JOSEPH ERWIN GO SILANGIL

Introduction to Ethics: 1. Etymology and Definition of Ethics

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UNIT 1

I. INTRODUCTION TO ETHICS

Course Intended Learning Outcomes:

Describe the meaning of Ethics and its importance to man, and differentiate the concepts of ethics by
recognizing and recalling a moral experience; detect a moral dilemma and its levels, and explain why human
beings can be ethical

1. Etymology1 and Definition of Ethics

A. The origin of its term

∙ Ethics is derived from the Greek word Ethos (ἦθος), meaning "moral character."2 ∙ Character is
derived from the Greek word charaktêr, originally used as a mark impressed upon a coin. Later and
more generally, character came to mean a distinctive mark by which one thing was distinguished
from others. It was then primarily to indicate the assemblage of qualities that distinguish one
individual from another.3
∙ Nowadays, it tends to merge "character" with "personality."4
∙ Accordingly, we can state that moral character is in the sense of having or lacking moral virtue5.6
∙ Thus, from the origin of its term, Ethics is concerned about developing a person's moral character
by recognizing its notions of good and bad and right and wrong.

B. Definition of Ethics
∙ If Ethics is concerned about the development of the moral character of a person, we can define
Ethics as a "(1) Science that studies the (2) Morality of (3) Human Conduct."7

(1) Science
∙ it is a systematized body of knowledge or collected data that are accepted as true8 ∙ Ethics is
science, for it involves a pursuit of knowledge that studies and covers the general truths or
operations of Ethics's fundamental laws.

(2) Morality
∙ It is derived from the Latin term "Mores," meaning "standard or measuring rod."
∙ Morality refers to the standard or quality of human acts by which they are determined as
good, bad, or indifferent.9

(3) Human Conduct

∙ To know human conduct, one must know the differences between the act of man and the
human act.

1
Etymology is derived from the Greek words etumon (étumon), meaning "true essence or original meaning", and the
suffix logos (λόγια), meaning "study or reason". Thus, etymology literally defines as "study of origin".
https://www.etymonline.com/word/etymology. (Accessed on August 13, 2020).
2
https://www.etymonline.com/word/ethic. (Accessed on August 13, 2020).
3
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/moral-character. (Accessed on August 13, 2020).
4
Ibid.
5
Virtue is derived from the Latin word virtus, meaning ‘merit’, ‘valor’, or ‘moral perfection of man’. It is regarded as
developing character traits, skills, or habits to act correctly according to reason to attain goodness –moral perfection of
man. Oscar G. Bulaong, et. al., Ethics: Foundations of Moral Valuations, (Sampaloc Manila, PH: Rex Book Store, 2018),
83-88.
6
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/moral-character. (Accessed on August 13, 2020).
7
Francis Julius N. Evangelista and Napoleon M. Mabaquioa Jr., Ethics; Theories and Applications, (Mandaluyong City,
PH: ANVIL Publishing, Inc., 2020), 3. Hereafter Cited as Ethics.
8
https://www.britannica.com/science/science (Accessed on August 13, 2020).
9
Ethics, 2.
 ∙ The act of man is an act that is commonly acted also by animals, e.g., vegetative acts, acts
of perception, and emotion.10
∙ A human act is a voluntary act, an act that is under the control or direction of the will.
Strictly sense, a human act is a "consciously deliberated action" (sinasadya), for it
involves freedom, knowledge, and will.11
∙ Meaning to say, human conduct is also known as a human act.

"Thus, Ethics is a science that studies the morality that refers to the quality of
Human Conduct by which they are determined as good, bad, or indifferent."

C. Areas of Ethics
∙ If Ethics is a branch of philosophy that is primarily concerned about morality, it is usually
categorized into three general subject areas: (1) metaethics, (2) normative ethics, and (3) applied
ethics.

(1) metaethics
∙ it is also known as analytic ethics that looks into nature, meaning, scope, and foundations of
moral values and discourses. The term meta means after or beyond, and thus, metaethics
involves an abstract and detached way of thinking philosophically about morality.12

(2) Normative Ethics

∙ It is concerned with the moral standards to determine right from wrong conduct, and it
involves the formulation of moral norms or rules that can serve as the basis of the kind of
actions, institutions, and ways of life that we should pursue.13

(3) Applied Ethics

∙ It examines the particular issues in both the personal and social spheres that are matters of
moral judgment. It focuses on the more practical concerns of ethics, and it uses
philosophical methods to determine the moral permissibility of specific actions and
practices.14

Essential Learning: "Etymological Meaning of Ethics studies the origin of its term whereas it is said to be
derived from the Greek word 'ethos,' meaning 'moral character.' Accordingly, if a moral
character is in the sense of having or lacking moral virtues, ethics is primarily concerned
with developing a person's moral character by recognizing its notions of good and bad
and right and wrong. In this sense, we can say that Ethics is a science that studies the
morality of human conduct, and if ethics primarily studies morality, it can be discussed in
the areas of ethics."

10
https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/human-act. (Accessed on August
13, 2020).
11
Ibid.
12
Ethics, 3.
13
Ibid., 4.
14
Ibid.