ETHICS

COURSE MODULE

Ramil T. Lanuza
Assistant Professor

College of Engineering and Technology

SY 2022-23
First Semester

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 VISION
A provide of relevant and quality education to a
society where citizens are competent, skilled,
dignified and community- oriented.

MISSION
An academic institution providing technological,
professional, research and extension programs to
form principled men and women of competencies
and skills responsive to local and global
development needs.

QUALITY POLICY
Northwest Samar State University commits to
provide quality outcomes-based education, research,
extension and production through continual
improvement of all its programs, thereby producing
world class professionals.

CORE VALUES
Resilience. Integrity. Service. Excellence.

INSTITUTIONAL GRADUATE OUTCOME

Creative and critical thinkers
Life-long learners
Effective communicators
Morally an socially upright individuals

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 About the Professor

Ramil T. Lanuza is an Assistant Professor of Northwest Samar State University

(NwSSU) Main Campus, Calbayog City, Samar. He earned his Bachelor of Arts
degree major in Philosophy in St. Vincent De Paul College Seminary. It was in
2006 that he worked as part-time lecturer at NwSSU and the same time finished
his Master’s degree major in Public Management in the same university. Just
recently he received his Certificate of Academic Requirement(CAR) for his
Doctoral studies , and working his Dissertation to finally earn his degree in
Doctor of Management. At present he is a regular faculty member of NwSSU
where he taught Philosophy, Humanities and other Social Sciences subjects
including Ethics. He participated in the Second Generation CHED training on
the teaching of the General Education Course on The Contemporary World.

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 Table of Contents

Module 1: The Ethical Dimension of Human Existence ..........................................................

Key Concepts in Ethics ...................................................................................................................
Moral Dilemmas and the Minimum Requirements of Morality ........................................................
Understanding Human ...................................................................................................................
Culture and Morality ……………………………………………………………………...

Moral Character and the Stages of Moral Development ………………………………….

Activities and Exercises …………………………………………………………………..

Module 2: .................................................................................................................................
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Module 3: .................................................................................................................................
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Module 4: ................................................................................................................................
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Module 5:
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 Rationale

The purpose of this course module is to provide students with knowledge and
understanding of Ethics. It contains three (3) modules to compress and easy
comprehension of the huge content of the syllabus (from CHED). Before reading the
lessons, the module outcomes are presented so that students will know of what is
expected from them after completing the module. After reading all the topics, students
are required to answer the activities/exercises to assess the knowledge and learning
that they have gained. In addition to said activities/exercises, a research work or major
exams which will be taken personally (if permitted by the administration) and other
requirements to comply in order to give students an opportunity to apply the concepts
and theories that they have gained in their readings. Detailed instructions for the
activities/exercises and other paper works will be given in a separate on-line
dissemination to make it practical and feasible for them to work.

Through this module, the professor will be guided how to impart the lesson and for the
students to avail of learning during the “new normal”. It introduces the course contents
and carry out the traditional classroom’s methods in its delivery of lessons in a new and
best ways.

The lessons are delivered through readings of the text materials found in this module.
The reading materials aptly illustrate the content of every topic wanted to impart to the
students. Learning is determined and enhanced through activities/exercises
appropriated to every topics.

The module contents are eclectically taken from varied sources (found in the list of
references ) to which it is indebted for.

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 Course Title: Ethics

Course Description:

Ethics deals with principles of ethical behavior in modern society at the level of the person,
society, and in interaction with the environment and other shared resources. (CMO 20 s 2013)

Morality pertains to the standards of right and wrong that an individual originally picks up from
the community. The course discusses the context and principles of ethical behavior in modern
society at the level of individual, society, and in interaction with the environment and other
shared resources. The course also teaches students to make moral decisions by using
dominant moral frameworks and by applying a seven-step moral reasoning model to analyze
and solve moral dilemmas.

The course is organized according to the three (3) main elements of the moral experience: (a)
agent, including context – cultural, communal, and environmental; (b) the act; and (c) reason or
framework (for the act).

This course includes the mandatory topic on taxation.

Course Outcomes:

At the end of the course, the students must be able to:

1. Differentiate between moral and non-moral problems
2. Describe what a moral experience is as it happens in different levels of human existence
3. Explain the influence of Filipino culture on the way students look at moral experience
and solve moral dilemmas
4. Describe the elements of moral development and moral experience
5. Use ethical frameworks or principles to analyze moral experiences
6. Make sound ethical judgments based on principles, facts, and the stakeholders affected
7. Develop sensitivity to the common good
8. Internalize the principles of ethical behavior in modern society at the level of the person,
society, and in interaction with the environment and other shared resources

Timeline/Duration: 18 weeks or 54 hours in a semester

Course Content:

The course is organized according to the three (3) main elements of the moral
experience: agent (to include context – cultural, communal, and environmental); the act,
and reason or framework (for the act).

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 Week Course Outcomes Topics Assessment
Orientation :
1 Provide thorough The Students are oriented to Asking
information to the students the VMGO of the University feedback
regarding the university and from the
the course they are taking The students are oriented to the students
up. course they are taking up. regarding
the things
The students are introduced and they got
informed regarding the from the
requirements of the course. orientation.

Module 1: The Ethical

-Differentiate between moral Dimension of Human Existence
6 and non-moral problems.
Key Concepts of Ethics Pencil and
-Describe what a moral paper test,
experience is as it happens Moral Dilemmas and the
essay, and
in different levels of human Minimum Requirements of
existence.
case study
Morality analysis
-Explain the influence of and other
Understanding Human written
Filipino culture on the way
students look at moral Freedom activities
experiences and solve moral
dilemmas. Culture and Morality

-Describe the elements of Moral Character and the

moral development and Stages of Moral
moral experiences Development

4 Module 2: Ethical Theories and

. Moral Principles

4 Module 3: Challenges and

Responses

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 Course Requirements:

1. Written up Moral dilemmas experienced by the students

2. Exercises, activities and quizzes to measure the students knowledge on the
principles and concepts of the course.
3. Group and individual case study/analysis.
4. Final Oral or written exam may be given.
5. Submission of power-point presentation and hand-out (soft or written copy)
of group or individual research output regarding the topic assigned to them.

Grading Criteria:

Whichever is Practicable and Applicable in the “New Normal”

A. The grading criteria below applies when the University Administration would
NOT allow students to come to school to take personally the major exam.
Requirement/Assessment
Percentage
Task
Exercises/Activities/ Quizzes 50%
Research Works 30%
Class Standing (active on
attendance, recitation , 20%
interaction)
TOTAL 100%
B. This grading criteria applies when the University Administration would allow
students to come to school to take the major exams.

Requirement/Assessment
Percentage
Task
Exercises/Activities/ Quizzes 35%
Major Exams 40%
Class Standing (responsive to 15%
the demand of the subject)
TOTAL 100%

References:

Agapay, R. B. (1991-2008). Ethics and the Filipino, A Manual on Morals for Students and Educators.
(2nd Ed.). Philippines: National Book Store

Andres, T. D. (1980). Understanding Values. Philippines: New Day Publishers

Articulo, A. C. & Florencio, G. G. (2003). Values and Work Ethics. Philippines: Trinitas Publishing,
Inc.

Babor, E. R. (1999). Ethics, The Philosophical Discipline of Action. Philippines: Rex Book Store, Inc.

Babor, E. R. (2001). The Human Person : Not Real but Existing. Philippines :C&E Publishing
Inc.Bulaong, O.G,

Calano, M. J, Lagliva, A.M. & et. al. (2008). Ethics, Foundations of Moral Valuation. Philippines: Rex
Book Store

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 Co, M.M, Garcia, L.S, & Dumo, D.B. (2019). Ethics, In the Contemporary Perspectives. Philippines :
Mutya Publishing House, Inc.

Cruz, C.L. (1995). Contemporary Ethics. Philippines: National Book Store. (3 rd Ed.)

Module 1

Module Title: The Ethical Dimensions of Human Existence

Module Outcomes:
At the end of this module, you are expected to:
1. Provide a personal definition of ethics.
2. Articulate the differences of ordinary rules from moral rules and moral standards
3. Distinguish ordinary dilemmas from moral dilemmas
4. Identify the minimum requirements of morality
5. Point out the differences of the meaning of freedom from the varied viewpoint
6. Critique the claim that only human beings can be considered as moral agents
among the living creatures
7. Define the notion of culture from the three perspectives: personal, subconcious, and
universal
8. Identify specific cultural characteristics of Filipinos and Asians, and evaluate the
characteristics in relation to values.

Topics and Discussions:

A. Key Concepts in Ethics

Meaning of Ethics
Etymologically, ethics is derived from the Greek word ethicos, or that which
pertains to ethos the English translation of which is “custom” or “character”. The latin
word for ethics is mos or moris which also means “custom”. Because of this, ethics is
also called moral philosophy. With this there is an undeniable affinity of ethics with moral
philosophy and vice -versa, based on their etymological construction. And from this
etymological meaning of ethics some formal definitions are drawn;

Ethics is the practical science of the morality of human conduct. (Paul Glenn,
1968)
Ethics is a philosophical science dealing with the morality of the human act.
(Alfred Panizo, 1964)
Ethics is the normative science of the conduct of human beings living in societies-
-- science which judges this conduct to be right or wrong, to be good or bad…
(William Lillie, 1961)

With the above definition of ethics Panizo stresses that ethics is philosophical
science ---as science it systematically establishes standards or norms of human
conduct. It therefore qualifies human conduct as to whether it is good or bad and right

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 and wrong. After it qualifies human conduct ethics also requires a definitive human
conduct. This means that it requires man to act properly as man. And to act properly as
man, ethics idealistically requires man to do what is good and what is right.
However, there is a slight difference between the two. This difference can be traced, if
not asserted, by way of applying the concept of theory and practice in ethics. Ethics as
a normative philosophical science, is a theoretical science of good and bad or right and
wrong actions. So, ethics provide principle on the morality of human acts; it equips man
with a (theoretical) knowledge of the morality of human acts. We know, however, that
knowing is different from doing. It does not necessarily follow that man does what he
knows. This means that ethics does not actually guarantee that man will be moral. One
can only become moral when one applies ethics. In other words, when one does the
theories ethics one actually performs the theory, meaning one is actually doing ethics.
This is morality: the praxis of the theory (Ethics). If morality therefore is the practice of
ethics, morality should then be properly called Applied Ethics. The Greeks believed that
developing character would lead one not only to knowing the right thing to do, but to
actually doing the right or living the right way of life.

Moreover, ethics is one concept that is inseparable to its truest meaning, and this
refers to the practical aspect of the concept. Ethics is more than a theory to be
memorized. It is not sufficient to “knowing the right thing to do” but, “to actually doing
what is right”. Ethics as a practical concept entails that it is a lived experienced. In
general rules are laid down to restrict our actions. Because not all our actions are
acceptable and right. Rules are instituted, used, and followed to allow only actions that
are within the acceptable terms or conditions. We are governed by different rules that
enable our idea of rightness and wrongness to be consistent. But not all rules that we
follow are ethical. Some rules relate to manners, sports laws, languages, and even
appreciation of works of art. The following are the usual rules in our lives:
Etiquette -standards by which manners are judged to be good or bad,
normally dictated by a socio-economic elite.
Athletic – standard by which we judge how good or bad a game is played,
usually formulated by governing bodies.
Legal- standard by which legal right or wrong is judged in a democracy;
formulated by representatives of people.
Language – standards by which grammatically right or wrong language is
judged, evolving through its usage.
Aesthetics – standards by which good or bad art is judged as dictated by
a small circle of art specialists.

However there is a difference between rules and moral/ethical standards. The

moral standards are concerned with the character of man that impinges our dignity. The
common rules do not necessarily do so. For instance, if the rules on athletics are
violated, may physically injure the other but not in a moral sense. The validity of moral
standards rests on the adequacy of reasons to support an justify them and not on the
decision of majority or authoritative bodies. Moral standards are not to be commanded
or dictated by anyone. They are to be preferred to other values, including self-interest
because moral standards are based on impartial considerations. Impartiality here
means the interests of all concerned or affected by the action are taken into serious
reflection and examination. Moral standards are associated with special emotions such
as guilt “guilt”, “shame”, “remorse”, “praise”, “pity”, “indignation”.

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 B. Moral Dilemmas and the Minimum Requirements of Morality
A dilemma is a problem about choices. When our problem relates plainly to
choices, then our dilemma is not a moral one. For example, “what do you want to buy,
a new pair of shoes or a new cellphone? What kind of support do you want your Brgy.
Captain to give you during this pandemic, chicken, fish, eggs or beef? These are
problems related to choices and each time we make a choice , we make a preference
on the value of another thing. Most dilemmas are inherently about “sacrifices” because
in every option, there is a value. As our options increase, the difficulty of choosing
something what we value most also increases.
When our choice-problem relates between “two equally good or two equally evil”,
such problem on choices is an example of a moral dilemma. An ethical dilemma is a
complex situation that often involves an apparent mental conflict between moral
imperatives, in which to obey one would result in transgressing another.
Types of Moral Dilemmas :
1. Epistemic conflicts – this type of dilemma involves conflicts between two (or
more) moral requirements and the agent does not know which of the
conflicting requirements takes precedence in her situation. Example:
Amoral agent who is confronted by a situation to tell the truth under oath
but in doing so, would endanger the life of a loved one.
2. Ontological conflicts: This dilemma involves conflicts between two (or more)
moral requirements, and neither is overridden. This is not simply because
the agent does not know which requirement is stronger; neither is.
Example : A moral agent who is trusted by a secret society of its ideology
but is summoned by immediate and superior authority to persecute the
said society.

Self-imposed moral dilemmas arise because of the agent’s own

wrongdoing.
Example: A moral agent made two promises that he knew
conflicted, then through his own actions, he created a situation in which it
is not possible for him to discharge both of his promises.

Levels of Moral Dilemmas :

1. Individual level – this level of dilemma exists within the person only. Hence,
only the individual is confronted by such moral dilemma Example: to lie or
not.
2. Organizational dilemmas- exist within an organization or a particular sector. It
refers to a problem of reconciling inconsistencies between individual
needs and aspirations on the one hand, and the collective purpose of the
organization on the other.
3. Systematic or Structural Dilemma – this dilemma continuously seeks for a
system that is satisfactory and acceptable to all concerns. This kind of
dilemma involves other system in the society. The systematic dilemmas
are helpful in identifying those who are involved in the system.

Minimum Requirements of Morality

1. Reason is a faculty that is used by man in dealing with issues because moral
judgements are not matters of personal preferences or tastes, rather,
moral decisioning requires the support of sound reasons or well-founded
justifications.

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 2. Impartiality refers to each individual’s interests that are equally important in
the issue at hand. Therefore, each must acknowledge that other person’s
welfare is equally important as our own.

C. Understanding Human Freedom

The common understanding of freedom is the absence of restriction, hindrance,
obstacle, and the like. We are considered free if there is nothing that bounds our action
or contradict our decisions. Human freedom has two perspectives; positive and
negative.
Isaiah Berlin (1909-1997), a Russian -British social and political theorist, in his
work “Two concepts of Liberty” (2002) made distinctions between positive and negative
freedom. According to him, negative liberty is the absence of obstacle, barriers, or
constraints. On the other hand, the positive liberty is the possibility of acting, in such
way as to control one’s life. In other words, a person always acts as an active actor
rather than a passive spectator or an object which is being controlled by other people.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778), in his notion of ‘True Liberty” he stated
“Individuals should pursue an ideal of “true liberty” in which they will be able to achieve
their full human potential and live virtuously”. The search for the real human freedom
lies in overcoming the desire for self-love and possessing self-mastery and self-
preservation. Positive human freedom focuses not on overcoming what is forbidden
from doing, but on the action which allows an individual to reach the optimum potentials.

Human Freedom is Absolute

Jean Paul Sartre (1905-1980) Human Freedom is absolute in the following
arguments:
1. Existence Precedes Essence. The human subjectivity allows an
individual to realize one’s existence and experience the existence of
everything prior to the attainment of the essences and the purpose of
every individual thing. This means that a person becomes aware of the
existence of the world including oneself
prior to learning the function and the purpose of everything which
appears before the sensory experience .
2. Subject rather than Object. A person has the ability to control oneself
and influence others rather than to be guarded by the environment.
3. Notion of Choice. We all have the capacity to choose . Thus we have
the power to choose how we are to be in any given circumstances.
4. Responsibility. The fact that we are responsible to our actions, freedom
does exist; otherwise, we are no longer liable to the outcomes or
consequences of our decisions and the subsequent actions.
5. Our Acts define Us. A person creates oneself through his/her acts which
are free and voluntary.

Three Positions of freedom

1. Human is absolutely free (Sartrean view)
2. Human is absolutely Determined (freedom is impossible through the
arguments of the logical, psychological and the theological views) B.F.
Skinner (1904-1990) presents various types of determinism:
a. Logical determinism maintains the idea that the future is already fixed
as unalterable as the past.

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 b. Physical determinism standpoint based on the physical laws of nature,
and claims that the features of the world are dependent on the physical
factors.
c. Psychological determinism sustains that there are certain
psychological laws which we are beginning to
to discover, enabling us to predict, usually on the basis of one’s
experiences in early infancy.
3. Human is situated middle position as proposed by Maurice Merleau
Ponty ( 1908-1961)

Objection on the Absolute Determinism

The following conditions serve as objections:
1. “If the feeling of freedom is rejected”, then no basic experience is
trustworthy, which would lead to total skepticism and inaction, people
tend to become doubtful on their experiences, and the hope to change
the decision in various situations will no longer be possible.
2,. If the statement, “ Human is absolutely determined”, is true, the
statement is also determined.. Its opposite, “ Human is absolutely free”
would also be determined, and so there would be no truth value
anymore to the statement.
3. If human being is manipulable, they will no longer be responsible
towards their actions nor accountable to its possible results.
The Middle Ground
Merleau-Ponty used the terms “situated freedom” as the middle ground between
extreme freedom and absolute determinism. Human is free to make choices
despite the limited condition of the physical and psychological dimensions.
This is due to the concept of freedom only made sense in conjunction with
the insertion — “Man’s beingness in the world”.
Human beings are faced with previously constituted world that
nevertheless accommodated free actions. Human being as a subject, a
person is faced with a previously established situation, an environment and
world not of his/her own making. Though humans cannot change their
situation conditions, humans, however, have the capacity to change their
views in every situation as well as the meanings in every situation as well as
the meanings in every event that happens in their life.

Freedom is Related to Person

Gabriel Marcel (1889-1973) stated that the existence grows out as an ego (in the
context of having freedom) and grows into becoming (beingness). He
elaborated the two realms of freedom. a) In the realm of having, he
characterizes it as, “Freedom that is external to me; a problem apart from me
and its applicability to ideas, and its applicability to ideas, implying possession
(not open for sharing with others)”. b) Freedom that pertains to persons; open
to others to commune; it is not a ‘problem’ but a mystery that is part of me;
and this is applicable also to things like I am my ideas, I am free.

Understanding freedom And Responsibility

It is because of freedom that we become responsible for all our actions, and their
consequences. According to Alexander Spirkin (1918-2004) in his Dialectical
Materialism, there are two meanings of responsibility: accountability and

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 responsibility. In accountability the person is accountable for an action that is
free from external constraint. And taking the sanction is a must and not by
choice. Meanwhile, response-ability means the ability to give an account, the
ability to justify actions that are truly responsive to the objective demands of
the situation is a response that meets the demand of justice.

Freedom and Values

Max Scheller (1874-1928) He defined freedom in accordance to his hierarchy of
values. Since freedom is associated with choice, every choice is based on a
value. Value is never taken in isolation from what the total self aspires to
become. The following are concept of value in hierarchy:
Sensory Values -this value that is the object of sensory feelings; their
corresponding subjective states are pleasure and pain. Under this realm are
also technical values, values of civilization and luxury value. Essentially the
pleasant is always preferred over the unpleasant. Esssentially, the pleasant
is always preferred over the unpleasant. People sometimes tend to choose
unpleasant things such as giving up meal for the sake of giving alms to a
beggar, which is a higher value.
Vital Values these values are connected with general well-being. The
corresponding states of vital values are feelings of health and sickness,
aging, exhausting, energy vigorousness.
Spiritual Values are independent of the body and the environment. The
corresponding feeling states are spiritual joy and sorrow.
Holy and Unholy are values that appear only on objects given intentionally
as “absolute objects”. These values are independent of things and powers.

D. Culture and Morality

Definition and Nature of Culture
Culture is one of human dimensions. It shapes the mind, beliefs, and
morals of individuals in the society. It varies from different groups of people, depending
on their values and belief system. It defines the people in a particular society. Culture
allows us to understand the human nature in dealing with other people, and the morality
behind their acts.
Culture defined in various ways:
Edward Taylor (1642-1729) an American poet, culture refers to that
complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals,
custom, and any other capabilities and habits aquired by a member
of society.
For biologist it is likely to be a colony of bacteria or other microorganisms
growing in a nutrient medium in a laboratory Petri dish.
For Anthropologists and other behavioural scientists, culture is the full
range of learned human behavior patterns. It is a natural behavioral
pattern of groups of people which is set in their minds and being
practiced in their day to day activities.
The behavioural pattern, adopted naturally by an individual through
interaction with the members of the community with the members of
the community, shapes and defines one’s morality.
Core Layers of Culture
Layers of Culture by Dennis O’Neil :
The body of cultural traditions that distinguish a specific society.

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 The language of people defined them, and their culture. The words they used in
their conversation can be translated in different languages, particularly spoken
dialect, but not its original meaning. The culture defines the language or spoken
dialect of group of people in certain country, states, or region in the contextual
way. The people manner of speaking, the tone of voice, and the words that they
utter are reflection of their personality and identity.
The second layer of culture that nay be part of an individual’s
identity is the subculture. This occurs in a complex and diverse societies in which
people have come from many different parts of the world, they often retain much
of their original cultural traditions. Consciously and unconsciously, through
interaction with other, the subculture dominated in the group of individual and the
original culture eventually has minimal impact in everyday life, since a new set of
culture is embraced in order to survive in the newly adopted environment.
The third layer of culture consists of cultural universals. These are
learned behavior patterns that are shared collectively by all of humanity. No
matter where people live in the world, they share these universal traits. The
universal culture refers to the culture that is common to all people around the
world, example: assistance to the needy, greetings etc. Through this universal
pattern of culture, people develop not only pattern of behavior but a kind of
morality which is acceptable universally.

Culture Defines our Morality

Culture plays a very important role in defining the individual morality. To
impose certain level of morality or allow the individual to adopt the new set of
standard norm, the culture must be taken into consideration. The introduction of
new culture or imposing new set of practices contributes to the development of
high level of morality. What is culturally acceptable to the community will be used
as basis of their morality. Morality is universal and objective, but its application
become relative because of the culture
In spite of the tie up of culture with morality, still the morality will not be
based on what the culture dictates. The reaction of the people in every situation
varies depending on their culture, but morality dictates us to do what is right and
obliges us to do what is our duty.

Cultural Relativism
Cultural relativism may be a threat to ethics, since morality become
relative to people then, morality may no longer be universalized. The morality
then, then is no longer a universal custom but subject to individual’ s subjective
interpretation.
Morality must never be deduced to cultural relativism should not be
excused in manipulating the application and interpretation of morality.
Arguments against relativism posted by philosophers:
First, different cultures have different moral codes. What are morally
acceptable to a particular community are immorally acceptable to
others. Example, There are other cultures that accept same sex
marriage and divorce as legal and moral, but in the Philippines
setting it is unaaceptable.
Second, a culture’s moral code is right or correct relative to the people of
that culture. Therefore, there are no such thing as universal moral
standard or objective truth in Ethics. The application of morality in

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 different cultures depend on the value of action and not on the
specific actions. Since the value is universal, and always constant,
then that is the morality behind such action.

Undertsanding Filipino Culture

Filipinos view ethics together with the Filipino culture. Enriquez (1988).
The Filipino values are considered the basis of morality.
Tombreza (2008) Filipino Values are viewed either Positive or Negative:
1. Utang na loob (endless payment of debt/debt of gratitude)
2. Bahala na (surrender/hope for God’s grace)
3. Ningas Cogon (lack of ambition/ initiative)
4. Mañana habit (delaying habit/ patience)
5. Close family ties (dependency/love for family)

Utang na loob, in practice it is a way of recognizing the effort and good

deeds of an individual, and this favor is given back to the person (who gives) if
the said person asks for some favor from the one who receives. Unfortunately,
the debt of gratitude becomes a lifetime favor. Hence it is common for some
Filipinos to resort to “sumbat”(making a sharp remark while reminding of the good
deed) or let the debtors remember the favor given to them.
“Bahala Na” It is the total surrender to God (Bathala).It is the value of hope
acknowledgement of God or nature. People let nature acts on its own as they
accept whatever consequences the acts may lead to. Filipino values is the total
dependency as people easily surrender to the challenges of nature. They make
no effort to make up their lives and uplift their conditions.
“Ningas Cogon” a Filipino values on initiative. Making a good start is
already promising, but everything is wasted and useless if the individual is not
willing to finish what he/she has started, thus ending up with no accomplishments
or with unfinished tasks.
“Mañana Habit” a Filipinino values of patience. There is time for everything
and things happen at the right time, right place, right situation. They also believe
that there are a lot of opportunities thus, they do not even grab one.
“Close Family Ties” is the value of love and respect for the respect for the
parents. It is common to Filipinos to give back the love of their parents once the
latter grows old. Their children stay or live with them even after they get married
or decide to have a family of their own. The negative side of close family ties is
the dependency of the children to their parents up to the point that they let their
parents decide for their children and even their grandchildren.

Filipino Values with conflicting ideas are the following:

1. Propriety (hiya) versus troubled (pagkabagabag)
2. Personal versus duty/obligation
3. Family solidarity versus universal principle and general good
4. Pakikipagkapwa tao versus pakikisama.
Propriety (Hiya) versus troubled (Pagkabagabag) The true concept of hiya
is misinterpreted with the concept of shame. Telling the truth or doing what is
right and good hinders them by hiya. Most people think that if they tell the truth,
negative reactions will be the common results instead of the appreciation of the
concern of other people. Instead of approaching the affected party out “hiya” to
tell the truth, an individual is dominated by “pagkabagabag”.

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 Personal versus duty/obligations. Individual preferences, wants, and
values most of the time, compromise with the duties toward others and the
community.
Family solidarity versus universal principle and general good. Majority of
the Filipinos secure the welfare of the family against the common good.
Pakikipagkapwa tao versus Pakikisama. The concept of pakikipagkapwa
tao or humanitarian treatment of dealing with people allows the individuals to
cooperate with others and partake in the community’s effort for the good of all.
The concept of “pakikisama” is a form of cooperation and simply being with
others. But taking it to the extreme, people are just part of a group’s activity to
the point of hurting others, damaging themselves, and destroying other
properties.

E. Moral Character and the Stages of Moral Development

Caracter is an aggregate of distinctive qualities consisting the complex of mental
and ethical traits marking and often individualizing a person, group, or a nation (Merriam
Webster).
Different definitions of Moral Character for discussion:
1. Moral character is a personality construct: “a complex set of relatively
persistent qualities of the individual person, and the term has a definitive positive
connotation when it is used in discussions of moral education. (Pritchard, 1988)
2. An individual’s set of psychological characteristics that affect that
person’s ability and inclination to function morally. (Berkowits, 2002)
3. Moral character refers to an engagement in morally relevant conduct or
words, or refraining from certain conduct or words. (Wynne and Walberg, 1984
as cited by Huitt, 2004)
4. The essence of morality in respect for rules and that acting on
internalized principles (autonomy). (Piget, 1969 as cited by Huitt, 2004).
5. Moral character is the force behind moral actions. It is attached to
consistency. We can say that a person is good because his acts are consistent
with goodness across a period of time (Prof. Temporal, CHED-GET-ADMU
Trainer, 2016).

Components of Moral Character Development:

Campbell and Bond in 1982 (as mentioned by Huitt, 2004), in terms of influences
they propose the following as major sources in influencing character and
moral development: heredity, early childhood experience, modeling by
important adults and older youth, peer influence, the general physical and
social environment, the communications media, the teachings of schools
and other institutions, and specific situations and roles that elicit
corresponding behavior.
Vessels and Huitt, (2005), there are four components in the moral and character
development:
1. Ethical Sensitivity, this component refers to the capacity of a person to
recognize the moral dilemma by looking through alternatives and moral
choices.
2. Ethical Judgement, the consideration of possible alternative actions and
the rationale for selecting the best alternative/s.
3. Ethical motivation, the selection of moral values most relevant in the

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 situation and the commitment to act on that selection.
4. Ethical action, a component where moral character is revealed and
acted upon.
Gordon Vessels and William Huitt (2005)
1. The External/Social Theory -this theory viewed morality as a product of
external imposition in the form of consequences and the intentional
transmission of social rules and norms. This best exemplified by B.F.
Skinner’s Operant Conditioning—this theory holds that the best way to
understand behavior is to look for the causes and consequences of
actions.
2. The Internal Theory This theory includes nativists and sociobiologists
who commonly focus on genetic and maturational influences.
3. The Interactional Theory. This theory proposes that moral character
development is in constant struggle between biological predispositions to
act selfishly and aggressively and social pressures to act in a prosocial
manner. Erik Homburger Erikson (1902-1994) his psycho-social
development best fit the interactional theory. He emphasizes the role of
culture and society and the conflicts that can take place within the ego
itself. These involve establishing a sense of trust in others etc. The moral
aspect of personality involves three psychological transformations in the
individual/social relationship: (1) in early childhood, the child develops
identification with parents and other persons of authority, (2) in middle
childhood and early adolescence, the primary identification is with social
groups; and (3) in later adolescence and young adulthood the
identification is with themes that define self as a result of assuming adult
roles.
4. Personality/Identity Theory. This includes theories that find virtue rooted
in personality and personal identity. Virtues as a combination of (a) natural
predispositions and (b) interactions with the environment that involve both
reflection and commitment to moral values and behavior.

The Stages of Moral Development

The theory of Jean Piagets of Moral Reasoning as further develop by
Lawrence Kohlberg (1921-1987): The Stages of Moral Development has
Three Levels :
1. Preconventional Morality
Stage 1: Punishment -Avoidance and Obedience, Children do not
hold personal sense of morality. The sense of right and wrong is shaped
by the standards of the adults and children learned these through the
physical consequences of the action.
Stage 2. Instrumental Exchange, this stage opens up to a child the
idea that there is no single view of rightness and wrongness. There is in
fact, a “market-place exchange of favors or blows”. If you have done
something good to me, then I shall return the favor.
2. Conventional Morality
Stage 3. Interpersonal Conformity: A person acts to gain approval
of others. Good behavior is that which pleases or helps others within the
group. One earns approval by being conventionally “respectable” and
“nice”. The concept of right in conformity with the stereotypical behavioral
and values expectations of one’s society or peers.

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 Stage 4. Law and Order. Maintaining the social order implies
awareness and respect for fixed rules, laws, and properly constituted
authority. Defense of the given social and institutional order for its own
sake is the paramount expected activity of a good citizen.
3. Post Conventional
Stage 5. Prior Rights and the Social Contract. An individual acts
out of mutual obligation and a sense of public good. McLeod opined
“Individual judgement is based on self-chosen principles and moral
reasoning is based on individual rights and Justice”. Right action tends to
be defined in terms of standards that have been critically examined and
agreed upon by the whole society.
Stage 6. Universal Ethical Principles. An individual who reaches
this stage acts out of universal principles (such as equality, justice, human
rights) based upon equal rights and worth of all living beings. These
universal principles are applied to all without exceptions. People at this
stage have strong conviction to act and defend these principles even if it
means going against the rest of society or having to pay the
consequences of disapproval and threat of imprisonment. The moral
reasoning is anchored on the idea that persons are never means to an
end, but are ends in themselves.
Kohlberg’s theory rests upon moral thinking. But we
must remember that knowing what to do may find difference in the actual
acts that we may do once we are confronted by a moral situation. The
idea of compassion, care, love, pity, sympathy, and other emotion-based
concepts may find it them for our decisions on moral issues. So, it is not
always the case that moral reasoning would lead to moral behavior.

(An Exercises//Activities/Quizzes may be given at this point to assess

recall, understanding, analysis and application of the principles
discussed)

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