Lesson I – Feelings and Moral Decision –Making

There are atleast two theories that give focus on morality.

1. Ethical Subjectivism - this holds that truth that the truth or falsity of of ethical propositions
is dependent on the feelings , attitudes, or standards of a person or group of persons.
- It submits that our moral opinions are based on our feelings, and nothing more.

2. Emotivism - This was developed chiefly by the American Philosopher Charles L. Stevenson
(1909-1979) and has been one of the most influential theories of Ethics in the 20 th Century.
- An improved version of subjectivism.
- Logical positivism - claims that any legitimate truth claim must be empirically
verifiable.

Lesson II – Reason and Impartiality as Minimum Requirement for Morality

Reason – is the basis or motive for an action, decision, or conviction.

- As a quality , it refers to the capacity for logical, rational, and analytic thought, for
consciously making sense of things, establishing and verifying of facts, applying
common sense and logic, and justifying if necessary, changing practices, institutions,
and beliefs based on existing or new existing information.

Moral Deliberation - is a matter of weighing reasons and being guided by them.

Impartiality – involves the idea that each individual’s interests and point of view are equally important.

Also called evenhandedness or fair-mindedness.

- A principle of justice holding that decisions ought to be based on objective criteria,

rather than on the basis of bias, prejudice, or preferring the benefit to one person over
another person for improper reasons.

THE 7 STEP MORAL REASONING MODEL

- By Scott B. Rae

The following are the steps or elements of a model for making moral decisions :

a. Gather facts
b. Determine the Ethical Issues
c. Identify the Principles that have a bearing on the case
d. List the alternatives
e. Compare the Alternatives with the Principles
f. Weigh the consequences
g. Make a Decision