PAZA, LUKE ROGEL C.

BS CRIM 1B
REFLECTION PAPER

Ethics, a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality, have invariably played an
important part in our lives, especially when we are going to make a decision. There exist quite a
lot of ethical theories/models, however, some of these ethical theories such as moral rights
(rights theory), theory of justice and utilitarianism exert notable influence on most of us in
current life.

The theory of moral rights focuses on the respect and production of each individual member of
society and his or her fundamental rights. One of the strength of moral rights is that it makes it
accessible to protecting fundamental rights, unless some great right takes precedence. However,
there also exist some criticisms of this theory for it doesn’t care about the benefits and costs of
getting respect for another’s right.

Cultural relativism is the principle that ethical behavior must invariably be interpreted in cultural
context. Universalism claims that ethical standards are absolute, which has the opposite meaning
to the cultural relativism.

My personal ethics and values are very easy to understand. When I am to make a decision, I will
never only depend on intuition. I would ask myself the following questions: Is my decision legal
or not? Does it comply with my values? If I do it, will I feel bad? Could my decision at last
benefit the society? Could I tell my parents about my final decision? I am willing to sacrifice
something for the privilege of benefiting both me and the whole society. I will keep asking and
thinking seriously and critically until I get the answer.

My internal reflection plays an important role in my personal decision making process. When I
do something against my own ethics and values, I would be abandoned myself to bad feelings of
guilt or shame. If I do something which meets my personal ethics and values, I will feel proud or
good. This will influence the creation of my ethical standards and my personal decisions.