LESSON 3 The Foundational Principles of Morality and You

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

Someone once wrote of teachers: "Even on your worst day on the job, you are still some
children's best hope." Indeed society expects much from you, the teacher. Henry Brooks Adams
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 action, 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 man
and, unlike the beast, he has intellect and free will. That 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 a 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 it is contrary to man's nature when a man and a woman do as the dogs do.
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 light, the principle is the sun because the sun is the body from which
the light of this world originate. A foundational moral principle is, therefore, the universal norm
upon which all other principles on the rightness or wrongness of an action are 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 principle in different
terms. But it may be acceptable to all believers and non-believers alike to refer to it as natural
law.

What is the 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 natural 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 men and women, regardless of race and belief, have a sense of this foundational moral
principle. It is ingrained in man's nature. 66 It is built into the design of human nature and woven
into the fabric of the 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 and illiterate, have recognized
a supreme law of 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 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 who lacks a feeling of shame and dislike is not a man; he who lacks a feeling
of modesty and yielding is not a man; and that he who lacks a sense of right and wrong is not a
man.... Man has these four beginnings... (Fung Yulan, 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 to do to you." This is
also the Golden rule of Christianity only that it 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 màxim 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 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 cease by hatred; hatred ceases only by love." The Islamic Koran
"forbids lying, stealing, adultery, and murder" It also teaches "honor for parents, kindness to
slaves, protection for the orphaned and the widowed, and charity to the poor. It teaches the
virtues of faith in God, patience, 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 by fasting, 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 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 of good moral character?
One Christian author describes four ways of describing good moral character: 1) being fully
human - you have realized substantially your potential as a human person, 2) being a loving
person- you are caring in unselfish and mature manner with yourself, other people and God, 3) 
being a virtuous person - you have acquired good habits and attitudes and you practice them
consistently in your daily life, 4) being a morally mature person- have reached level of
development emotionally, socially, mentally, spiritually appropriate to your developmental stage.
(Cosgrave, William, rev. 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 a 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" is contained in the natural law.
The natural law is engraved in heart of the every man and woman. 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 Chinese philosopher, Kung-fu-tzu taught the same principle when he said said: "Do
to others what you do not like others do to you.” Immanuel Kant taught the same: Act in such
way that your rule can the principle of all.” The Buddhists abide by the same moral 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. The Ten Commandments and the Eight Beatitudes
are summarized in the two great commandments of love for God and love for neighbor.

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