MIDTERM EXAM IN GEC 18 ETHICS

Name: Jesseca Boter Course, Year, Block: BSA-

3C

1. Discuss the central claims of cultural relativism. What do you think are its strengths and
weaknesses? You may provide an example to further substantiate your answer

Cultural relativism relies on the principle that ethical and social standards reflect the cultural
context from which they are derived. Accordingly, there are five central claims of cultural
relativism. First, different societies have different moral codes which assert that cultural
variations and the circumstances in which one civilization lives in comparison to another can
rise to a wide range of moral views. This is certainly true since right and wrong are only
matters of opinion, and opinions vary from culture to culture. One example of this is the
women's dress codes that are required or acceptable in a country might find it discriminatory,
immoral, or unethical by other countries. But there are some values are shared by all cultures
such as the value of telling the truth, the importance of caring for the young and elders, and the
prohibition against murder. The second claim states that the moral code of a society
determines what is right within that society; that is, if the moral code of a society says that a
certain action is right, then that action is right, at least within that society. This emphasizes that
the moral code of a society is closely tied to what people in that society believe about morals.
However, those people and that moral code can be wrong. It can create chaos since people
who can follow their moral code because there is no right or wrong would be allowed to pursue
any life they preferred. The third claim asserts that there is no objective standard that can be
used to judge one society’s code as better than another’s; that there are no moral truths that
hold for all people at all times. This claim is not entirely true because there are things that are
universally considered wrong or immoral in the world. An example of this is the generally
accepted international laws and principles. Fourth, the moral code of our own society has no
special status; it is but one among many. This is somehow true, but one moral code might be
better or worse than others. The fifth claim states that are arrogant for us to judge other
cultures that we should always be tolerant of them. The last claim suggests that other cultures
should be respected as if they were one’s own. This asserts that people must embrace other
cultures and avoid demeaning them, thinking that one’s culture is superior while the other
culture is inferior. However, we shouldn’t tolerate everything. The fact that other societies may
have done terrible things, we can’t be forced to accept it from being not immoral and ethical.

2. What is the difference between a moral agent and a moral patient? Provide your own
example/case for your illustration.

A moral agent is any person or entity with the capacity to exercise moral agency. They are
the one who performs an act in accordance with moral standards or in other words, a moral
agent is the moral person who acts morally. These are human beings or person who has the
ability to discern what is right from wrong and to be held accountable for his or her own
actions. But not all moral persons are considered to be moral agents and only human beings
can be considered as moral agents since other living things like animals and plants do not
have the capacity to perform actions that can be either morally good or bad. For instance, the
response of a 7-year-old who accidentally bites his little sister and then cries as soon as his
mother find it out because he knows that what he did was wrong and that he can get punished
from it. However, if the puppy was the one who bites the kid, the mother cannot give
punishment since the puppy does not have the capacity to know what is right or wrong. For a
human being to be considered as a moral agent, he/she must have the capacity to conform to
the demands of morality. He/she must become a person with a conscience, one that is capable
of having free will, and can conceive that some acts are good or bad.

On the other hand, a moral patient are the persons or things which moral agents can
have moral responsibilities. All moral agents can also be considered as moral patients, but
moral patients need not become moral agents. It is because the ones who can function as the
bearers of moral obligations towards other are only the moral agents while moral patients are
only the receiver or objects of the moral obligations of the moral agents. Thus, they need not
themselves be capable of being a moral agent. Non-human beings like animals and plant that
lack the capacity to become moral agents are classified as moral patients. But there are also
cases wherein some human beings who are incapacitated to perform moral actions are then
considered as moral patients. Some examples are a human fetus, a comatose patient, or a
patient in a vegetative state. In a scenario wherein parents take care of their young children
from being an infant to becoming an adult, the parents are the moral agents since they are the
doers of such actions while the children are the patients as they are the receivers of such
actions. But as the parents become old, the children now became adults and were now the
ones who take care of their old and sick parents, then they are now considered as the moral
agents and their parents became moral patients.

3. Discuss Kohlberg’s Three Levels of Moral Development. Based on your personal

evaluation, what level/stage of moral development are you in right now? You may illustrate
using a particular experience/example.

We all make mistakes, and as we age and gain more experiences, we learn how to make
morally guided decisions. The stages of moral development of Kohlberg made a great
contribution to how people develop their morality or their ability to know what is right from
wrong. Kohlberg's ideas of moral development are based on the premise that at birth, humans
do not have morals, ethics, or a sense of honesty. His theory is based on responses to
scenarios that involve a moral dilemma that he broke down into different levels and stages.

The first level is the “Pre-conventional level” which states that an individual’s behavior is
affected by the possible consequences of his or her acts. This is commonly observed in young
children who based their acts on what they fear, wants, and interests are. This level comprises
of two stages, the punishment or obedience orientation wherein an individual obeys in order to
avoid punishment, and the instrumental purpose orientation wherein an individual considers if
such an act can enable him/her to get rewards or satisfy their personal needs. I remembered
that back when I was young, my grandmother would get a small piece of a whip just to make
me eat vegetables while my mother usually encourages me to do so by giving me my favorite
candies if I eat vegetables.

In the second level which is the “Conventional stage”, a person acts according to what is
socially acceptable and such actions are based on the rules of the society. It also has two
stages namely the good boy/nice girl orientation and the law and order orientation. The third
stage is when where an individual wanted to do acts in conformity with what other people do
and answers the question, “What will people think of me?” while an individual is in the fourth
stage when his/her acts are based on the rules and laws maintained by the society or
community.
 The last level is the “Post-conventional or principle level” with the last two stages, the social
contract orientation, and the universal ethical principle orientation. In the fifth stage, an
individual can now understand that there are different opinions of what is right and wrong but
would act considering the rights and values that a society ought to uphold. The last stage is the
most superior among the other five stages and this implies that an individual would act based
on his/her conscience in accord with self-chosen ethical principles.
Among the proposed three levels and six stages of moral development, I can say that I now
belong to the 5th stage of level 3, the “Social contract orientation”. I have fully developed my
own set of moral guidelines and am now able to step back and assess each situation first
before making impulsive decisions. Every action that I did, I usually try to reflect on it if will not
violate any laws, regulations, or order of our society. Some examples would be to avoid
spreading fake news, stealing, and cheating. I always uphold, to tell the truth even if it would
make other people judge me as well as have the willingness or encouragement to accept that I
was wrong. I, therefore, chose to follow the ethical principles which will not violate any moral
conducts, laws, and regulations being implemented by our society.

4. Among all the Filipino values, what particular value needs to be

enhanced/changed/corrected and why? You may provide an example to further
substantiate your answer

We, Filipinos have a different set of values that have historically become very important in
our lives. This includes our unique ideologies, moral codes, ethical practices, etiquette, as well
as cultural and personal values that are promoted by our society. We are rooted primarily in
personal alliance systems, especially those that are based on kinship, obligation, friendship,
religion, and relationships with others. There are various Filipino values that we find annoying,
the bad habits that needed to be changed or avoided for the better.

The first one is that Filipinos tend to possess a crab mentality which promotes unhealthy
competition. Some of us hate losing on something, and instead of doing things that could help
us become better, we tend to devote so much time to find any flaws and imperfections of our
other and start spreading false information about them. Many Filipinos also live off talking
about the affairs of other people. Small problems that arise between families, friends, or
neighbors became very complicated because of fictitious information shared by those who also
have grudges against our enemies. This results to break family and friendships and much
worse is that it can cause physical and emotional violence, too.

Another one is being undisciplined. Some of us are very hard-headed and stubborn when it
comes to following the laws, rules, and regulations of the government. Even though we saw
warnings on no smoking in public places, no jaywalking, throwing waste improperly, etc., still
we do not care about it. We seem to take it for granted and if other people reprimand us, we
got angry for no practical reason.

Next is that most of us tend to use connections for personal gain. When it comes to getting
a job, having a family member or close acquaintance of someone in a high position of that
company or organization will give us more chances to get hired. This results to bias selection
of employees and this habit could encourage corruption. For example, if your colleague is your
cousin or a close friend, and he/she has stolen money in the funds of the company, you may
turn a blind eye to it. Thinking that if you said the truth, it may become disadvantageous for you
as well.
 Lastly, some Filipinos are social climbers. We tend to become pretentious as being well-off
by buying expensive things where in fact, such actions only conceal our real status. There is
no problem in aiming to become rich or successful but it is wrong to brag about something that
we do not have or own. If we wanted to become that successful, then it is only right for us to
work hard on it and as soon as it became one, we must stay being humble, considerate, and
righteous.

5. Judiciously analyze the case below. What makes the given case a matter of ethics? What
is your moral decision/judgment/position on the given moral dilemma? Justify your position.

It is really hard to decide who among the parents and the doctors did the right things since I
am not in the position to judge both of their decisions. Indeed, this case is a very complex
matter about ethics and morality. The sense of morality and ethical standard of the parents of
the conjoined twins encompasses the law of God whereas it contradicts the beliefs of medical
professionals as they mainly rely on their working ethics and their judgment as doctors.
Looking at both sides of the circumstances, Jodie is much stronger than Mary and the life of
Mary is dependent on her sister. The moral dilemma here is to choose between saving one of
the twins or letting both of them die.

In the perspective of the parents, it is unethical and immoral to kill an innocent life because
human beings should be treated with respect and dignity at all times, and should never be
used as merely a means but the perspective of the experts like the doctors and lawyers are
more inclined in preserving the life of Jodie since she has a higher chance to survive. The
parents have all the rights in deciding what to do to their children. They are the ones who
brought the twins into this world and carried them for nine months. But if I were to judge if what
the doctor did was correct, I would say so. Disregarding my spiritual beliefs, in my opinion, the
doctors just do their job. Not separating the twins, and consequently allowing both to die is
intrinsically the same as killing both of them.

What the doctors did in saving the other twin who has a chance to live is actually right. Why
would they let Jodie die as well if she has a chance to live? Will they waste this chance just
because they do not want to sacrifice any one of them? It will be very unprofessional for the
doctors to neglect their parents and not do anything to save their patients. Even though the
doctors have saved the life of Jodie, it is still wrong for them to neglect the decision of the
parents. And for that mistake, I think it will be better for them to willingly get the punishment or
consequences of their actions. They must have shared with the guilt, pain, and conscience that
lingers in the hearts of the parents for having to sacrifice one of their babies to save the other
one. As soon as their wounds are healed, there will come a time that they will realize that the
best decision for that situation was made. They must take good care of Jodie so that the
sacrifice of Mary will not go in vain.

References

(n.d.). Sample Essay 1. Retrieved March 20, 2022, from

http://www.sfu.ca/~etiffany/teaching/phil120/siamesetwins_120.html
19 Negative Filipino Traits & Values That Need To Change. (n.d.). Pinoy OFW. Retrieved
March 24, 2022, from https://www.pinoy-ofw.com/news/10228-negative-filipino-
traits.html

Toxic Filipino Traits | Cebu Daily News. (2020, April 11). Cebu Daily News. Retrieved March
23, 2022, from https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/301832/toxic-filipino-traits