GE

114- ETHICS

Module 1
INTRODUCTION TO ETHICS
Module Overview

The study of Ethics is an enriching experience, as it has direct application

to your personal life and professional life as well. As in any new journey poses its
own challenges as you move into unfamiliar territory and discover new things. In
this module you begin this journey by first familiarizing yourself with how this
course will be managed throughout the semester and gain a formal introduction
into Ethics as a field of study.

Module Outcomes

By the end of this module, we hope to achieve the following objectives:

• Understand what is expected of you in this course and as a student of

Ethics;
• Explain the importance of ethical conduct and rules;
• Differentiate between moral and non- moral standards;
• Recognize and recall a moral experience;
• Detect moral dilemmas at Individual, Organizational and Structural levels.

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Lesson 1
Introduction to Ethics
Learning Outcomes

By the end of this lesson you should be able to:

o Discuss what is ethics and morality;

o Explain the importance of rules to civilized society;
o Attribute the study of ethics as an important aspect in living a good life.

Time Frame: 1 Week

Introduction

We live in a world of rules. We have rules for everything that directs us to

behave in a particular way. In this lesson we will get our first glimpse into the
study of Ethics and morality by clarifying first why rules are important to civilized
society and how this course can helps us in our professional and personal lives.

Activity (Let’s Get Started!)

Recall five (5) rules that you have to follow at home. These rules should be
the most strictly enforced by your parents.

! Why do you need to follow them in spite of the fact that they limit you on
things you want to do?

Analysis (Let’s Think About it!)

Now think about the questions below:

! What do you think would happen if all these rules we follow not followed?

! How do you imagine a world without rules would be?

! Why must we follow rules even if they are constricting or prohibitive?

! Why are rules important in a functioning society?

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Abstraction (Let’s Explore!)

Defining Ethics and Morality

You would have probably heard the terms ethics and morality. The term
ethics finds its etymological root from the Greek word “ethos” which means
“character” or “custom”. The Greeks also had the term “ethikos” which refers to
“customary or habitual character”. The Roman statesman and philosopher
Marcus Tullius Cicero is credited with ascribing the Latin equivalent of the term
“ethikos’ to the word “mos” which means “one’s disposition”. The term “mos” also
happens to be the root of the word ”mores” which also refers to custom or habit.
From these terms eventually evolved “moralis” and “moralitas” which refer to
“proper manner, behaviour, and character of a person in society”. From this we
can derive a basic understanding of what ethics and morality are. Both pertain to
the habitual or customary disposition towards proper behaviour and
distinguishing between right and wrong, good and bad. Often these terms are
used interchangeably with a few distinctions depending on where the settings in
which the terms are used such as in the academe, legal, religious or
philosophical discourses. Distinctions are often made in terms of looking at
morality from a “personal or normative” perspective and ethics as being the
actual standards of what is good/ bad, right/ wrong, acceptable/ unacceptable, or
praiseworthy/ punishment worthy behaviour in a particular social setting.
Essentially both Ethics and morality flow from each other.

The terms ethics and morality form the heart and soul of Moral Philosophy.
Moral Philosophy is the branch of Philosophy that deals with the study of right
and wrong. It does this by first, asking and clarifying concepts and beliefs on
morality; second, providing frameworks that prescribe what we “ought to do” and
what we “ought to not do”; and lastly, applying all these in more practical terms
like how people should live their lives in relation to others and to examine issues
affecting society. The brilliant Greek philosopher Aristotle said that ethics and
morality are necessary in attaining “eudaimonia”, which is a Greek word that
loosely translates to “happiness” although if the word meant so much deeper than
just the surface meaning of the word. If the term were to be applied to a plant, a
good plant would be healthy, fruit bearing and growing. Being in a state of
“eudaimonia” would mean that the plant is not only free from illness but growing
very well, or it is not only bearing fruit but it grows many, many fruits that are of
exceptional quality. So, “eudaimonia” is a state of not just existing but of
“flourishing” or “thriving” in one’s day-to-day life. Today Aristotle’s words are
interpreted as ethics and morality to be requirements in doing well and living well
as part of society.

The study of Ethics teaches us various steps and frameworks in deciding

on human acts. However, it is worth stressing that theoretical knowledge and
practice are two very different things. Therefore, the study of Ethics is the first
step towards internalizing the desire to live a moral life by first knowing what
ethics we need to abide by. The study of Ethics is a lifelong process for all of us
as we continue to develop in terms of our moral judgments. It entails a process of

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continually examining and reflecting on what we value and believe vis-à-vis the
relationships that we have with others and the society and environment in which
we live. Also, making the jump from theory to moral life choices and actions is not
something that can be achieved by force or coercion. It is made by willful choice
and is done as a course of habit. As Aristotle points out, excellence of character
is not a result of a singular act but by consistency in actions. By this we see that
Ethics equates to theory or knowledge and morality is its practice.

Ethics and Civilized Society

Human societies have come a long way in terms of going from “uncivilized
to “civilized” but throughout history one thing is apparent. For humans to live
together in relative harmony, groups of people agree to common goals and
behaviour that are enforced through systems or “rules”. A rule is “an accepted
principle or instruction that states the way things are or should be done, and tells
you what you are allowed or are not allowed to do.1

We live in a world of rules. In fact, we have rules for everything: home,

school, church, organizations, sports, cities, nations and the global society. We
could say that rules are prohibitive because they control us in one way or another
but at the end of the day these rules are meant to ensure order, promote safety,
protect lives and property and ensure harmonious societies. Ultimately rules are
meant to ensure the human good. When rules are enforced and the societies to
which they apply do not agree because the rules are unreasonable, or deprive
people of their rights, conflict surely follows. Rules and moral standards form the
collective ethics to which societies abide.

Why Study Ethics?

“We need to study ethics so that we will understand that

we must determine the matters of right and wrong and
explore the obligation we to respond to and apply this
knowledge to our life.”
- Jack H. Williams

We can just as easily say that we study Ethics because it is something that
is required in order to get an academic degree but if we look at the bigger picture,
our motivations for being close students of Ethics should focus more on the
benefits that result from it. From the discussion in the previous sections some of
these benefits are already apparent. It can is also clear that Ethics is not only a
theoretical body of knowledge but a lifelong practice that develops as a person
goes through life.

1
RULE | definition in the Cambridge English dictionary. (n.d.). Cambridge Dictionary | English Dictionary, Translations &
Thesaurus. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/rule

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Let us examine a few of these big picture benefits that we get from
studying Ethics.

• Understanding how to determine the “right thing to do” is critical in making

wise decisions since all our actions have consequences to others and
ourselves. Knowing the right thing to do would most probably lead to us
doing the right thing rather than doing the wrong thing. As Aristotle so
famously put it, “there is no evil, only ignorance”.

• In whatever profession you go or whatever life you choose to lead, moral

questions will inevitably arise. This is the reason why there are codes of
professional ethics, business ethics, medical ethics, bioethics and so on.
All professions require certain behaviour from practitioners to ensure
productivity in their respective fields.

• The study of Ethics allows us to be more critical of issues we are

confronted with. Everyday we are confronted with experiences that confirm
or challenge what we believe in and value. Some of these issues are
matters that we need to act upon or speak up on. Knowing what is good
allows us to properly confront these issues with a rational mind, keep our
emotional reaction in check and act with conviction.

• The study of Ethics also allows us to act with stewardship. We have all
heard that saying that “no man is an island”. No person can live his life in a
vacuum that does not involve anything or anyone else. Knowing what is
good allows us to properly examine the potential consequences and
outcomes. Our actions therefore have purpose and direction not only for
our individual lives but also in contribution to a bigger society and the
environment.

• The study of Ethics is essential in maintaining social harmony. Wherever

you go, it is important to know and understand the similarities and
differences in the ethics in various situations. What is acceptable in one
culture may not be so in another so studying Ethics widens our
perspectives with regard to these boundaries and allows us to adjust
accordingly when needed.

Now that you have finished the discussion, try applying your learning by
answering the Learner Activity on the next page.

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Application (Let’s Do It!)

Learner Worksheet 1
Student Name: ______________________________ Score: ____________

Course/ Year/ Section: _______________________________

In the matrix below are some rules from institutions. Briefly describe these
rules and their importance by filling out the matrix below.

Rule Description of Specified Importance

Behavior

“No ID, No Entry” Policy of

the University

Anti- Jaywalking Ordinance

of the City of Davao

Enhance Community
Quarantine during the
COVID Pandemic

Anti- Bomb Joke Policy in

Public Places such as
airports, bus terminals,
ports, malls, concerts, and
movie houses

Submitting Your Work. If you do not have Internet Connectivity, neatly detach this page
from your module and submit via University Drop Box or by courier/ mail together with
your other Learner Activity Worksheets once you reach the prescribed Learning
Checkpoint. If you have Internet connectivity, you may answer directly on the online
version of this worksheet through the University Virtual Environment.

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Closure
Well done! You have just finished Lesson 1 of this module.

If you have questions or need to make clarifications take note of them in

the space provided below to ask your Course Professor through direct messaging
or through the University Virtual Environment (UVE).

Notes from this Lesson

Now that you have completed Lesson 1, let us move on to the next lesson
in this module. In the next lesson we will go into a deeper study of rules and
standards that govern human ethics.

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