Fabriag, Yzon B.

BSCPE 4-1

Midterm Exam

1. Explain the difference between Morality and Etiquette.

Morality pertains on how we judge an act whether it is good or bad, if someone is virtuous or
not, whether we ought to do this or not, depends largely on these standards. It refers to the set of
standards a person has about what is right and wrong. It is not just to a person’s standards, but to a
particular society’s standards of right and wrong. For this reason, we can say that people have
different morality based on different standards, views, or perspective. Those differences can be
attributed to how our moral standards originate. Everybody, back when childhood days has taught
and influenced by their family, friends, and elders to accept and keep seeing their actions and
behaviors as right and some as wrong. The church and schools, books we read, films we watched,
organizations we joined, contributed to form the basic ideas of our morality. Since people
experience different social influences in life, we also differ in the morality we espouse. Our
judgments and beliefs on these matters are influenced by the moral standards that pervade in our
life. For example, some people think that homosexual marriage should be allowed, while others
believe it is wrong. Some regard death penalty as immoral while others think it is morally justified.

Etiquette on the other hand, is merely a set of guidelines for politeness and good manners, the
kindnesses with which we should always treat each other. It is a formal manners and rules that are
followed in social or professional settings, a conventional but unwritten code of practice followed by
members of any of certain professions or groups. Also, it is network of rules that govern good
behavior and our social and business interactions, conventions and is always evolving with the
demands of society. Etiquette reflects our cultural norms, ethical codes, and various social. It
reflects our cultural norms, generally accepted ethical codes, and the rules of various groups we
belong to. Helps us show respect and consideration to others and makes others glad that we are
with them. Respect, kindness, and consideration are at the heart of good etiquette. Some basic rules
of etiquettes that are being followed for a very long time are saying simple thank you for showing
your appreciation for a kind deed, offering compliments and generous words, and self-control while
sitting on a company.

2. Explain the difference between Morality and Law.

Morality is a code of conduct that is unwritten and expected to be followed by all members of
the society. It is a concept that defines what is right and desirable and serves as a guide for the
people as they can base their behavior and decisions on this system of morality. The code of
conduct defines what is right and wrong for individuals and groups and keeps them on the path that
is desirable and acceptable to the society. Also, it is based upon time tested principles and values
such as love, friendship, compassion, liberty, freedom, honesty, integrity etc. They provide the
anchorage in the deep sea of life whenever we are confronted with difficult times and situations.

On the other hand, laws are the written rules that are enforceable in courts. These laws mostly
stem from the constitution of a country that is written keeping in mind the hopes and aspirations of
the people of that country. However, there is another source of law, and that is the legislative
assembly of the country. Members of the assembly propose, debate, and pass legislations that
finally become laws of the land after securing seal of approval from the President. Laws are rules
and regulations that ensure compliance and prevent deviance from the members of the society as
they are backed by the coercive powers of the courts of the land. Members of the society, whenever
they violate a law can be punished and sentenced to prison. This fear of punishment serves as a big
deterrent and maintains order in a society.

However, law and morality are not different. Breaking the law is not always an immoral act, just
as following the law is not necessarily doing what is morally right. For example, violating the driving
law because of emergency purposes such going to hospital. Although you are prohibited by law to
drive at more than 60 kph on that road, it does not seem morally right for you to follow the law and
drive at that speed limit knowing that doing so will jeopardize the life of your mother. Driving the
car at that speed may break the law but is morally right. In addition, there are laws that are legal but
can be morally wrong. For example, death penalty in some countries is legal, but it is morally wrong.

3. Explain the difference between Morality and Religion.

Morality defines what is right and desirable and serves as a guide for the people as they can
base their behavior and decisions on this system of morality. On the other hand, religion is a
fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a group of people which the set
of beliefs concern the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, and involve devotional and ritual
observances. Despite of differences, morality is often identified with religion. In various societies
around the world, religion has so much influenced the moral life of the people to be seen as
indistinguishable from morality. Indeed, religion, like law, is related to morality. But unlike law,
which is often based on morality, religion is generally perceived to be the basis of morality. People
tend to think that what is right can be derived from religious beliefs and teachings.

Furthermore, morality and religion are not synonymous. Religion may be dependent on
morality and may even grow alongside morality, morality is not always dependent on religion,
despite some people’s “near reflex assumption” to the contrary. Because several other modern and
contemporary academics have argued with evidence that many religious ideas and behaviors have
failed the test of morality, the argument that religion is neither required nor sufficient for morality
no longer appears to be particularly strong. For example, Christianity teaches its believers “Thou
shalt not kill.” However, even with such directive, there remains a disagreement among Christians
whether imposing death penalty is morally justified, or whether legalizing abortion is morally
permissible, or whether administering euthanasia to a patient in an irreversible vegetative state is
morally right. These moral situations cannot be resolved by a general moral admonition not to kill.
There are certain specific issues and factors that must be considered which have a lot of weight in
determining whether an act is good or bad. The Bible fails to give unambiguous answers to specific
moral problems humanity confronts.

4. What is a moral person?

Moral person is/are the ones who sets a standard to achieve optimal happiness. They can be
human or non-human such as entities having moral status and standing, and they are ones involved
in every action that they judge to be either morally good or bad. Moral persons are those who
possesses legal and moral rights. One way of defining a personhood is in terms of possession of
rights: to be a person is to be a bearer of right. Applying this to a moral personhood. For example,
someone who is honest may feel that they are a good person because they follow the moral
principle to be always truthful.

To sum up, A moral person is one that has the power of understanding and willing. They are the
individuals who, when given the chance to help somebody, a moral person does so and even when
forced to performance immorally, would always select the act that causes the least damage to
others.

5. What is moral accountability?

Moral accountability refers to the deservingness of moral blame or praise for the actions one
has performed. Though closely related, accountability differs from the other meanings of
responsibility-pertaining to causation and possession of duties. Moral accountability differs from
legal accountability in terms of their standards (moral and legal standards, respectively) and their
sanctions (internal for moral accountability and external for legal accountability). The conditions of
moral accountability concern their attribution and determination of degrees. Regarding their
attribution, the incriminating conditions are agency, knowledge, and intentionality; while the
excusing ones are non-agency, ignorance, and involuntariness. About the determination of degrees,
the conditions consist of degree of knowledge, pressure, intensity of wrongdoing. and degree of
involvement. These conditions are mitigating when they tend to lessen the degree of accountability,
while they are aggravating when they tend to increase it.

6. Explain the difference between Hedonism and Non-hedonism

Non-hedonism is those who have a need for growth and development. They value suffering,
depression, and growth of character. They have no need for feelings of happiness and enjoyment.
Other things can bring joy and meaning to their lives. On the other hand, hedonism is the belief that
pleasure, or the absence of pain, is the most important principle in determining the morality of a
potential course of action. Pleasure can be things like “sex and drugs”, but it can also include any
intrinsically valuable experience like reading a good book. It is a type of consequentialism, and it has
several forms. Hedonist is those who have no need for growth or anything else in life. None of those
things matter to and nothing else makes their life worth living. The only thing they need is their
feelings of happiness and enjoyment. Being happy and enjoying life and hobbies is the only thing
that makes them life and hobbies worth living for.