feel·ing

an emotional state or reaction.

"a feeling of joy“

a belief, especially a vague or irrational one.

"he had the feeling that he was being watched"
What are your feelings
right now?
Are you happy to be
here or not?
How do you feel about
your crush?
How would you feel • Feelings can also influence
ethical judgments because we
being lied upon? can also express our strong
Are feelings approval or disapproval of
different acts.
NECESSARY in • Being good can also involve
decision-making? both thinking and feeling
Feelings and Moral Decision-Making
Feelings and emotions can impede
ethical judgments.

Two prevailing theories

• Ethical Subjectivism
• Emotivism
 Ethical Subjectivism
• Opposed to objective norms of morality
• Truth or falsity of ethical propositions are
dependent on feelings, attitudes, or standards of a
person or group of persons
• Moral judgments simply describe our personal
feelings
 Emotivism
• Improved version of Subjectivism
• Moral judgments express positive
or negative feelings
• Moral statements are
meaningless
• Moral statements only express
the speaker's feelings about the
issue.
• By expressing the speaker's
feelings about a moral issue
moral statements may influence
another person's thoughts and
conduct.
 Errors of Subjectivism and Emotivism:
1. What we like is not necessarily good.
2. We are infallible as long we honestly express
our feelings on moral issues.
3. Both can’t account for disagreements in Ethics
4. Dangerous because they teach us to simply
follow our feelings and emotions.
5. Suggests that in ethical disputes we appeal to
emotions, not to reason
 Conclusion
What can we learn from Subjectivism and Emotivism?
• Feelings and emotions are not always wrong
• Feelings, taste, emotions, etc. are also helpful in
many situations.
• They can also help us in making decisions that can
give meaning to life.
• Subjective feelings sometimes matter in deciding
right and wrong
• Feelings and emotions should be anchored on
careful consideration of right goals, including
altruistic ones.
• What makes you different from animals?
• What makes you different from plants?
• What are your similarities with both?
 Reason and Impartiality
Significance of Reason in Ethics:
• Humans just like animals are sentient, only humans
are rational.
• Reason – basis/motive for an action, decision, or
conviction.
• As a quality, it refers to the capacity for logical,
rational, and analytic thought; for consciously
making sense of things, establishing and verifying
facts, applying common sense and logic, and
justifying, and if necessary, changing practices,
institutions, and beliefs based on existing or new
existing information.
• Reason – indicate the difference
of moral judgments from
expressions of preferences.
• Moral Truths – defined by good
reasons that are objective and
are always true no matter what
we might think or want.
 Impartiality
Are your personal
interests and point
of view important in
moral decision
making?
However, impartiality is far more important.
A principle of justice that holds that decisions
should be based on objective criteria, rather
than on the basis of bias, prejudice, or
preferring the benefit to one person over
another for improper reasons.
• We give equal/adequate consideration to the
interests of all affected persons.
• Assumes the basic equality of all human
persons.
Caution!!!
This principle is not absolute
because in our society today
there are individuals that might demand more
moral attention or better treatment than
others.
Ex. Who should be prioritized for covid 19
testing?
 7-Step Moral Reasoning Model
proposed by Scott B. Rae, Ph.D.
This model may not automatically generate the
perfect answer to an ethical problem, however, it
offers a guideline in ascertaining that all the right
questions are asked in the process of ethical
deliberation.
1. Gather the facts – first
indispensable step prior
to any ethical analysis and
reflection on the case.
7.

It is important to understand that at some point, we

must stop deliberating and make a decision, no
matter how hard/uncomfortable/unpleasant it is.
 Activity
Pay attention to the news from print, tv, socmed and
determine which of the suggestions/plans/decisions
made/to be made by the authorities follow the 7 step
model in confronting the challenges brought about by
COVID 19.

Stay safe and healthy!

Let us pray for each other that the Lord will keep us
all safe!