ETHICS

Prepared by:
Ma’am Cathy Barbado, Rpm
 What is Ethics?
• First we differentiate Philosophy and Ethics
• Philosophy- is both an activity and a body of Some of the Great Philosophers are:
knowledge. • Thomas Aquinas
-it came from a Greek word, in the way of Latin • Aristotle
“philosophia” • Confucius
meaning “love of wisdom”. • Rene Descartes
-it is rational, abstract and methodological • David Hume
consideration of reality as a whole or of
fundamental dimension of human existence and • Immanuel Kant
experience. • John Locke
-Philosophy involves thinking – THINKING • Karl Marx
WELL.
 What is Ethics?
• Ethics- is the study of origin and scope of the language of morality.
-is also called as morality philosophy
• Morality-are the values that may be derive from a theory or set of principles that
concern MORALLY GOOD or BAD, MORALLY RIGHT or WRONG,
JUSTICE and FAIRNESS.
(So with Ethics, we are not just expected to think, or think well. We are expected to
evaluate what we think and put into action, whether it is morally good or bad, morally
right or wrong, execute justice and fairness.)
 What is Ethics?

• (Many times in our lives, we need to evaluate enough whether what we are
doing is morally right or wrong.)
• (We may tend to defend our initial beliefs of a situation we are in however,
we are encouraged to rethink our views and find a good reason for believing
firmly to it.)
 Example 1.
• Three friends Liam, Josh and Alex been through thick and thin.
• Liam told Josh his new found hobby which is hunting wild deer and boar in the forest.
However, Josh knows that Alex is an advocate for defending animal rights and against
cruelty. In fact, Alex is a vegetarian.
In this situation, Josh is to weigh the situation.
1st: Will Josh tell Alex what Liam’s new hobby is? But this is far different from what
Alex believes in.
2nd: Will Josh tell Liam to stop his new hobby? But this he knows Liam is fond of what he
is doing.
3rd: Who does Josh owes greater relationship?
• Example 1 shows a situation with an Ethical Dilemma.
• Ethical Dilemma- is a conflict between alternatives where, no matter what
a person does, some ethical principle will be compromised. Analyzing the
options and their consequences provides the basic elements for decision-
making.
• it is a situation where in a decision to a difficult choice is to be made with two or more
options, neither of which resolves the situation in a manner that is consistent with an
accepted ethical guidelines.
 Doing Ethics Well: Legality vs. Morality
• Law- is a system of rules that state enforces to regulate behaviour though
penalties.
• Legal Principle -are based on the rights of the citizens and the state expressed in the
rules.
• Morality- is a body of principles that attempt to define what is good and bad
conduct.
• Moral Principles- can be based on culture, religion, experiences and personal values.
 Doing Ethics Well: Prudential Reasons vs.
Moral Reasons
• Prudential reason- refers to our own personal reasons for doing things.
• For example, it is in your own stand in the issue of how the government responds to
the needs of the citizens in this time of pandemic.
• Moral reason- or moral reasoning is a critical analysis to a specific situation to
determine what is right or wrong and what people ought to do in a particular
situation.
• For example, deciding whether to tell the truth or lie about a certain situation.
 Doing Ethics Well: Prescriptive vs. Descriptive
Claims
• The is/ought gap.
Prescriptive claims- or normative claims tell us, or affirm, what ought to be the case (prescribing),
Descriptive claims- tell us, or affirm, what is the case or at least what is believed to be the case
(describing).
~In ethics, prescriptive claims/normative claims have essential significance. It may depend upon
considerations that needs to be taken as a moral act (does it follows morality).
Example:
Taking brain booster vitamins can help with student studies. (Descriptive)
Every student ought to take brain booster vitamins to help with their studies. (Presciptive)
 Doing Ethics Well: Thought-Experiments
• Thought experiment-hypothetical, fanciful, examples that are designed to aid
our thinking about an issue.
• For example,
Imagine yourself as a kid, you and your playmate stand in the edge of a swimming pool. Things
get so elated and overwhelming you suddenly had the urge to push your playmate down in the
deep pool.
(you would typically respond, yes though it may never happen.)
(Thought experiments helps us to think about certain issues that may become possible in real
life situations and it does not stop us from doing the thinking.)
 Doing Ethics Well: Understanding
Disagreement
• Issues, concepts, and situations in studying ethics gives us a glimpse that
there could be a rise of disagreement. Diving deep into the principles of
Ethics, every individual has his or her own beliefs that can or can’t be parallel
to the other party’s belief. Thus, disagreements in Ethics arises.
• For example,
• There are people who protests divorce or annulment here in the Philippines, but on the
other hand, there are also those who stand by there beliefs wanting divorce or annulment to
be made accessible in the country.
 Moral Theories
• Moral and Ethics are often used interchangeably, however:
• Morality determines whether the action is right or wrong, and on the other hand
• Ethics is the philosophical study of Morality
• Moral Theory- is a structured set of statements of situations used to explain
of predict a set of facts of concept. Moral Theory provides us a framework
and explains why a certain action is wrong or why we ought to act in certain
ways.
 Theories of Morality
A. Moral Subjectivism
~Right and wrong is determined by what the subject happens to think (or feel) what is right or wrong.
B. Cultural Relativism
~ Right and wrong is determined by the particular set of principles or rules the relevant culture
just happen to hold at the time.
C. Ethical Egoism
~Right and wrong is determined by what is in your self-interest, or it is immoral to act contrary
to your self-interest.
 Theories of Morality
D. Divine Command Theory
~Is something right or wrong, because gods command it, or do the gods command it because it is
right?
E. Virtue Ethics
~Right and wrong are characterized in terms of acting in accordance with the traditional virtues
–making the good person.
F. Feminist Ethics
~Right and wrong is to be found in women’s responses to the relationship of caring.
 Theories of Morality
G. Utilitarianism
~Right and wrong is determined by the overall goodness (utility) of the consequences of the action.
H. Kantian Theory
~Right and wrong is determined by rationality, giving universal duties.
I. Right-based Theories
~We are to act in accordance with a set of moral rights, which we possess simply by being human.
J. Contractarianism
~The principles of right and wrong (or justice) are those which everyone in the society would agree upon in
forming a social contract.
 Chapter Exercise:
• Think of at least 3 situations where in ethical dilemma is present. Must be a current issue our surrounding is facing or
experiencing.
• Write it on a word document (File name format: Course code, Block Number, Last Name, Given Name, MI.)
• Example: GEC 7, BSCE 2B, Dela Cruz, Juan Pedro I.
• Format:
• Short bond paper
• Times New Roman font
• Font size 12
INDICATE:
• Name: Subject schedule:
• Course/block: Date and Time submitted: (VIA GOOGLE CLASSROOM)

• Submit your work on the Google Classroom for our block subject. On or before Thursday, August 26, 2021 until 8pm
 References:
• Dimmock, M.&A. Fisher(2017). Ethics for A-Level. Cambridge, UK: Open Book Publishers. Retrieved from:
http://doi.org/10.1164/OBP.0125; http://www.openbookpublishers.com/products/639#resources
• Philosophy., Retrieved from: https://www.britannica.com/topic/philosophy
• Ethics., Retrieved from: https://www.britannica.com/topic/ethics-philosophy
• What Is an Ethical Dilemma? Retrieved from: https://www.scienceabc.com/social-science/what-is-an-ethical-dilemma-
definition-examples-real-life.html
• Moral Philosophy., Retrieved from: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/atd-pima-philosophy/chapter/5-1-moral-
philosophy-concepts-and-distinctions/
• Moral Reasoning., Retrieved from: https://ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu/glossary/moral-
reasoning#:~:text=Moral%20reasoning%20applies%20critical%20analysis,and%20psychologists%20study%20moral%20re
asoning.
• The Nature of Morality and Moral Theories., Retrieved from:
https://home.sandiego.edu/~baber/gender/MoralTheories.html