WEEK 1: ETHICS DEFINED

Targeted Objectives

The learners will be able to:

… provide a personal definition of Ethics.
… differentiate moral from the non-moral standard.
… express the differences of ordinary rules from moral rules/standards.

Importance of Ethics

One cannot but notice the different judgments made on the different actions preferred by individuals from situations that needed
responses. The fast-changing world offers us various alternatives as to what would be the appropriate choice of actions for a simple or
complicated circumstance. The advances in technologies and science challenge our traditional beliefs, which have been parts of our
lives and are the guiding codes on how to act properly as we integrate ourselves in the society. Also, the economic realities greatly
influence the kind of action one has to consider before making decisions. The structure of the society cannot be denied since individuals
are parts of it. Another phenomenon that affects our actions today is the pluralistic worldviews. This refers to the belief in two or more
worldviews as being equally valid or acceptable. Thus the individual or communal perspectives on certain matters are considered along
with on how the people around the world see them. And lastly, the global communication that makes the world we are living in a village.
The accessibility of information makes people easily compare notes whether on an action is right or wrong. The complications of life in
this new era sometimes make people disagree on what is right and wrong, what is to be done or not, or how things should decide. We
cannot avoid ethical issues in our day-to-day routines. We need to face them; make decisions and hopefully act rightly.

We may have our own basis for our actions. But the world outside of us has also to be considered. Thus the basic understanding of moral
principles that governs a person's behavior or the conducting of an activity is important in equipping ourselves in facing ethical issues
and dilemmas in a more advanced world of today.

Albert Camus once said that a man without ethics is a wild beast loosed upon this world. It is important to study ethics since it seeks to
discern what is the best course of action in any given situation and not like be an individual whose judgments for his actions is his
satisfaction.

Meaning of Ethics and Morals

Socrates, in Plato’s Republic, said that what we will be discussing is no small matter, but how we ought to live. Ethics may not be as
important as the new discoveries of the contemporary world or may be considered to some as a subject to discuss that belongs to
antiquity, yet value always shines in every decision and every act executed. Plato even reminded us that it is no small matter since
involves how we ought to live our lives not only in relation to one’s self but most especially to others.

Once a mother watched her drugged ten-year child raped, killed and dismembered by her partner and boyfriend's cousin the day after
her birthday. The mother “liked watching her being raped” by her partner and did nothing to stop the attack, even though her daughter
begged for her help.

After reading the story our hearts are raging with hatred against the rapists and much more to the mother who enjoyed watching her
daughter being raped, killed and dismembered. Without a second thought, we would immediately point our fingers and make judgments
that the things done to the poor were child morally bad and that the mother was a heartless individual whose place should not be in a
free society but in a place where outcast are grieving for their mistakes.

The case of Kitty Genovese was different. She attacked three times and stabbed several times. There were thirty-eight people who merely
watched the assaults. It was only later that a woman had the courage to call the police about the incident. When the police came, Kitty
Genovese was dead. Only the woman who called the police testified about the tragedy.

We may now question, why the thirty-eight witnesses did not make any move to stop the assailant? They may have their reasons why
they did not lift a finger to help Kitty. Had one of them immediately made an intervention to stop the assailant, Kitty could have been
saved. As responsible individuals, where is there moral responsibility? Were their excuses free them moral liability? Would they consider
their acts as good since they are also protecting themselves? These and many other questions are the why ethics is of no small matter
for it involves our every decision and act.
1
What is ethics then?
In an article appeared in Issues in Ethics IIE V1 N1 (Fall 1987) it was said that when the sociologist Raymond Baumhart asked some
businessmen on what was their personal notion on ethics, coming from different perspectives, they had a diverse idea of what ethics is.

One emotionally defined Ethics as that which has to do with what his feelings telling him is right or wrong. There was a time that
everybody embraced the idea of putting our trust in our feelings. When we fell something intense it has to be seen as something truthful
and needs to be considered despite it’s being imprecise. This should not be kept in our hearts for they might be significant indications
of something. When one feels guilty it might be a sign that that individual has done something wrong. Or when one feels uneasy there
might be something to happen unfavorably. But experiences tell us that for many times that our feelings cannot be trusted. A person
following his feeling may end up doing what is wrong. Feelings sometimes cloud our judgment to do what is right.

Another respondent equated Ethics with his religious beliefs. If Ethics is placed only in the realm of religion and every religion has its
own standard of morality, then the concept of what right and wrong become relative to every religious group. Besides, again if we
confine ethics to religion, this would make the unbelievers are exempted in our judgment of what is right or wrong.

One businessman claimed that Ethics is the same as following the Law. Many of us would subscribe to this claim. Both Ethics and Law
are guides on how we act in a society. There are many laws that integrate some ethical canons that are accepted by the people who are
to follow them. But looking back on our history and even now, we cannot but disagree with the idea that Ethics is the same as following
the Law. Before it was right to sell slaves for they were but just properties of their masters. There are many laws in the Old Testament
of the Bible that is not relevant to the present days. United nations even condemn death penalty, which some countries are still practicing,
claiming that it has no place in the 21st century. Clearly, these only show that Ethics is not the same as following the Law.

Finally, another respondent maintained that Ethics is doing the same as to what is being accepted by the society. Many of what is
accepted by a society are ethical. In fact, it is the greatest number of the society that makes the judgment or decision one makes in
determining right and wrong. It was stressed in The Wrath of Khan (1982) when Spock says, “Logic clearly dictates that the needs of
the many outweigh the needs of the few.” Jeremy Bentham took it as gospel by proclaiming that the greatest happiness of the greatest
number is the foundation of morals and legislation. However, we know for a fact that this not true all the time. The Man from Nazareth
was rejected by many and even by his own people when he introduced new teachings foreign from what was accepted during those
times. Same also with what happened to the Italian polymath, Galileo Galilei, who was hated by many when he contradicted the teaching
of the powerful Church that the world was not flat.

The word "ethics" originates from the Greek word ēthos, which means habit, custom, or character. It is defined as the science of morals
(from the Greek hē ēthikē tekhnē). It is a branch of philosophy that deals with how should man ideally acts and relates to the society.
As a philosophical discipline of study, the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy defines Ethics as a science that involves systematizing,
defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong conduct. In practice, ethics pursues to settle uncertainties of human morality
by defining the nuances of what is good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime.

Ethics covers the following dilemmas (a) how to carry on with a decent life; (b) our rights and duties; (c) the language of right and
wrong; and (d) moral choices - what is virtuous and evil? Our concepts of ethics have been derived from religions, philosophies, and
cultures. They infuse debates on topics like abortion, human rights and professional conduct.

Morality, on the other hand, is ones’ own personal sense of what is right or wrong. It is not imposed on anyone, it is what you think a
good and bad person is. Deigh (2010) defines morality in the sense used in philosophical ethics as standards of right and wise conduct
whose authority in practical thought is determined by reason rather than custom.

In a capsule, Ethics refers to the standards, rules, norms by external sources like the society, profession or community where an individual
resides. It is external by nature since with it is ones social obligation to follow the standards of a community and within cultural norms.
While morality, on the other hand, refers to the principles or habits with respect to right or wrong conduct. It is internal in nature for it
involves the individual belief of what is good or bad. It transcends cultural norms.

Difference between ethics and morality is summarized in the table below.

Ethics Morals
What are they? The rules of conduct recognized in Principles or habits with respect to right or wrong
respect to a particular class of human conduct. While morals also prescribe dos and don'ts,
actions or a particular group or culture. morality is ultimately a personal compass of right and
wrong.
Where do they Social system ‐ External Individual ‐ Internal
come from?
Why we do it? Because society says it is the right thing to Because we believe in something being right or wrong.
do.
Flexibility Ethics are dependent on others for Usually consistent, although can change if an
definition. They tend to be consistent individual’s beliefs change.
within a certain context but can vary
between contexts.
 The "Gray" A person strictly following Ethical A Moral Person although perhaps bound by a higher
Principles may not have any Morals at all. covenant, may choose to follow a code of ethics as it
Likewise, one could violate Ethical would apply to a system. "Make it fit"
Principles within a given system of rules
in order to maintain Moral integrity.
Origin Greek word "ethos" meaning “character" Latin word "mos" meaning "custom"
Acceptability Ethics are governed by professional and Morality transcends cultural norms
legal guidelines within a particular time
and place
https://www.diffen.com/difference/Ethics_vs_Morals

Approaches to Ethics

Philosophers these days tend to isolate ethical theories into three fields: metaethics, normative ethics, and applied ethics.

Meta-ethics manages the idea of good and moral judgment. It takes a gander at the starting points and importance of moral standards.

Normative ethics is involved in the matter of good judgments and the criteria for what is correct or off-base.

Applied ethics takes a gander at questionable points like war, every living creature's common-sense entitlement, and the death penalty.

Uses of Ethics

In the event that ethical theories are to be valuable practically speaking, they have to influence the way individuals carry on. A few
savants imagine that morals do this. They contend that if a man understands that it would be ethically great to accomplish something
then it would be unreasonable for that individual not to do it. Be that as it may, individuals regularly act unreasonably - they take after
their 'gut nature' notwithstanding when their head proposes an alternate game-plan. Be that as it may, morals provide great devices for
pondering good issues.

Ethics can offer a moral chart. Most moral issues get us pretty worked up - think of abortion and euthanasia for starters. Because these
are such emotional issues we often let our hearts do the arguing while our brains just go with the flow. But there's another way of tackling
these issues, and that's where philosophers can come in - they offer us ethical rules and principles that enable us to take a cooler view
of moral problems. So, ethics provides us with a moral map, a framework that we can use to find our way through difficult issues.

Morals can identify differences among individuals. Utilizing the system of morals, two individuals who are contending an ethical issue
can regularly find that what they differ is only one specific piece of the issue and that they comprehensively concede to everything else.
That can remove a considerable measure of warmth from the contention, and in some cases even allude to a path for them to determine
their concern. Yet, some of the time morals doesn't furnish individuals with the kind of assistance that they truly need.

Ethics doesn't give correct responses. Ethics doesn't generally demonstrate the correct response to moral issues. In fact, an ever-
increasing number of individuals feel that for some moral issues there isn't a solitary right answer - only an arrangement of rules that
can be connected to specific cases to give those included some unmistakable decisions. A few thinkers go further and say that all morals
can do is wipe out disarray and elucidate the issues. From that point onward, it's up to every person to arrive at their own decisions.

Ethics can give a few answers. Numerous individuals need there to be a solitary right response to moral inquiries. They discover moral
uncertainty difficult to live with in light of the fact that they truly need to do the 'right' thing, and regardless of whether they can't work
out what that correct thing is, they like 'someplace' there is one right answer. Be that as it may, regularly there isn't one right answer -
there might be a few right answers or simply some most exceedingly bad answers - and the individual must pick between them. For
others, moral vagueness is troublesome on the grounds that it constrains them to assume liability for their own particular decisions and
activities, instead of falling back on helpful principles and traditions.

Conflict Between Ethics and Morals

One expert case of morals clashing with ethics is crafted by a guard lawyer. An attorney's ethics may disclose to her that murder is
indefensible and that killers ought to be penalized, however, her morals as an expert legal advisor, expect her to protect her client to the
best of her capacities, regardless of whether she realizes that the client is blameworthy.

Another illustration can be found in the medicinal field. In many parts of the world, a specialist may not euthanize a patient, even at the
patient's demand, according to moral gauges for wellbeing experts. Nonetheless, a similar specialist may actually have confidence in a
patient's entitlement to pass on, according to the specialist's own particular ethical quality.
Moral and Non-moral Standards

The things we considered morally right and wrong based on the norms we believe could help us develop our relationship in a society
are parts of the standards of morality. These also include the values we integrate on the things we consider morally good and morally
bad. To always respect every human being is the norm of our moral standards. The reason why we respect every human being, i.e. every
human being has dignity, is the value we put in this act.

These moral standards are absorbed from our environment like our family, friends and the various communities we are associated with.
These standards are dynamic since they will change as we mature with our experiences and learnings in life. To waste money on material
things, for example, maybe an ordinary thing for you to do when you were younger. This might change later in your life when you
realize that there are more valuable things where your money must be spent on education, charitable works and the like.

But how do we know that our action is morally good?

When our act genuinely benefits the recipient then it is within the standard or morality. Taking of the needy, for example, is a good act
which normally it would benefit the recipient. Depriving the disadvantaged of their needs, on the other hand, is an act that would damage
more of their unfortunate situation.

Moral standard is not dependent on a group who may have authority in a certain community. The Senate cannot change the notion that
respecting our parents is a noble act that children are expected to give to them. There must be reasonable reason/s to rationalize why
such an act is not morally good.

Moral obligation is another way to know if our act is within the moral standards. People are not legally required to give to charities, but
they may feel a personal obligation to do so because they believe it is the right thing to do. Given that one has the capacity to help, he
still has the moral obligation to extend his hands to the needy even if that person belongs to the camp of your rivals.

In appraising moral standards, it is not reliant on the interest of a few. It has to be judged in the interest of everyone. It has to be applied
universally. To kill a person, therefore, cannot be accepted to the standards of morality since generally, it causes pain to the recipient of
the action and accordingly does not benefit it though it may satisfy the desires of a few.

Lastly, there are particular feelings that we experienced after we have done something good or bad. After doing charitable works we
feel good about ourselves. But when cheat during an examination or in a relationship, we feel guilty about it. This special feeling of
guilty is associated with the standards of morality. There is something inside of us telling us that what we have done is shameless.

Sources:

Ethics IIE V1 N1 (Fall 1987). Revised in 2010.

Ethics: A General Introduction http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/introduction/intro_1.shtml
Davis, A. J., & Aroskar, M. A. (1983). Ethical dilemmas and nursing practice, (2nd ed.). Norwalk, CT: Appleton-Century-Crofts
John Deigh 2010.An Introduction to Ethics. University of Texas,
Wallace, D. and Pekel, J. (2006). The Ten Step Method of Decisionmaking. Consultants of the Twin Cities-based Fulcrum Group
https://www.scribd.com/document/17608608/Morality-and-Moral-Standards
https://www.scu.edu/ethics/ethics-resources/ethical-decision-making/what-is-ethics/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuadyVjs628