Pamantasan ng Cabuyao

College of Education, Arts, and Sciences

Katapatan Homes Subd. Brgy. Banay-banay, City of Cabuyao

COURSE CODE: ETH101

COURSE DESCRIPTION: ETHICS

LEARNING TOPIC: THE DEVELOPMENT OF MORAL CHARACTER OF THE MORAL AGENT

ASSIGNED DISCUSSANT:
Espanto, Lester - Philosophical views on Moral Character
Hipolito, Joshua - What Does It Mean To Be A Good Person?
Lepitin, John Carlo - Who Is Moral Agent
Namoc, Janina - Three Models for Understanding Moral Character:
(Alphabetical order and last name first followed by name)

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
 Understanding about Moral Character of Moral Agent

 Learn the Philosophical views on moral character

 Who is Moral Agent
 How Moral character of the Moral agent develop

DISCUSSION:
WHAT IS MORAL CHARACTER?

The moral is concerned with the principles of right and wrong behavior or the goodness or
badness of human character. Character is defined as the “mental and moral qualities distinctive to
an individual. But in philosophy, the term character usually denotes the moral dimension of a person.
Moral character refers to the “existence (or lack of) virtues such as integrity, courage, fortitude,
honesty, and loyalty.

Moral character can be conceptualized as an individual's disposition to think, feel, and behave in an
ethical versus unethical manner, or as the subset of individual differences relevant to morality.

Three Models for Understanding Moral Character:

 The motivational element is consideration of others – referring to a disposition toward
considering the needs and interests of others, and how one's own actions affect other people.
 Pamantasan ng Cabuyao
College of Education, Arts, and Sciences
Katapatan Homes Subd. Brgy. Banay-banay, City of Cabuyao

 The ability element is self-regulation – referring to a disposition toward regulating one's

behavior effectively, specifically with reference to behaviors that have positive short-term
consequences but negative long-term consequences for oneself or others. Self-regulation
is the ability to understand and manage your behavior and your reactions to feelings and
things happening around you
 The identity element is moral identity—referring to a disposition toward valuing morality and
wanting to view oneself as a moral person.

PHILOSOPHICAL VIEWS ON MORAL CHARACTER

What do the great ancient minds think about moral character?

>Confucian Traditions (Eastern)

The philosophy of moral development is rooted in ancient views. For Confucian traditions,
moral development was attributed to the “four beginnings” of the human personality. These four
beginnings were considered seeds of human personality that will naturally unfold to become human
activities. Take note though, that contrary to the Western understanding of personality as a given
human condition; personality in Confucian perception meant- “an achieved state of moral
excellence.”

Thus, in this concept, every person is born with four beginnings. However, each of these do not
yet capture the concept of self. However, when the four beginnings are put together, it may then be
perceived in Western understanding as the “pre-self or “potential self”.

The four beginnings in Confucian traditions are:

1. The heart of compassion, which leads to Jen
2. The heart of righteousness, which leads to Yi
3. The heart of propriety, which leads to Li
4. The heart of wisdom, which leads to Zhi

Jen means goodwill, sympathy towards others, and generosity. Yi means righteousness and
the respect of duty, that is, respect your position as a guardian towards nature and humanity. Li deals
with outward behavior such as etiquette, customs, and rituals. Zhi means wisdom, and this wisdom is
a product of practicing Jen, Yi, and Li in one’s life.

>Aristotle and Virtue Ethics

Virtue ethics is a philosophy developed by Aristotle and other ancient Greeks. It is the quest to
understand and live a life of moral character. This character-based approach to morality assumes
that we acquire virtue through practice. Although action and consequence are significant, virtue
ethics does not focus on whether an action is right or wrong; nor whether the consequences are
good or bad. It is more concerned with whether the person is acting as a virtuous person should act
in the situation.

Virtue Ethics is largely identified with Aristotle. In ancient Western philosophy, Aristotle’s
discussion on moral character, particularly virtue, is the most influential view on the topic. Aristotle
argued that each person has a built-in desire to be virtuous and that if a person is focused on being
a good person the right actions will follow effortlessly, and you will do a good thing.
 Pamantasan ng Cabuyao
College of Education, Arts, and Sciences
Katapatan Homes Subd. Brgy. Banay-banay, City of Cabuyao

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A GOOD PERSON?

Aristotle believed that humans have an essence. He called this essence proper functioning
where everything has a function and the thing that performs as intended is called good when it can
fulfill this function.

A person according to Aristotle is also a “rational animal” and a “social animal”. Therefore,
using reason to live and get along with other people is also the human person’s function. A ‘good’
person is one who fulfills all these functions.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE VIRTUOUS?

 Virtue for the Greeks is equivalent to excellence.
 A person of virtue is someone who performs the distinctive activity of being human well.
 The principle of being virtuous is called the “Doctrine of the Golden Mean”- that moral
behavior is the one that is in the middle of two extreme behaviors
 “extreme behavior”, it meant the act was either Excessive or Deficient.
(For example, in the Aristotelian view eating is a human function as demanded by nature.
When a person overeats (gluttony), this behavior is excessive; while a person who diets too
much (starvation) is deficient. Thus, the virtue when eating is temperance or always eating just
the right amount to keep your body nourished and healthy.)
 Virtue as a character can be developed by practicing the golden mean The Doctrine Of The
Mean
 The virtuous man is the kind of man (note: the term man in Aristotle’s writing is equated with
the person and not just as opposed to a woman) who is able to satisfy both inclinations and
rational desires because his or her inclinations and desires are aligned.
 Temperance is the golden mean between gluttony and starvation.

BUT WHY DO WE HAVE TO BE VIRTUOUS?

 The reason, according to virtue ethics is Eudaimonia- can be translated as “happiness”, “well-
being” or the “good life” and this is the goal of human life.

WHO IS MORAL AGENT

A moral agent is a person who has the ability to discern right from wrong and to be held
accountable for his or her own actions. Moral agents have a moral responsibility not to cause
unjustified harm.

A moral agent is an individual who can make moral decisions based on the perception of
right and wrong.

MORAL CHARACTER vs. MORAL AGENT

An individual's disposition to think, feel, An individual
and behave
Perception about what is ethical and Do actions based on the perception of
unethical manner right and wrong.
 Pamantasan ng Cabuyao
College of Education, Arts, and Sciences
Katapatan Homes Subd. Brgy. Banay-banay, City of Cabuyao

QUESTIONS :
Read the following questions carefully and choose the letter that best describes the answer.
1. Translated as "Happiness", "well-being", or the "good-life" and this is the goal of human life.
A ) Virtuous Man
B ) Proper Functioning
C ) Doctrine the Golden Mean
D ) Eudaimonia

2. Philosophy developed by Aristotle and other ancient Greeks.

A ) Moral
B ) Virtue Ethics
C ) Moral Agent
D ) Characteristics

3. It is defined as the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual.

A ) Moral
B ) Moral Character
C ) Character
D ) Virtues

4. It leads the heart of compassion and righteousness of Confucian tradition.

A ) Jen and Yi
B ) Yi and Zhi
C ) Jen and Li
D ) Zhi and Li

5. Also known as self-regulation referring to a disposition toward regulating one's behavior effectively .
A ) Interpersonal Influences
B ) Moral Development in the Family
 Pamantasan ng Cabuyao
College of Education, Arts, and Sciences
Katapatan Homes Subd. Brgy. Banay-banay, City of Cabuyao

C ) The Ability Element

D ) Moral Character

REFERENCES:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0191308514000070

file:///C:/Users/PC1/Documents/ETH101/LM%20-%20ETH101%20EThics.pdf

https://ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu/glossary/moral-agent

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/adolescent/chapter/influences-on-moral-development/