free their mind of evil; (7) control their feelings and thoughts, and (8) practice proper
forms of concentration.” (World Book Encyclopedia), 1988) Buddha taught that “hatred does not ceases

only by love.” The Islamic Koran “forbids lying, stealing, adultery, and murder” It also teaches “honor for
parents, kindness, honesty, industry, honor, courage, and generosity. It condemns mistrust, impatience and
cruelty.” (World Book Encyclopedia, 1988). Furthermore, the Muslims abide by the Five Pillars of Islam: 1)
prayer, 2) self-purification, 3) fasting, 4) almsgiving and 5) pilgrimage to Mecca for those who can afford.
(www.islam101.com/dawal/pillars.html)

Teacher as a person of good moral character

As laid down in the preamble of our Code of Ethics of Professional Teachers, “teachers are duly
licensed professionals who possess dignity and reputation with high moral values as well as
technical and professional competence. In the practice of their profession, they must strictly adhere
to, observe and practice this set of ethical and moral principles, standard and values.”

From the above preamble, the words moral values are mentioned twice, to accentuate on the good
moral character expected of you, the teacher. When are you good moral chracter? One Christian author
describes four ways of describing good moral character: 1) being fully human – you have realized
substancially your potential as human person, 2) being a loving person – you are caring in an unselfish and
mature person – you have reached a level of development emotionally, socially, mentally, spriritually
approapriate to your development stage. (Corsgrave, William, rev. ed. 2004, 78-79) In short , you are on
the right track when you strive to develop your potential, your love and care for yourself and make this love
flow to others, you lead virtuous life, and as you advance in age you also advance in your emotional, social,
intellectual and spiritual life.

The foundational moral principle is “Do good; avoid evil” This is contained in the natural law. The
natural law is engraved in the heart of every man and eoman. We have in us the sense to do the good that
we ought to do and to avoid the evil that we ought to avoid. This foundational moral principle of doing good
and avoiding evil is expressed in many other ways by different people. The famous Chinese philosopher,
Kung-fu-tsu taught the same principle when he said: “Do not do to others what you do not like others do to
you.” Immanuel Kant taught the same: Act in such a way that your rule can be the principle in their Eightfold
Path. The Muslims have this foundational moral principle laid down in their Koran and the Five Pillars. For
the Christians, the Bible shows the way to the good life – the Ten Commandments and the Eight Beatitudes
are summarized in the two great ommandments of love for God and love for neighbor.

Our act is moral when it is in accordance with human nature. Our act is immoral when it is contrary
to our human nature. Our intellect and free will make us different from the above the beast.

As a teacher, you are expected to be a person of good moral character. You are a person of good
moral character when you are 1) human, 2) loving, 3) virtuous, and 4) mature.

3|PED 104
 Republic of the Philippines
BASILAN STATE COLLEGE
College of education
Main Campus Sumagdang, Isabela City, Basilan

Reflection and Response/Action

Do This!

Nice reading everyone! You are almost approaching the end of the module. Just keep going! You’re on the right
track!

You can take some break, nap, or snacks perhaps, but make sure you do not stop!

Activity A. Synapse Strengtheners

DIRECTION: Answer the following in a sentence or two. (For your answers refer to Annex A – Worksheet
A.1.)

1. To be moral is to be human. What does this mean?

2. Why is morality only for persons?

IV. Summative Assessment

Challenge Yourself!

I believe you already got enough rest! Now, since you have absorbed and understood the lesson let us
gauge your learning by answering the assessment. Of course you have no choice but to be ready. You may start
now!

Test I. Yes/No
DIRECTION: Answer the following with a YES or NO. If your answer is NO, explain your answer in a
sentence. (For your answers refer to Annex B – Worksheet B.1.)

1. Is morality for persons and animals?

2. Is the natural law known only by the learned?
3. Did the primitive people have a sense of the natural law?
4. Is an animalistic act of man moral?
5. Is it right to judge a dog to be immoral if it defacates right there in your garden?
6. Is the foundational moral principle snsed only by believers?
7. Is the foundational moral principle very specific?
8. Is the foundational moral principle the basis of more specific moral principles.
9. Is the foundational moral principle so called because it is the basis of all moral principles?
10. Are the ten Commandments for Christians more specific moral principles of the foundational moral
principle?
11. Is the natural law literally engraved in every human heart?
12. Are the Five Pillars of Islam reflective of the natural law?
13. Is the Buddhist’s Eightfold Path in acordance with the natural law?
14. Are the Golden rule for Christians basically the same with Kung-fu-tsu’s Reciprocity rule?

Test II. Enumeration

1. “Do good; avoid evil” is the foundational moral principle. List 5 good things that you have to do as a
teacher and 5 evil things you have to avoid doing. (For your answers refer to Annex C – Worksheet C.1.)

4|PED 104
 Republic of the Philippines
BASILAN STATE COLLEGE
College of education
Main Campus Sumagdang, Isabela City, Basilan

Note: Please fill out the necessary information correctly.

ANNEX A

Name: Score:

Year & Course: Date:

Worksheet A.1.

1.

2.

5|PED 104
 Republic of the Philippines
BASILAN STATE COLLEGE
College of education
Main Campus Sumagdang, Isabela City, Basilan

ANNEX B

Worksheet B.1.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

6|PED 104
 Republic of the Philippines
BASILAN STATE COLLEGE
College of education
Main Campus Sumagdang, Isabela City, Basilan

ANNEX C

Worksheet C.1.

Do Good!

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Avoid Evil!

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

7|PED 104