A.

Definition of Terms:
• Ethics is a branch of philosophy that studies morality or the rightness or wrongness of human conduct.
• Philosophy is the science of beings in their ultimate causes and principles acquired through the use of reason alone.
• Morality refers to the code or system of behavior in regards to the standards of right or wrong behaviors.

B. Ethics as Moral Philosophy

• Ethics evaluates moral concepts, values, principles, and standards
• It is concerned with norms of human conduct; hence, it is considered a normative study of human actions

C. Ethics as it Relates to Character

• Character is the pattern of virtues and vices revealed in the life and relationship of an individual
• Words like generous, conscientious, and honest refer to morally good character traits- virtues.
• Words like envious, insensitive, and vain refer to morally bad character traits– vices.

D. The Concerns of Ethics

• concerned with the recognition of the inherent value of people (both others and ourselves), a value which is not
reducible to how others benefit us
• Moreover, ethics is concerned with
 how we should act;
 the kinds of person we should become;
 the kinds of relationship we should have; and
 the kinds of communities and institutions; we should promote.
• It calls for SENSITIVITY to people as morally significant creatures who sometimes deserve esteem, compassion, and
support and who sometimes experience guilt, shame, vulnerability, and despair.
• It involves APPRECIATING those aspects of situations that are relevant to valuing persons (and animals)
• It calls for SENSITIVITY to people as morally significant creatures who sometimes deserve esteem, compassion, and
support and who sometimes experience guilt, shame, vulnerability, and despair.
• It involves APPRECIATING those aspects of situations that are relevant to valuing persons (and animals)

E. The Importance of Rules to Social Being:

1. regulates behavior
2. guarantees certain rights and freedom
3. produce a sense of justice
4. promotes healthy economic systems

F. Moral Standards and Non-moral

• Not all rules or standards are moral rules or standards
• Moral standard concerned with or relating to human behavior, especially the distinction between good and bad
behavior
• It is about valuation: what is acceptable; the good thing that we should pursue or the right ways in which we could or
should act

G. Moral standards
a. involve serious or grave wrongs or significant benefits;
b. take precedence over other considerations;
c. not established by authority figures;
d. have the trait of universality; and
e. based on impartial considerations

H. Non-moral Standards
1. Aesthetics (“sense”, “feeling”, or “taste”)
2. Etiquette (“pleasing” or “politeness”)
3. Technical (technique of doing things)
4. Technically religious rules, some traditions, and legal statutes are non-moral principles

I. Moral Dilemma
• Dilemma refers to situations in which tough choice has to make between two or more options, especially more or less
equally undesirable ones.
• Moral/ethical dilemmas are situations in which difficult choices have to be made between two courses of action, either
of which entails transgressing a moral principle
• Three levels of moral dilemma
1. Personal—experienced and resolved on the personal level
2. Organizational—encountered and resolved by social organizations (business, medical field, public sector)
3. Structural—cases involving a network of institutions and operative theoretical paradigms (encompass multi-sectoral
institutions and organizations)