ETHICS – FOUNDATION OF MORAL VALUATION

Introduction

Understanding the foundation of moral valuation necessitates

different approaches to the study and learning of ethics
contextualized in contemporary Filipino experience.

CHAPTER 1 – THE ETHICAL DIMENSION OF HUMAN

EXISTENCE

OBJECTIVES

1. Identify the ethical aspect of human life and the scope of

ethical thinking.
2. Define and explain the terms that are relevant to the
ethical thinking.
3. Evaluate the difficulties that are involved maintaining
certain commonly-held notions and ethics.
Introduction

FRATERNITY VIOLENCE OF CRIS

ANTHONY MENDEZ

In Aug 2007 newspaper reported a sad incident about

fraternity incident about a fraternity violence of Chris Anthony
Mendez, a 24 year old student of UP a member the Sigma Rho
Fraternity who denounced publicly his death. No one knows
what exactly happened. No charges have been filed, no
definite testimony has been forthcoming. But there is more to
this for us than just a criminal mystery.
The pondering on the death of Cris has this question “ What is
the value of ones life “ what exactly were the wrongs done to
Cris by his so- called fraternity brother? Is there any good to
fraternities.
The Questions Concern:
 - Good or Bad
- Right or Wrong
These questions concern VALUE - are the kind of questions
that we deal with in ETHICS

VALUE

Ethics Generally speaking is about matter the

- he Good that we should pursue
- The Bad thing we should avoid
- The Right ways in which we could or should act
- Wrong ways in acting.
It is about What it is;

 Acceptable and Unacceptable in human behavior

 It may involve obligations that we are expected to fulfill
 Prohibitions that we are required to respect or deals that
we are encouraged to meet

Ethics an a subject is about determining the GROUNDS for the

Value with particular and special significance to Human Life:

KIND OF VALUATION

1. The Domain of Aesthetics – From the Greek word

“aiTHESIS” a sense of feeling – Refers to the judgements
of personal approval or disapproval that one makes about
what we

SEE –EYES
 HEAR- EAR

SMELL-NOSE

TASTY- TONGUE

To Refer to personal aesthetic preference that we have

on there matters.

For instance:

A movie I had seen was good because I enjoyed it.

A song I had heard on the radio was a bad one because it
had an unpleasant tone.

I may have an opinion to what is right or bad.

To wear a leather vest or a barong tagalong

- These are NOT concerns of ETHICS – These are

VALUATION that fall under the domain of aesthetics
2. Etiquette – Concern with right or wrong actions but there
which might be considered not quite grave enough to
belong to discussion on ethics.
For
- It is “Right” to knock politely on someone’s door, while it
is wrong to barge into office
- Perhaps I may approve of a child who knows have to
ask foe something properly by saying “ Please” and
someone further , disapprove of a woman that I see
peeking her none in public
 Or:
- How may he displeased seeing a healthy young man
refers to offer his seat on the bus to an elderly lady
but my indigration and shock would his much greater
of I were to see a man deliberately push another one
OUT of a moving bus.

3. Technique or Technical – proper way of doing things but a

technical valuation ( Right and wrong technique of doing
things) may had necessarily be an ethical one an there
example show.

- Recognizing the characteristics of aesthetics and

technical valuation allow us to have a rough guide as
to what we belong to a discussion of ethics.
- They involved valuation that make in a sphere of
human action, characterized by certain gravity and
concern the human well-being of human life style.
The following terms that concerns life and death are included in
the discussion of ethics such as.
-life and death: War, Capital Punishment or Abortion and
matter that concern.
-Human well-being: Poverty, unequality, sexual identity

LIFE AND DEATH :

WAR
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

ABORTION
HUMAN WELL-BEING

POVERTY

INEQUALITY
SEXUAL IDENTITY

ETHICS AND MORAL

The second point of clarification is on the use of the word “

ethics”
And “ moral” the discussion of ethics and moral would include
cognates such as ethical, unethical, inmoral, amoral, morality,
and soon.
  The term “Morals” may be used to refer to specific beliefs
or attitude that people have or to describe acts that
perform. This it is sometime said that an individuals
personal conduct is referred to an his manner and if he fall
short of behaving properly, this can be describe as
inmoral.

DESCRIPTIVE AND NORMATIVE

 Our third point of clarification is to distinguish between a

descriptive and a normative study of ethics.
 A descriptive study of ethics reports have people,
particulary groups make their moral valuation without
making ang judgement wither her or against there
valuations.
 A NORMATIVE study of ethics, as in often done in
philosophy or moral theology, engage the question; what
could or should be considered an the right of acting.

ISSUE , DECISION, JUDGEMENT, AND DILEMA

As the final point of clarification, it may be helpful to distinguish

a situation a situation that calls for moral valuation it can be
called a moral issue
A person cannot afford a certain item, but their the possibility
present itself for her to steal it.
This is the matter of ethics ( and NOT joint law) in so far as it
involves the questions of respect foe one’s property. We
should add that “ issue” iin also often used to refer to that
particular situation that are often source of considerable and
inclusive debate. Thus we would often hear topics such as
Capital punishment and euthanasia as moral issue.

MORAL DECISION

 When one is placed in a situation and confronted by the

choose of what art to perform
E.g I choose not to take something I did not pay for

MORAL JUDGEMENT

 Who a person is an observer who make an assessment o

the action or behavior of someone.
E.g
A Fuerd of mine choosen to steal from the store and I
make an assessment that it is wrong.

MORAL DILEMMA

 When me is term between choosing me or two goods or

choosing between the lesser of two evils
  When an individual can choose only one from another
acting and there are compelling ethical reason for the
various choose

A mother maybe conflicted between wanting to feed he

hungry child, but then recognizing that it would be wrong for
her to steal.

REASONING

 A Person fear of punishment or desire for a reward

can provide him a reason for acting in a certain ways.
 The case of fraternity hazing, why is it wrong to
cause another ask what good reasons for doing so.