GEC 7: General Ethics

1. Title of the Module

The Act

2. Introduction
This module explores the role of feelings in moral decisions and the disadvantages of
over-reliance on feelings. A lot of people may not be aware when their behavior diverts
from ethical standards because their emotions and moods get the better part them.
This module also provides models in which students can make reasoned and impartial
ethical decisions and understand why reason is not enough in carrying out their ethical
decisions as well. It proposes that the will is as important as reason and developing
moral courage helps towards moral excellence.

3. Learning Outcomes
At the end of this chapter, the student is expected to:
a. explain feelings as obstacles/useful to making right decisions;
b. explain reason and impartiality as minimum requirements of morality;
c. evaluate a moral dilemma using the 7 step moral reasoning model; and
d. explain the significance of moral courage in ethical decision-making.

4. Learning Content
Topics for Chapter 3
Topic 1: Feelings and Moral Decision-Making
Topic 2: Reason and Impartiality as Minimum
Requirements for Morality
Topic 3: Moral Courage

5. Teaching and Learning Activities

a. Activity Sheets
b. Textual Reading
c. Discussion

6. Recommended learning materials and resources for supplementary reading

books

De Guzman, Jens Micah, et al. (2018). Ethics: Principles of ethical behavior in

modern society. Philippines: MUTYA Publishing House, Inc.
Rachel, James and Stuart Rachels. (2018). Elements of moral philosophy, 9th
Ed. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Rae, Scott B. 2009. Moral Choices: An Introduction to Ethics. Zondervan ebook.
Rae, Scott B., and Kenman L. Wong. (1996). “A Model for Moral Decision
Making.” Chap. 16 in Beyond Integrity: A Judeo-Christian Approach to Business
Ethics. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

7. Flexible Teaching Learning Modality (FTLM) adopted

 Modular Distance Learning (MDL) – Module
Online Distance Learning (ODL) – VideoCon/Google Classroom,
Email, Messenger, Zoom

8. Assessment Task
a. Module Exercises/Quiz
b. Situation Analysis
c. Case Analysis
d. Reflection Paper MODULE CONTENT

Topic 1: Feelings and Ethical Decision-Making

Nominal Duration: 1.5 hours

Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of this topic, the student must be able to:
1. explain the relationship between feelings and ethical judgments; and 2.
evaluate feelings as both obstacles and useful to making right decisions.

Introduction

Can feelings of happiness, surprise, interest and joy affect our actions to do what is
good? While anger, disgust, contempt, fear, shame, sadness, or self-hostility greatly
influence our actions to do what is bad? Should these positive subjective feelings
matter when we decide to do the right thing? Should we suppress negative ones
instead as they might lead us to wrong decisions?

Feelings and intuitions or what we call as “moral emotions” (n.d.) play a major role in
most of the ethical decisions people make. Most people do not realize how much their
emotions direct their moral choices. Experts think it is impossible to make any
important moral judgments without emotions. They are regarded as instinctive and
trained response to moral dilemmas.

There are two related models in ethics that are exclusively based on feelings. The first
one is ethical subjectivism which holds that truth or falsity of ethical propositions is
dependent on the feelings, attitudes, or standards of a person or group of persons.
Since it is based only on feelings, it is biased and contradicts the common
understanding that morality is about objective facts. For example, a gay from the parlor
passes in front of a group of freshmen nearby and one of them smirked:
“homosexuality is wrong!” If the student could not even justify his moral judgment and
made that remark out of feelings, then he is both ignorant and biased. The second is
emotivism which is a naïve version of ethical subjectivism. This version says that a
moral belief is true if it is held with sincerity and conviction. To say that an act is right,
or a person is good, is merely to emote, just to express emotions. This makes
nonsense of beliefs. Is it not that a belief is something that is either true or false, but not
both? No one’s feelings are more justified than another’s, assuming they are
compatible with any relevant factual information (Martin, 2007: 5-6).

Feelings cannot be solely relied upon but reason and feelings may complement each
other. Feelings can fuel the accomplishment of goals. They motivate us to act morally.
Traditionally, ethical decision-making process has been understood as an exclusively
mental process; that our feelings have nothing to do with matters of right or wrong and
good or bad, precisely because our emotions are very unstable. Although most existing
researches emphasize the mental elements of decisionmaking, there are evidences to
support the idea that emotion is also a necessary component leading to ethical
decisions and ethical behavior. The arousal of emotion influences moral reflection and
ultimately moral behavior. Of course, there are other factors also aside from feelings.
Peer influence among college students, for example, is a stronger determinant of
ethical behavior than individual affective reactions. There is a peer-pressure that an
individual seems to be more likely to engage in ethical behavior when his/her peers
also behave ethically (Bratton, 2004; De Guzman, et al., 2018).

Inner-directed negative emotions like guilt, embarrassment, and shame often motivate
people to act ethically. Outer-directed negative emotions, on the other hand, aim to
discipline or punish. For example, people often direct anger, disgust, or contempt at
those who have acted unethically. This discourages others from behaving the same
way. Positive emotions like gratitude and admiration, which people may feel when they
see someone acting with compassion or kindness, can prompt people to help others
too. Emotions evoked by suffering, such as sympathy and empathy, often lead people
to act ethically toward others. Indeed, empathy is the central moral emotion that most
commonly motivates prosocial activity such as altruism, cooperation, and generosity.
So, while we may believe that our moral decisions are influenced most by our
philosophy or religious values, in truth our emotions play a significant role in our ethical
decision-making (Lerner, et al., 2014; “Moral Emotions” (n.d.)).

Activity 1: Form a group of 5 members. Discuss how you think feelings can be
obstacles in making the right decisions and give 5 examples to prove your point.
Discuss how you think feelings can help in making the right decisions and give 5
examples to prove your point to be put in a yellow paper.

Assessment Task: (25 points in each item)

Name: _________________________ Course & Year: ______________

I. Situation Analysis: Search for a situation that you think involves ethical subjectivism
and emotivism. Evaluate the situation by pointing out how both

ethical models are fitted.

 2. Essay: Are ethical subjectivism and emotivism plausible for standards of
morality? Justify your answer.
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Learning Resources
Bratton, V. K. (2004). Affective morality: The role of emotions in the ethical
decision-making process.
http://fsu.digital.flvc.org/islandora/object/fsu:181290/datastream/PDF/downloa
d/citation.pdf
Izard, C. E. (October 2010). The meanings/aspects of emotion: Definitions,
functions, activation and regulation. Emotion Review, Vol. 2, No. 4.
363370. SAGE Publications and The International Society for Research
on
Emotion. https://doi.org/10.1177/1754073910374661
De Guzman, Jens Micah, et al. (2018). Ethics: Principles of ethical behavior in
modern society. Philippines: MUTYA Publishing.
Lerner, J.S., et al. (2014). Emotions and Decision Making. Annual Review
Psychology.
Martin, M. K. (2007). Everyday morality. Canada: Thomson Wadsworth.
“Moral Emotions”. (n.d.) https://www.ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu