Ethics

1
Feelings and Moral Decisions

Module 6 Feelings and Moral Decisions

At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. Compare and contrast the contribution and non-contribution to moral
decisions
2. Explain the ethics of love
3. Differentiate virtues from vices

What are feelings and emotions?

Before we begin this discourse, let us differentiate feelings and emotions. Feelings are
defined as an emotional state or reaction while emotions are distinctive feeling distinguished from
reasoning or knowledge. Simply put emotions or feelings do not play any role in a human act and
is not justifiable with regard to moral decisions. As mentioned in many books human acts are
human actions men perform knowingly, freely and voluntarily. Ergo a human act must have these
three qualifications a) he must be fully be aware of what he is doing or what he will do, b) he used
his freedom of choice to decide using his innate free will and 3) his decision is not coerced by any
outside factor. Feelings and emotions are one and the same for it plays merely to the weakness of
men which some sociologists dubbed as “human frailties”. It can never be used as an excuse for
our negative actions for if we allow our emotions to “decide” then we are not acting as human
beings. Brutes react only to mere instincts for they lack reason, emotions are devoid of reason and
rely to spur-of-the-moment decisions or the mood of the doer.
The ethics of Love
Many people are confused between love and emotions. We think that emotions are strong
because of love for it propels people to feel it. We have to refute this perverted claim, in the
scientific world emotions can be seen through the face of the doer (see emoticons) from there we
can discern happiness, sadness, anger and content but what moves them, it is not love but drives.
By drive me mean the cravings of men that they simply can’t do without such as hunger, need for
sex, companionship and the likes. From these needs man developed a desire to acquire them by
any means possible and emotions are born, if we succeed in doing so we felt happy or contented if
not it lead to frustration that may later result into anger or sadness. These craving of man boosted
his competitive nature that he won’t stop until he achieved it. In short, emotions are simply
attachments that resulted due to man’s desires. Love on the other hand is an intense feeling of
deep affection that is also a drive but compared to emotion which is solely for self-
aggrandizement, love does not necessarily have to be reciprocated. Man can love another person,
thing or event even if it does not render love in return. In relation to love when it comes to moral
decision such love is acceptable just as long as it is guided by morality and reason.
Vice and Virtue
Socrates once said that, “knowledge is virtue and ignorance is vice”. We got these things
from the habits we obtain from dealing with people in our everyday lives. A virtue is a trait or
Course Module
quality that is deemed to be morally good and thus is valued as a foundation of principle and good
moral being while vice is the opposite is what we know as vice. Different from feelings, this is not a
spur-of-the-moment affair, this develops as man progressed intellectually and physically. Bad
habits develop into vice that as mentioned earlier the opposite of virtue.
Moral Values – are those pertaining to the functions of the intellect and the will – that may
be our choices, decisions and actions that became habits. This later will develop spiritual growth
that is part of human perfection. Moral values have the following characteristics: a) they have
intrinsic work – they are good acts in themselves without any shadow of doubt, b) they are
universally accepted by all people and c) they are obligatory which means everyone is expected to
abide by it considering that it is a universally accepted good.
Guidelines for choosing values:
1. Paramount or lasting values over temporal ones
2. Values favored by the majority instead by a few individuals
3. Essential values must be preferred over the accidental
4. Moral values must be preferred over physical values

References and Supplementary Materials

Books and Journals
1. Agapay, Ramon B.; Ethics and the Filipinos; Mandaluyong Metro Manila, National
Book Store Inc.
2. Babor, Eddie R.; Ethics – The Philosophical Discipline of Action; Manile, Rex Book
Store
3. Montemayor, Felix; Ethics the Philippines; Navotas Metro Manila; National Book
Store

Online Supplementary Reading Materials

1. Love isn’t an emotion; https://theanatomyoflove.com/what-is-love/love-isn’t-an-
emotion/ ; October 26, 2016
2. Virtue; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtue;