ETHICS

MODULE 1: INTRODUCTION

PRESENTER: RYAN ATIENZA

 CONTENTS

What is Ethics?
History of Ethics
Values vs Principle
Ethics vs Morality
Branches of Ethics
Why Do We Need Ethics?
Advantages of Ethical Behavior in the Workplace
WHAT IS ETHICS?

Ethics is the branch of philosophy that involves systematizing, defending, and

recommending concepts of right and wrong conduct.

The term ethics was derived from the ancient Greek word 'ethos’ which means
custom or habit.
The Middle East
The earliest surviving writings that might be taken as ethics textbooks are a series
of lists of precepts to be learned by boys of the ruling class of Egypt, prepared
some 3,000 years BCE. In most cases, they consist of shrewd advice on how to live
happily, avoid unnecessary troubles, and advance one’s career by cultivating the
favour of superiors.

India
The oldest of the Indian writings, the Vedas, ethics is an integral aspect of
philosophical and religious speculation about the nature of reality. These writings
date from about 1500 to 1200 BCE.

China
The two greatest moral philosophers of ancient China: Laozi and Confucius. Laozi is
best known for his ideas about the Dao - based on the traditional Chinese virtues
of simplicity and sincerity. The teachings of Confucius had a far greater influence
on China moreso became renowned for the honesty of its people, the respect
shown to the aged, and the care taken of the poor.
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece was the birthplace of Western philosophical ethics. In the poetic
literature of the 7th and 6th centuries BCE, there were moral precepts whom they
refer to the seven sages.

Pythagoras was the founder of a school of thought that touched on all aspects of
life and that may have been a kind of philosophical and religious order.

Socrates who once observed that “the unexamined life is not worth living,” must
be regarded as one of the greatest teachers of ethics. Socrates taught a method of
inquiry. When someone boasted that they knew what justice, piety, temperance, or
law was, Socrates would ask them to give an account, which he would then show
was entirely inadequate.

Plato accepted the key Socratic beliefs in the objectivity of goodness and in the
link between knowing what is good and doing it. He also took over the Socratic
method of conducting philosophy, developing the case for his own positions by
exposing errors and confusions in the arguments of his opponents.
In practice, ethics seeks to resolve questions of human morality, by
defining concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and
vice, justice and crime. It has its roots in philosophy, as it is a branch of
philosophy that studies the values and customs of people and also
encompasses the use of the concepts of right and wrong. It concerns
itself with human conduct and moral decision-making. It is used to
discover what are the principles that guide people in deciding what is
right and what is wrong.
ACTIVITY #2:

Let's say a close friend of yours, Angelo, confides in you that he is

struggling with depression. He’s feeling isolated and alone but
whenever he's invited to go out, he find it impossible to do. Angelo
insists that he don't want anyone else to know about his depression.
He is trusting this information to you alone.

A few days later, another friend comes to you

frustrated about Angelo. He had bombed on plans at
the last minute yet again and your friends has had
enough. They've decided they just won't bother
inviting Angelo out anymore.

You're torn.

If Angelo stops being invited to gatherings, the isolation

could make him feel even worse. Sharing information
about his depression might help Angelo be treated
with more empathy and compassion, but it would be a
breach of trust and if Angelo finds out especially in a
vulnerable state, who knows what might happen.
 VALUES
Values are personal beliefs or preferences
that determine how we behave and
choose to act. Our experiences, culture,
upbringing and personal preferences
shape values. They are subjective and
may vary from one individual to another.
Values play an important role in shaping
our identity and a sense of purpose. They
help us prioritize our goals, aspirations
and make choices that align with our
values.
PRINCIPLES
Principles are fundamental truths or laws
that govern our behavior and decisions.
They apply across multiple contexts,
cultures and situations. Our preferences
or beliefs do not determine principles but
by objective realities we can observe. It is
essential for a person to have principles in
order to build a strong moral foundation
because they provide a framework for
making ethical decisions.
 ETHICS
- Refers to rules provided by an external
source, society or prefession
- They are governed by professional and
legal guidelines within a particular time
and place
- It cares about the value of judgements
we make

MORALITY
- Refers to an individual's own personal
sense of right and wrong
- It is not imposed by anyone
- Influenced by society, culture and
religion
 BRANCHES OF ETHICS
Meta-ethics - deals with the nature of
moral judgment. It looks at the origins
and meaning of ethical principles. Meta
Ethics deals with questions like “What is
‘good’?”
Normative ethics - is concerned with
the content of moral judgments and the
criteria for what is right and what is
wrong course of action. Normative
Ethics deals with questions like “Which
of my actions should be considered as
good?”
Applied ethics - looks at what a person
is obligated (or permitted) to do in a
specific situation or a particular domain
of action. It is the philosophical
examination, from a moral standpoint, of
particular issues in private and public life
which are matters of moral judgment. It
is thus the attempts to use philosophical
methods to identify the morally correct
course of action in various fields of
everyday life.
WHY DO WE NEED ETHICS?

Ethics guides us like a map. Most moral issues get us pretty worked up because
these are such emotional issues, we often let our hearts do the arguing while our
brains just go with the flow. But there's another way of tackling these issues, and
that's where philosophers can come in - they offer us ethical rules and principles that
enable us to take a cooler view of moral problems.
WHY DO WE NEED ETHICS?

Ethics is about feeling for others. At the heart of ethics is a concern about
something or someone other than us and our own desires and self-interest. Ethics is
concerned with other people's interests, with the interests of society. So, when a
person 'thinks ethically' they are giving at least some thought to something beyond
themselves.
WHY DO WE NEED ETHICS?

Ethical values create integrity. High sense of ethics and values makes a man
trustworthy and representable. If a professional individual follows every legal and
moral codes, abides by the rules and regulations of the company and tries to create
the maximum profit for the client and for the company then the said individual
catalyzes the increment of integrity of the company as well as himself/herself.
 ADVANTAGES OF ETHICAL BEHAVIOR
IN THE WORKPLACE

RETAINS GOOD AVOIDS LEGAL

EMPLOYEES PROBLEMS

BUILDS CUSTOMER CREATES A MAKES PROFIT IN

LOYALTY POSITIVE WORK THE LONG RUN
ENVIRONMENT
Questions?