SY.

2021-2022

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

AURORA STATE COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY
BALER, AURORA

Introduction
to Ethics

Difference
between Moral
and Non-Moral

Shiela Vee O. Iniwan, LPT

INSTRUCTOR
Intended Learning Outcomes:
MODULE: 1
a. Differentiate between moral and non-moral
standards.
Specific Lesson Objectives:
At the end of this module, the students will be able
to:
1.Differentiate between ethics and morality.
2.Distinguish between moral and non-moral
standards.
3.Relate the principles of moral and non-moral
standards to real-life experiences.
4.Identify some real-life situations where they used
their personal knowledge about ethics.

INTRODUCTION TO ETHICS
Ethics – it is a system of moral principles. They affect how people make decisions and lead
their lives.
·It is concerned with what is good for individuals and society and is also described as
moral philosophy.
The term is derived from the Greek word ethos which means custom, habit, character, or
disposition.
Ethics covers the following dilemmas:
-How to live a good life
-Our rights and responsibilities
-The language of right and wrong
-Moral decisions – what is good and bad?
·Our concepts of ethics have been derived from religions, philosophies, and cultures. They
infuse debates on topics like abortion, human rights, and professional conduct.
 AREAS OF
ETHICAL STUDY
Philosophers nowadays tend to divide ethical theories into three areas:
meta-ethics, normative ethics, and applied ethics.
a.Meta-ethics
-Focuses on the meaning of ethical terms themselves (Ex. “What is goodness?”) and on
questions of how ethical knowledge is obtained (Ex. “How can I distinguish what is good
from what is bad?”)
Concerned with the nature of ethical properties, statements, attitudes, and judgments.
·Examines themes as what moral questions mean, and on what basis people can know
what is “true or false”.

b.Normative Ethics
-It is the study of ethical acts.
-Focuses on questions of “what is the right thing to do?” in general.
Concerned with questions of what people ought to do, and on how people can decide what
the “correct” moral actions to take are.

c.Applied Ethics
-Concerned with how people can achieve moral outcomes in specific situations.
-Concerned with the philosophical examination of a particular – and often complex – issues
that involve moral judgments.
-Areas such as bioethics, environmental ethics, development ethics and business/corporate
ethics may be regarded as areas of applied ethics.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ETHICS AND MORALITY

ETHICS – OFTEN USED IN CONNECTION WITH THE ACTIVITIES OF
ORGANIZATIONS AND WITH PROFESSIONAL CODES OF CONDUCT: FOR
INSTANCE, MEDICAL AND BUSINESS ETHICS, WHICH ARE OFTEN
FORMALIZED IN TERMS OF EXHAUSTIVE SETS OF RULES OR
GUIDELINES STATING HOW EMPLOYEES ARE EXPECTED TO BEHAVE
IN THEIR WORKPLACES.

MORALITY – MORE OFTEN USED IN CONNECTION WITH THE WAYS

IN WHICH INDIVIDUALS CONDUCT THEIR PERSONAL, PRIVATE
LIVES, OFTEN IN RELATION TO PERSONAL FINANCIAL PROBITY,
LAWFUL CONDUCT AND ACCEPTABLE STANDARDS OF
INTERPERSONAL BEHAVIOR (INCLUDING TRUTHFULNESS,
HONESTY, AND SEXUAL PROPRIETY).

 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MORAL

AND NON-MORAL STANDARD

Morality – refer to standards that a person or a group has about what is

right and wrong, or good and evil. It is also concerned with or relating to
human behavior, especially the distinction between good and bad (or
right and wrong) behavior.
Moral Standards
Involve the rules people have about the kinds of actions they believe are
morally right and wrong, morally acceptable and morally unacceptable as
well as the values they place on the kinds of objects they believe are morally
good and morally bad.
Specifically, moral standards deal with matters which can either seriously harm
or seriously benefit human beings.
The validity of moral standards comes from the line of reasoning that was
taken to back or support them, and thus is not able to be formed or changed
by particular bodies of authorities.
It normally promotes “the good”, that is, the welfare and well-being of humans
as well as animals and the environment.
Prescribe what humans ought to do in terms of rights and obligations.
According to some scholars, moral standards are the sum of combined norm
and values.
It can also be connected to or called moral values and moral principles.
Example:
“We are always under the obligation to fulfill our promises.”
“It is always believed that killing innocent people is absolutely wrong.”
“Helping the poor is good.”
“Cheating during exams is bad.”
 Non-moral
Standards

-Refer to rules that are unrelated to moral or ethical considerations.

-Either these standards are not necessarily linked to morality or by nature lack
ethical sense.
-Refer to standards by which we judge what is good or bad and right or wrong
in a non-moral way.

Non-moral standards are matters of taste or preference. Hence, scrupulous observance of

these types of standards does not make one a moral person. Violation of said standards also
does not pose any threat to human well-being.

Example:
·Standards of etiquette by which we judge manners as good or bad
·Standards we call the law by which we judge something as legal or illegal
·Standards of aesthetics by which we judge art as good or rubbish

-Technically, religious rules, some traditions, and legal statutes (i.e. laws and ordinances)
are non-moral principles, though they can be ethically relevant depending on some factors
and contexts.

-Finally, as a way of distinguishing moral standards from non-moral ones, if a moral

standards says “Do not harm innocent people” or “Don’t steal.”, a non-moral standards
says “Don’t text while driving” or “Don’t talk while the mouth is full.”
”The following six characteristics of moral standards further differentiate
them from non-moral standards:
a. Moral standards involve serious wrongs or significant benefits.
·Moral standards deal with matters which can seriously impact, that is injure or benefit
human beings.
For example, following or violating some basketball rules may matter in basketball games
but does not necessarily affect one’s life or wellbeing.
b. Moral standards ought to be preferred to other values.
·If a moral standard states that a person has the moral obligation to do something, then
he/she is supposed to do that even if it conflicts with other non-moral standards, and even
with self-interest.

Moral standards are not the only rules or principles in society, but they take precedence
over other considerations, including aesthetic, prudential, and even legal ones.
For example, a person may be aesthetically justified in leaving behind his family in order
to devote his life to painting, but morally, all things considered, he/she probably was not
justified.
For example, there is a general moral duty to obey the law, but there may come a time
when the injustice of an evil law is unbearable and thus calls for illegal but moral
noncooperation (such as the antebellum laws calling for citizens to return slaves to their
owner).
c. Moral standards are not established by authority figures.
·Moral standards are not invented, formed, or generated by authoritative bodies or
persons such as nation’s legislative bodies.
·Ideally instead, these values ought to be considered in the process of making laws.
d. Moral standards have the trait of universalizability.
·Moral principles must apply to all who are in the relevantly similar situation.
For example, if one judges that Act A is morally right for a certain Person P, then it it
morally right for anybody relevantly similar to P.
This characteristic is exemplified in the Golden Rule, “Do not do unto others what you
don’t want others to do unto you.” It cannot be right for A to treat B in a manner in
which it would be wrong for B to treat A, merely on the ground that they are two
different individuals.

e. Moral standards are based on impartial considerations.

Impartiality is usually depicted as being free of bias or prejudice.
·Impartiality in morality requires that we give equal and/ or adequate consideration to the
interests of all concerned parties.

f. Moral standards are associated with special emotions and

vocabulary.
Prescriptively indicates the practical or action-guiding nature of moral
standards. These moral standards are generally put forth as injunction or
imperatives (such as, “Do not kill.”, “Do nit unnecessary harm.”, and “Love your
neighbor.”)
·These principles are proposed for use, to advice, and to influence to action.
·This feature is used to evaluate behavior, to assign praise and blame, and to
produce feelings of satisfaction or of guilt.

For example, if a person violates a moral standard by telling a lie even to fulfill
a special purpose, it is not surprising if he/she starts feeling guilty or being
ashamed of his behavior afterwards. On the contrary, no much guilt is felt if one
goes against the current fashion trend (e.g. refusing to wear tattered jeans