What is Ethics?
Anthropocentric Epoch
• The term philosophy comes from two
Greek words "philos" which means
"love," and "sophia" which means
"wisdom." Etymologically, philosophy
means "love of wisdom," thus, a
philosopher is a "lover of wisdom."
• Wisdom here does not mean wisdom
of your learnings by reading books or
becoming a topnotcher in the exam,
rather it refers to holistic
understanding of human existence,
on how you ought to live and process
your daily experience to reflect and
discover the meaning of life
Stages of Development in
Philosophical Study
The development in the study of
Philosophy can be divided basically
into Three Major Epochs:
1. Cosmocentric Epoch
- ANCIENT EPOCH
- The focus of their thought is to study
the origin / the “primordial stuff” of
the universe.
- THALES
- ANAXIMANDER
- PLATO, etc.
2. Theocentric Epoch
- MEDIEVAL EPOCH
- The focus of their thought is to know
what/who controls everything or
whether there is God or there is no
God.
- ST. AUGUSTINE THOMAS
AQUINAS, etc.
3.
- MODERN EPOCH
- The focus of man’s thought
is directed towards himself,
asking “who am I?” “What
am I here for?” “How should
I behave with others?”
- RENE DESCARTES
- FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE
- I. KANT, Etc.
Moral Philosophy 
- Moral philosophy is the
branch of philosophy that
contemplates what is right
and wrong. It explores the
nature of morality and
examines how people
should live their lives in
relation to others.
Ethics Defined
Ethics is the science of the morality of
human conduct.
 Human conduct is free,
knowing, deliberate human
activity. Such activity is either in
agreement and disagreement
with the dictates of human
reason. Now the relation
(agreement or disagreement) of
human activity with the dictates
of reason is called MORALITY.
 Ethics deals with the morality of
human conduct.
 The term ETHICS is derived
from the Greek word “ethos,”
which means “a characteristic
way of acting.”
ETHICS is the practical science of
the Morality of Human Conduct
A. Ethics is a science.
 A science is a relatively
complete and systematically
arranged body of connected
data together with the causes or
reasons by which these data
are known to be true.
 it is a complete and
systematically arranged body of
data which relate to the morality
of human conduct; and it
presents the reasons which
show these data to be true.
C. Ethics is a science of human
conduct.
 By human conduct we mean
only such human activity as is
deliberate and free.
 A deliberate and free act, as act
performed with advertence and
motive, an act determined
(chosen and given existence)
by the free will is called a
human act.
 Acts performed by human
beings without advertence, or
without the exercise of free
choices, are called acts of
man.
Human Acts
Actions done Consciously and freely
by the agent or by man
Essential Qualities of Human Acts:
1. Knowledge of the act
2. Freedom
3. Voluntariness
Human Acts vs. Acts of Man
Acts of Man
Actions beyond one’s
consciousness; not
dependent on the intellect &
the will
Essential Qualities of Acts of
Man:
1. Done without knowledge
2. Without consent
3. Involuntary
ETHICS is the practical science of
the Morality of Human Conduct
 Ethics is a science of human
conduct.
 The constituents of the Human
Act are knowledge, freedom
and voluntariness.
D. Ethics is the science of the
morality of human conduct.
 Human conduct is free,
knowing, deliberate human
activity. Such activity is either in
agreement and disagreement
with the dictates of human
reason. Now the relation
(agreement or disagreement) of
human activity with the dictates
of reason is called MORALITY.
  Ethics studies human activity to
determine what it must be to
stand in harmony with the
dictates of reason. Hence,
Ethics deals with the morality
of human conduct.
E. The term ETHICS is derived
from the Greek word ethos,
which means “a
characteristic way of acting.”
 Now the characteristic mark of
human conduct is found in the
free and deliberate use of the
will: in a word, this characteristic
is found in human acts. Thus
we perceive that the name
ETHICS is suitably employed to
designate the science of human
acts, of human conduct.
 MORALITY is derived from the
Latin word mos, moris which
means “character, behavior,
morals, custom, or habit.”
 Thus we understand ETHICS
as the same as MORAL
PHILOSOPHY or MORAL
SCIENCE.
Ethics & Moral Philosophy
(Difference) Morality and Ethics
according to M. Velasquez:
 Morality pertains to standards of
right and wrong, usually
inherited from a community.
But… Ethics studies standards of right
and wrong, the act of making a
decision, the nature of the agent who
makes the decision.
Branches of Moral Philosophy
1. Meta-Ethics – concerning the
theoretical meaning and
reference of moral propositions,
and how their truth values (if
any) can be determined.
 It answers the questions: What
is morality? What is justice? Is
there truth? How can I justify my
belief as better than the beliefs
held by others?
2. Normative Ethics – concerning
the practical means of
determining a moral course of
action.
 Answers the question: What we
ought to do?
3. Applied Ethics – concerning
what a person is obligated (or
permitted) to do in a special
situation or a particular domain
of action; looks at controversial
topics like war, animal rights
and capital punishment.
 Answers the question: should
we lie to help a friend or co-
worker?
Importance of Ethics
Basic principles of ethics can help us
lead a more fulfilling life whether on a
personal or professional level.
However, our commitment to act in
accordance with ethical principles is
often challenged, perhaps because of
pressures or being confronted by a
moral dilemma that poses us a
seemingly equally important values
and you are left unable to decide on
the matter.
Knowing the principles in ethics and the society or the environment.
morality will give you enough tools in For example, the Code of Ethics
critical decision making in most aspect is used to determine discipline
of your lives. In addition, ethics is procedures and the acceptable
important because of the following: behavior for all people in an
organization.
1. It satisfies basic human
needs – viz., being fair, honest Why Should Students Study Ethics?
and ethical. Every employee
1. Ethics allows you to live an
desires to himself and to work
authentic and meaningful life.
for an organization that is fair
and ethical in its practices. 2. Ethics make you more
successful.
2. It creates credibility – an
organization driven by moral 3. Ethics allows you to cultivate
values is respected in the inner peace.
society. A company known to
4. Ethics provides for a stable
have a good corporate
society.
governance and social
responsibility initiatives will have 5. Ethics may help out in the
a good impression to people. afterlife.
3. It unites people and leaders – Four Postulates of Actions in Ethics
an organization driven by moral
1. That there are actions which are
values is revered by its
right or wrong and good or bad;
employees. This reflects
behaviors of people within the 2. That there are actions which
organization. man is obligated and not
obligated to do;
4. It improves decision-making
– decisions are driven by 3. That man is responsible for his
values. Man’s destiny is the actions; and
result of all decisions he takes
4. That right actions are
in life, and it is all founded on
rewardable and wrong actions
the values he has.
punishable.
5. It secures the society – ethics
often succeeds because there
is a law safeguarding the
society. At the times the law is
not helping a great deal, ethics
can. Ethics tries to create a
sense of right and wrong in the
organizations specially when
the law fails, ethics may stop
the organization from harming