PROVIDO, CATHERINE KAYE D.

RE 114
BSMT 2A

WRITE A SHORT ESSAY REGARDING THE FOLLOWING POINTS.

1) What makes a certain act moral?

We can say that an act is moral if it is good, if the end result of the action did the
most good or the least harm, regardless of a person's motives. This means that
even if harm was intended but good resulted from the action, then it was moral.
For an act to be morally good, one’s intention must be good. Additionally, it must
be understood that a bad action cannot be made good by a good intention. We can
never engage in wrongdoing or evil in an effort to effect good.

2) When can we say it is good?

An action must be done with an objectively good goal in order for it to be morally
good. Some actions are wrong regardless of their motive or intention because they
violate a fundamental or basic human right that ought not to be compromised.
Acts that are always wrong include rape, torture, and the deliberate killing of the
innocent. Such actions are referred to as intrinsically evil acts, which simply
means that they are wrong regardless of why they are done or the environment in
which they occur.

3) Highlight the difference between ethics and morality by citing one concrete situation.

Principles of right and wrong behavior, or the rightness and wrongness of human
actions, are referred to as morality. Ethics makes an effort to present systems of
moral principles and the justifications for their applicability.

Example: The work of a defense attorney is one profession where ethics and
morals are at odds. While a lawyer's morals may dictate that murder is abhorrent
and should be punished, her professional ethics demand that she represents her
client to the best of her ability even if she is aware of the client's guilt.