UNIT 1 – UNDERSTANDING MORALITY AND MORAL STANDARDS

OVERVIEW:

All societies have their moral standards which individuals

try to decide what should be or should not be done. Man
knows what is good and what should be or should not be
done. Man knows what is good and what is evil. He is
conscious that he is obliged to do good and avoid the evil.
He is conscious that he exists and his existence is geared
towards his goals in life. In doing so he is a faced with
freedom to choose some alternatives means to use good or
evil, the right or wrong. For this reason, man’s acts to attain
his goals become subject to morality. Hence, Ethics is
developed as a science for the study of morality of human Should I do or should I not do?
acts. (Gualdo, R. S. Professional Ethics with Introductory to General
Ethics. 2005. Anahaw Enterprises. Cabanatuan City.)

LEARNING OUTCOMES: After successful completion of this unit, you should be able to:

1. Identify the relationship between Ethics, Laws, and Religion

2. Recall experiences that can be classified as moral, immoral and non-moral

3. Describe moral standards as to Consequence and Non-Consequence

4. Justify the occurrence of an event as to moral, immoral and amoral event.

5. Detect a moral dilemma: for individual, organization, and structural

6. Identify the three levels of moral dilemmas

COURSE MATERIALS:
ETHICS, RELIGION, LAWS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP

Ethics, in general, is about good things we should do and the bad things we should avoid; the right
ways we should act and the wrong ways of acting. It is about what is acceptable and unacceptable in
human behavior. It may involve obligations that we expected to fulfill, prohibitions that we are required to
respect, or ideals that we encouraged to meet. (Bulaong, O. G. et al. Ethics: Foundations of Moral Valuation. 2018.
Rex Book Store, Inc. Manila.)

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 Ethics is derived from a Greek word “ethikos”, which means having to do with character or “ethos”,
meaning characteristics way of acting. Hence, the word Ethics is designated as the science of human
conduct. For example, when an individual correctly distinguishes what is right from what is wrong, not
only in knowledge but also in practice, we usually brand him as “morally good man”; otherwise, if he does
not act or behave in conformity with practiced moral principles, we call him “immoral person”.

For purpose of this course, Ethics is defined as the “practical and philosophical science of the
morality of human acts or human conduct. It is practical science because we applied it in our daily
living. Philosophical because it is concerned with questions of how people ought to act and the search
for a definition of right conduct and the good life. (Professional Ethics with Introductory General Ethics (2005)
Gualdo, Rosendo. Anahaw Entreprises, Cabnatuan City)

Ethics and Religion are both concerned with moral education. However, they differ from each other
since Ethics is a science and relies on reasons for its conclusions; while Religion is a system of beliefs
and practices based on faith and revelations or truths revealed to man by God. Ethics teaches the
value of religion, presenting it as a duty of man towards God. Religion, on the other hand and as an
organized church or institutions, contributes to the development of ethical thoughts. (Ethics and the Filipino.
Agapay, Ramon B. 2008. National Book Store, Mandaluyong City, MM)

Laws are rules developed by governments in order to provide balance in society and protection
to its citizens. Laws are enforced by governments to its people. It binds people because Law eTcan
punish people if they choose to do wrong. However, the Laws of society sometimes legalizes immoral
acts like gambling, divorce, abortion (in some countries), even drugs. Human Laws regulate external
actions but not thoughts and feeling. Example, thinking of robbing a bank is not a crime until it is
attempted. Will you cite examples of gambling being legalized by the Law? Are there laws or bills that
legalizes abortion or divorce? Are all Laws moral? Why? or why not? (Ethics and the Filipino. Agapay, Ramon
B. 2008. National Book Store, Mandaluyong City, MM)

MORAL AND NON-MORAL STANDARDS

Ethics provides the person with the knowledge that he may know what to do and how to do it. It guides
to the performance of an act. Thus, the practice of ethics is known as morality. Morality is concerned
with the standards of right or wrong behavior. Knowing is different from doing. Man does not
necessarily do what he knows. For example, everybody knows that we shouldn’t cheat. A student, who
doesn’t cheat, in any form of cheating, is doing a right behavior and therefore, his action is morally good.
However, if such student cheats during examinations, knowing that cheating is bad, then, he is doing the
wrong behavior. His action of cheating is branded as immoral.

Moral and immoral are two words we often hear. What do these refer to? Is immoral synonymous to
non-moral? Let’s clarify this. Moral is adjective that conforms to a standard of what is right and good.
It implies conformity to established sanctioned codes or accepted notions of right and wrong. On the
other hand, all acts done opposite the moral acts are said to be immoral acts. If we believed that
telling the truth is morally good; then, telling lies is morally bad or immoral acts. Amoral acts are those
that are unconcerned with the rightness or wrongness of something.

Moral Standard refers to the norms which have about the types of actions which we believed to
be morally acceptable and morally unacceptable. It involved the rules people have about the kinds
of actions they believe to be morally right and wrong and the values they place on the kinds of objects
they believed morally good and morally bad. Its validity comes from the line of reasoning that was taken
to back or support them, and thus are not able to be formed or changed by particular bodies of authority.

Some Moral standards are universally accepted and not universally accepted. For example, most
societies believe killing is wrong, but some make an exception for killing in a war fought to protect the
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country or killing in self-defense. This is universally accepted moral standards. To some Euthanasia,
abortion or death penalty are morally acceptable but under what circumstances. Other moral standards
are open to individual interpretation, such as how to raise children responsibly. Most people would agree
about basic need for children, but might disagree about morals behind how to discipline their children
(https://study.com/learn/lesson/morality-examples-types.html) Thus, moral standards serve as frameworks of what
ought to be done or what is good or bad character, what is right and what is wrong. Examples of Moral
Standards are: “Killing is wrong”, “Telling lies is bad”, “Stealing is wrong”; “Water conservation is the right
thing to do”, “Punishing criminals proven guilty is Justice.” etc.

Moral Standards are either consequence standards (like utilitarianism) or non-consequence standards
(like Aristotle’s virtues of prudence, temperance, courage, and justice). In consequence standards, the
morally right action is the one with the best overall consequences. It is based on two principles:
(1) whether an act is right or wrong depends only on the results of that act
(2) the more good consequences an act produces, the better or more right that act.
Here we judge the outcome of the action taken, and not the action itself. Example: Killing Mr. X, a Drug
Lord, is justified because it would result in only one (1) person dying rather than 10 other people dying or
killed because of drugs.

Non-consequence standards are based on the natural law, which is the law of God revealed
through human reasons. These standards are moral actions if they adhere to moral law. Non-
consequence standard may also be based on good will or intention, and on a sense of duty. In the
example for consequential, a non-consequentialist would say: it is inherently wrong to murder and refuse
to kill Mr. X, even though this will lead to the death of more than 10 people, because natural law is more
on preserving life than death. (Ethics. 2020. Corpuz, R. & Brenda Corpuz. Lorimar Publishing Company, Quezon City,
MM.)

On the other hand, non-moral standards are based on social rules, demands of etiquette and
good manners. They are rules needed to be followed as expected by society; BUT, sometimes they may
not be followed since from time to time, changes are made regarding good manners or right conduct,
rules of behaviors set by parents, teachers, etc., standards of grammar or languages, standards of arts,
of sports set by authorities.

MORAL DILEMMAS AND ITS LEVELS

Moral Dilemma (ethical dilemma) is a problem in the decision-making process between two
possible options, neither of which is absolutely acceptable from an ethical perspective. It is a conflict
situation in which a person has two moral obligations, which cannot be met both at once. Behind these
obligations lie conflicting values. An individual can choose only one from a number of possible actions
and there are compelling ethical reasons for various choices. Sometimes, the conflict can be resolved to
the full satisfaction or the different parties involved. A moral dilemma is an irresolvable moral conflict, i.e.,
no fully satisfactory resolution is possible since all possible options for action leave behind a remainder
that does not cease to be morally binding. (https://embassy.science/wiki/Theme:17d406f9-0b0f-4325-aa2d-
2fe186d5ff34).

Which moral standards will you follow when faced with moral dilemma? Unfortunately, none. In case
of emergency, necessity demands no moral laws. You have to decide based on your judgment or chose
based on the principle of lesser evil or greater good or urgency.

LEVELS OF MORAL DILEMMAS

PERSONAL/INDIVIDUAL DILEMMA are those experienced and resolved on the personal level. It is
an individual’s damn-if-you-do-damn-if-you-don’t situation. For example: to live-in with a married man or
to be disowned by the family. This situation for a personal decision of the woman involved—whether she
will agree to live-in with a married man and be forgotten by her own family.
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 ORGANIZATIONAL DILEMMA – are cases encountered and resolved by social organizations such
as in business, medical, or public sector. This is encountered by institutions, business or organizations,
in their decision-making process, which usually affect more than one person and they can be part of the
internal group or part of an external stakeholders. For example: a hospital that believes that human life
should not be deliberately shortened and that unpreventable pain should not be tolerated encounters a
conflict in resolving whether to withdraw life support from a dying patient or continue the life support,
which will cost too much to the patient’s family.

STRUCTURAL DILEMMA pertains to cases involving multi-sectoral institutions and organizations.

This can affect a community and even a society at large. An example is the economic situations brought
about by the pandemic. Lockdowns of cities or municipalities made people stay at home for longer time;
thus, business establishments have to close down resulting to unexpected unemployment, bankruptcy,
and total decrease in economic status of the entire country, even the world. (https://myinfobasket.com/what-is-
moral-dilemmas/)

READINGS/REFERENCES

What is Morality? Katherine Bailey, Jenna Clayton.Updated August 25, 2021.

https://study.com/learn/lesson/morality-examples-types.html

Values, Norms, Beliefs, Virtues, Morality, Moral Standards. GenericDocHandler

https://gfgc.kar.nic.in/punjalakatte/GenericDocHandler/199-8c554733-0572-4dff-9a2d-afb1cf530c75.pdf

Consequentialism. BBC
https://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/introduction/consequentialism_1.shtml

What is Moral Dilemma (and the Three Levels of Moral Dilemmas). Jensen SG. Mañebog. August
27, 2021. https://myinfobasket.com/what-is-moral-dilemmas/

Ethics. Corpuz, R. & Brenda Corpuz. 2020. Lorimar Publishing Company, Quezon City, MM.

Ethics: Foundations of Moral Valuation. Bulaong, O. G. et al. 2018. Rex Book Store, Inc. Manila

Ethics and the Filipino. Agapay, Ramon B. 2008. National Book Store, Mandaluyong City, MM)

Professional Ethics with Introductory General Ethics. Gualdo, Rosendo. (2005). Anahaw
Enterprises, Cabanatuan City

Prepared by: Adapted by:

TERESITA Z. BAUTISTA, LPT, MEM KIER JOHN A. MAGINANG, LPT, MAEd

Associate Professor V Associate Professorial Lecturer I

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