Topic 1:

What is Ethics all about?

Philip James S. Miñoza

 Learning
Objectives
• Define philosophy and its connection with
ethics.
• Recognize the difference between ethics and
morality
• Various Approaches to studying the nature of
morality
• Varied interpretations of “Good”
• Morality and its aspects and application

Ethics: Morality, Society, & the Self 2

Reminders
Engage and listen to the lecture Explore the concepts
(take note of important details
(do your own reading)
during the lecture and participate
in the short surveys/poll)

Explain the concepts

Elaborate what you have learned
(learn to verbalize what you (learn to form arguments to prove
learned by participating in the your point and cite examples)
discussion)

Evaluate
(learn how to synthesize what you Remember the topics and prepare
have learned and be reflective of for the exam always.
your position)
ETHICS (ETHN01A) 3
 1
Defining Ethics

The relation of Philosophy to Ethics

2
The Difference between “Ethics” and “Morality”

3
What do we mean by the term “Good”?

ETHICS (ETHN01A) 4
Morality?

ETHN01A 5
ETHICS (ETHN01A) 6
 ❑Defined as the love of wisdom

❑A deconstructive practice
Philosophy can be understood as a deconstructive practice in the
sense that it involves questioning and analyzing fundamental concepts
Philosophy and assumptions that underlie our beliefs and knowledge about the world.

Through this deconstructive approach, philosophy seeks to reveal the

inherent contradictions, limitations, and biases that may be present in our
ways of thinking and communicating. By examining these underlying
structures, philosophy can help us to recognize the contingency of our
beliefs and knowledge, and to develop more nuanced and sophisticated
ways of understanding the world around us.

In this way, philosophy can serve as a valuable tool for self-reflection,

intellectual growth, and social critique.
 ❑ Metaphysics (assumptions about the nature of reality)
o Ontology (inquires about the nature of existence,
its categories, and form)

Its relation ❑ Epistemology (inquiry into the nature of knowledge)

to Ethics /
Branches of ❑ Axiology (study of value and value systems; concerned with questions
about what is valuable, good, what is morally right or wrong; a study of
Philosophy values and how they shape our lives and society)

o Ethics (inquiry into the nature of morality, and human values)

o Aesthetics (inquiry into the nature of beauty, what is art, and
creative or artistic creations)
 1
Defining Ethics
The relation of Philosophy to Ethics

2
The Difference between “Ethics” and “Morality”

3
What do we mean by the term “Good”?

ETHICS (ETHN01A) 9
What is the
Difference?

Conference presentation 10
 Ethics serves as a critical approach that deals with questions about what
is right or wrong, and how we ought to behave and determine our
actions in different situations.
It is concerned with developing and evaluating moral standards and
principles and applying these principles to real-life situations.

Morality, on the other hand, refers to the set of values, principles, and
norms that guide our behavior and decision-making. It is a set of beliefs
The about what is right or wrong, good or bad, and just or unjust.
Difference In other words, ethics is the study of morality, while morality is the set of
principles and values that guide ethical behavior.

❑ System and Agency

❑ Approach and Pre-determined Application

❑ Individual and Moral Codes

 1
Defining Ethics
The relation of Philosophy to Ethics

2
The Difference between “Ethics” and “Morality”

3
What do we mean by the term “Good”?

ETHICS (ETHN01A) 12
What do we mean when we
say something is “good”?

Conference presentation 13
 Our conception of “Good” involves . . .
❑ The notion of “Happiness” and “Pleasure”

- Short-term view vs. Long-term view

- Happiness is understood in terms of concrete human
experience and relations rather than in an abstract sense;
Characteristics Hence, the notion of “What good is” depends on this context.
of “Good” However, the notion of “Happiness” and “Pleasure” needs to
be questioned in certain occasions IF a certain form of harm
emerges from it.

❑ It includes a degree of “Excellence”, i.e., a standard worth pursuing

where individuals can achieve a level of perfection.

❑ It includes a component of “Harmony” and room for “Creativity”

 Amoral means having no moral sense or being indifferent to
right and wrong.

Such people tend to be found among certain criminal types who

Defining can’t seem to realize they’ve done anything wrong. They tend not
to have any remorse, regret, or concern for what they have done.
Terms
This does not mean that amoral criminals should not be morally
blamed and punished for their wrongdoings. In fact, such people
may be even more dangerous to society than those who can
distinguish right from wrong because usually, they are morally
uneducable. Society, therefore, needs even more protection from
such criminals. (Thiroux, p. 4)
 The word nonmoral means out of the realm of morality
altogether. For example, inanimate objects such as cars
and guns are neither moral nor immoral.
Defining A person using the car or gun may use it immorally, but
Terms the things themselves are nonmoral. Many areas of
study (e.g., mathematics, science, and technology) are in
themselves nonmoral, but because human beings are
involved in these areas, morality may also be involved.
Approaches
to the Study
of Ethics

Conference presentation 17
 The emphasis of this approach is empirical
where we observe and collect data about
human behavior and conduct and then draw
Descriptive certain conclusions.
Approach
However, they make no value judgments as to
what is morally right or wrong nor do they
prescribe how humans ought to behave.
 It emphasizes moral value judgments rather than just
the presentation or description of facts or data.

It is concerned with defining and evaluating moral

standards or principles that guide human behavior. It
seeks to answer the question, "What is the right thing
Normative to do?"
Ethics
Normative ethics aims to provide a framework for
making moral judgments and decisions about how to
act in different situations. It includes various ethical
theories, such as consequentialism, deontology, virtue
ethics, and care ethics.
 It is concerned with the nature of ethical
language, concepts, and reasoning. It seeks to
answer questions about the meaning and truth
of moral statements, the existence of moral
facts, and the foundations of moral principles.
Metaethics
Metaethics examines the underlying
assumptions and implications of moral theories
and aims to clarify and analyze the language
and concepts used in ethical discussions.
 Applied ethics is concerned with the practical
application of moral principles to specific issues
or situations.

It seeks to address real-world ethical problems

Applied Ethics in areas such as medicine, business, politics,
and the environment.

This approach includes various fields such as

medical ethics, business ethics, and
environmental ethics.
 Virtue ethics is an approach to normative ethics that focuses
on the character traits or virtues that individuals should
cultivate in order to live a good life. Virtue ethics is
concerned with answering the question of what it means to be
a good person, rather than just determining what actions are
right or wrong.

Virtue Ethics In virtue ethics, virtues are seen as habits or dispositions of

character that enable individuals to act in ways that are
morally good. These virtues include traits such as honesty,
courage, compassion, fairness, and generosity.

According to virtue ethics, individuals should strive to

develop these virtues through practice and habituation in
order to become morally excellent individuals.
Ethical Dilemmas

As human agents, we are always confronted with

situations that carries an ethical problematization. It is
important for us to have a more deliberative approach
whenever we consider the implications of our
decisions and value judgements.

ETHICS (ETHN01A) 23
 Plagiarism of a Graduating Student

Karen, a college student in her graduating year, was reprimanded by her school
after her thesis panelists discovered that several parts of her manuscript were
plagiarized. As it is a significant case of academic dishonesty, Karen failed her
thesis in the first semester and was asked to start again the next semester. Come
Case #1

her second try, one thesis panelist again discovered a plagiarized section in her
thesis. When asked about it, Karen tearfully confessed that she was struggling to
balance her schedule as she works part-time after school and that plagiarizing a
section of her work was the only way for her to submit it on time. Moreover, she
begs to be given a chance to revise her thesis again as she needs to graduate on
time as her father who works abroad already bought ticket to attend her expected
graduation. As per the student handbook, a student who commits a second case of
plagiarism on a major school requirement will be penalized with expulsion.

ETHICS (ETHN01A) 24
 Plagiarism of a Graduating Student
Case #1

If you will decide on the fate of Karen, what will you do?
Will you follow the handbook or resort to another penalty to
consider her situation? Should schools exercise compassion
even in cases of serious academic offenses? Explain.

ETHICS (ETHN01A) 25
 Between a Woman’s Right or An Institutions’ Image?

Maria is a college student in a catholic-oriented learning institution in the

Philippines. She secretly participates in the sex industry as an online sex worker
to pay for her education and make ends meet. To get in touch with her clients and
Case #2

audiences, Maria works as a content creator and uses platforms such as Onlyfans
and Alua. For Maria, her secret job pays off more than enough to provide for her
needs, and it does not demand too much of her time compared to other minimum-
wage jobs that could barely cover her tuition fee.

Maria firmly believes in the “My Body, My Choice” mantra, that even if some
people view sex work as immoral and unacceptable, these views should not stand
between her and her means to support herself. Looking at the flipside, Maria’s
line of work comes with risks and dangers, especially in a conservative catholic-
oriented country such as the Philippines. For religious institutions, sex work
contradicts their customs and values and can tarnish the pristine image of their
institutions. Since sex work is a disgrace and dishonor in conservative
communities, Maria is at risk of being bullied and abused both online and offline
and being expelled from her catholic institution.
ETHICS (ETHN01A) 26
 Ethical Questions:

1. Is Maria’s reason to engage in sex work justified? If discovered by her

conservative community, is the act of giving punishments justifiable? (e.g.
imprisonment, public humiliation, expulsion from her learning institution,
Case #2

etc.)

2. If only discovered by the catholic learning institution, is it ethical for them to

turn a blind eye and continue receiving payments from Maria considering her
line of work? Or should they resort to expulsion — an act that could take
away the possibility of a better future for Maria?

ETHICS (ETHN01A) 27
 Case of baby Theresa

Theresa Ann Campo Pearson, an infant known to the public as “Baby

Theresa”, was born in Florida in 1992. Baby Theresa had anencephaly,
Case #3

one of the worst genetic disorders. Anencephalic infants are sometimes

referred to as “babies without brains”, and this gives roughly the right
picture, but it is not accurate. Important parts of the brain – the cerebrum
and cerebellum – are missing, as is the top of the skull. There is however,
a brain stem, and so autonomic functions such as breathing, and heartbeat
are possible. In the U.S., most cases are detected during pregnancy, and
the fetuses are usually aborted. Of those not aborted, half are stillborn,
about 350 are born alive each year, and they usually die within days.

ETHICS (ETHN01A) 28
 Case of baby Theresa

Baby Theresa’s story is remarkable only because her parents made an

unusual request. Knowing that their baby would die soon and could never
Case #3

be conscious, Theresa’s parents volunteered her organs for transplant.

They thought their kidneys, liver, heart, lungs, and eyes should go to
other children who could benefit from them. Her physicians agreed.
Thousands of infants need transplant each year, and there are never
enough organs available. But the organs were not taken, because Florida
law forbids the removal of organs until the donor is dead. By the time
baby Theresa died, nine days late, it was too late for the other children –
her organs had deteriorated too much to be harvested and transplanted.

ETHICS (ETHN01A) 29
 Case of baby Theresa
Case #3

… The Question:

Should she have been killed so that her

organs could have been used to save other
children?

ETHICS (ETHN01A) 30
 Common Responses and Emerging Questions
Should she have been killed so that her organs could have been used to save other children?

The Argument from the Wrongness of Killing. It is wrong to kill one person to save another life.
Baby Theresa has no consciousness; She will never have a life & is going to die soon. Taking her organs would
help other babies. Is it always wrong to kill one person to save another?
Case #3

• Could we regard Baby Theresa as already dead?

Bear in mind that the medical definition nowadays of death suggests that when the brain stops functioning.
We should not use people as means, only as ends. It is wrong to use other people as means to other peoples
ends.
What do we mean by “using people”?
It means violating their “Autonomy” – the ability to decide
for themselves & how to live their own lives according to their own
Desires and values. This is violated through manipulation,
trickery, coercion, and deceit.
Are we violating Baby Theresa’s autonomy & her wishes? When people are unable to make decisions, a basic
guideline to consider is: What would be in their own best interest?
ETHICS (ETHN01A) 31
 Tips for Resolving
an Ethical Dilemma

Consider the details of the Consider both the

situation. Ask what salient issues consequences and motives of
are involved and who is involved the agent. Imagine the possible
and affected by the actions. factors that affect the agent.

Utilize the Ethical Organize your arguments

Theories and Principles and present your evaluation
applicable to the situation. and solution to the case/s.

Conference presentation 32
 Read and Research
Reminders

Practice writing and take notes.

Do not rely on PowerPoint
presentations.

Understand the concepts

and basic definitions and
discuss them in class.

ETHICS (ETHN01A) 33
ETHICS (ETHN01A) 34
Thank you!
Philip James S. Miñoza

ETHICS (ETHN01A) 35
 ARE
VA L U E S
C U LT U R A L BASED ON
R E L AT I V I S M
C U LT U R E ?
 L E A R N I N G
O B J E C T I V E S

• U N D E R S TA N D T H E C L A I M O F
C U LT U R A L R E L AT I V I S M ( C R )
• D I S C U S S T H E A R G U M E N T S I N FAV O R
OF (CR)
• DISCUSS THE COUNTER-ARGUMENTS
AGAINST (CR)
• SYNTHESIZE THE ARGUMENTS
 Cultural Relativism holds that the norms of a culture
reign supreme within the bounds of the culture itself.

“When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”

 Different societies have different moral codes.

Cultural Relativism (CR)

The moral code of a society determines what is right
IF (x) is socially approved, THEN within that society.
(x) is morally good.
There is no objective standard that can be used to
Different societies have different judge one society’s code as better than another’s.
moral codes. Standard of “right”
and “wrong” is culture-bound. (CR)
The moral code of our own society has no special
Challenges both our claim to the
status; it is but one among many.
objectivity and universality of
moral truth.
It is arrogant for us to judge other cultures. We
should always be tolerant of them.

See (pp. 16-17)

 THE CULTURAL
Examining a DIFFERENCE ARGUMENT
(CR’s) Line of
Thinking • (CR’s) begin with facts about cultures
and end up drawing a conclusion about
morality.
 OR

(1) The Eskimos saw nothing wrong with

infanticide, whereas Americans
Examining a believe infanticide is immoral.
(CR’s) Line of
Thinking (2) Therefore, infanticide is neither
objectively right nor objectively
wrong. It is merely a matter of
opinion, which varies from culture to
culture.
Is the argument of (CR) Valid?
Consider this . . .
In some societies, people believe
the earth is flat. In other societies,
such as our own, people believe
that the earth is a sphere.

Does it follow, from the mere fact

that people disagree, that there is
no “objective truth” in geography?
 • We could no longer say that the customs of
other societies are morally inferior to our
own.
What Follows
from (CR)? BUT … this also suggest that we would also be
barred from criticizing other practices embedded
in the culture of other societies that may be
viewed as inhumane.

COUNTER-ARGUMENT #1
That means we cannot
criticize/condemn this …

A Jewish woman being

bullied and beaten by
kids who conform to the
State-sponsored racism
of the Nazis (1941).
That means we cannot
criticize/condemn this …

An acid-attack victim.
That means we
cannot
criticize/condemn
this …
Tiananmen Square Massacre in
Beijing, China (1989)
 • We could no longer criticize
the code of our own society.
What Follows
from (CR)? This prevents us from criticizing our own society’s
code or cultural practices and understanding. Thus,
it prevents us from seeing other cultures that are
better than our ways; and it does not enable us to
improve our understanding and practices.
 • The idea of moral progress is
called into doubt.
What Follows Progress means replacing the old ways with
new and improved ways – both in practice
from (CR)? and understanding. (CR) is problematic for
blind conformity to status quo ideas and
practices found would disable any form of
social reform.
COUNTER-ARGUMENT #2
Change in perspective means …
Change in
perspective
means …
 (CR) use the “Cultural
Difference” argument

Counter- QUESTION : Is there really a difference?

In what way are cultures different?
Argument #3

RESPONSE : We cannot conclude (with logical

necessity) that just because two societies differ
in their custom (belief system), it will follow that
they have different values (value system).

See (p. 21)

 Case in point . . .
Consider a culture in which people believe it is
wrong to eat cows. This may even be a poor culture,
in which there is not enough food; still, the cows are
not to be touched. Such a society would appear to
have values very different from our own. But does it?
We have not yet asked why these people won’t eat
cows.
Suppose they believe that after death the souls of
humans inhabit the bodies of animals, especially
cows, so that a cow maybe someone’s grandmother.
Shall we say that their values differ from ours? No;
the difference lies elsewhere. The difference is in our
belief systems, not in our value systems. (p. 21)
 Counter-argument #4
• Some Values are shared by All Cultures
There are some moral rules that all
societies must embrace, because those
rules are necessary for society to exist.
Cultures may differ in what they regard
as legitimate exceptions to the rules,
but this disagreement exists against a
broad background of agreement.
Therefore, we shouldn’t overestimate
the extent to which cultures differ. Not
every moral rule can vary from society
to society. (pp. 23-24)
 First, there is an understandable nervousness about
Why do interfering in the social customs of other peoples.
Europeans have a history of colonialism where
Thoughtful atrocities have been made to non-Europeans.

People may
Second, people may feel, rightly enough, that we
be Reluctant should be tolerant of other cultures.

to Criticize
other Finally, people may be reluctant to judge because
they do not want to express contempt for the
Cultures? society being criticized.

(p. 26)
Conclusion:
What can we Learn from (CR)?

The danger of assuming that all our practices are

based on some absolute rational standard.

Keeping an open mind and a fuller perspective on things. We

can see that our feelings are not necessarily perceptions of the
truth—they may be due to cultural conditioning and nothing
more.
It is an attractive theory because it is based on a genuine insight
– that many of the practices and attitudes we find natural are
byproducts of culture. Moreover, keeping this thought in mind is
important if we want to avoid arrogance and remain open to
new ideas.
 Source/s:
Gensler, Harry. 2011. Ethics: A Contemporary Introduction. New
York: Routledge.
Rachels, James, and Rachels, Stuart. 2007. The elements of moral
philosophy. Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Further Readings:
http://lti-blog.blogspot.com/2018/02/cultural-relativism-makes-social.html

https://blog.politicsmeanspolitics.com/thoughts-on-cultural-relativism-3b73986f81fb

https://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/11/23/moral-dispute-or-cultural-difference/
Learning
Objectives
Case #1: The 10 Commandments Judge

The ACLU might not have liked Moore,

In 1995 the American Civil Liberties
but Alabama voters did. In 2000, Moore
Union (ACLU) sued Judge Roy Moore
successfully campaigned to become
of Gadsden, Alabama, for displaying the
chief justice of the Alabama Supreme
Ten Commandments in his courtroom.
Court, running on a promise to “restore
Such a display, the ACLU said, violates
the moral foundation of law.” Thus, the
the separation of church and state,
“Ten Commandments judge” became
which is guaranteed by the U.S.
the most powerful jurist in the state of
Constitution.
Alabama.

Moore was sued again, but the people

Moore was not through making his
were behind him: 77% of Americans
point, however. In the wee hours of July
thought that he should be allowed to
31, 2001, he had a granite monument to
display his monument.Yet the law did
the Ten Commandments installed in the
not agree. When Moore disobeyed a
Alabama state judicial building.This
court order to remove the monument,
monument weighed over 5,000 pounds,
the Alabama Court of the Judiciary fired
and anyone entering the building could
him, saying that he had placed himself
not miss it.
above the law.
Other
Religious
traditions
 Between
Science &
Religion –
A Look into
Authority
In America, as in the Philippines, members of the Christian
clergy are often treated as moral experts. Priests and
ministers are assumed to be wise counselors who will give
sound moral advice. In popular thinking, morality and religion
are inseparable: People commonly believe that morality can
be understood only in the context of religion.
It is not hard to see why people think this. When viewed from a
nonreligious perspective, the universe seems to be a cold,
meaningless place, devoid of value and purpose.
In his essay “A Free Man’s Worship,” written in 1902, Bertrand
Russell expressed what he called the “scientific” view of the world:

Science
Religion
From a religious perspective, however, things look
very different. Judaism and Christianity teach that
the world was created by a loving, all-powerful
God to provide a home for us.
We, in turn, were created in his image, to be his
children. Thus, the world is not devoid of meaning
and purpose.
 Did God Did Man
“made man” “made God”
according to according to
His own his own
image? image?
God & Morality
The Source of
“The Good”
The Divine Command
Theory (DCT)
The Divine Command Counter-Arguments
Theory (DCT)
The Divine Command Counter-Arguments
Theory (DCT)
Natural Law
Counter-arguments
The Scriptures & Tradition
I M P O RTA N T I N S I G H T S
The Church Tradition
Synthesis
Thank You!
 Subjectivism &
Ethical Egoism

Philip James S. Miñoza

ETHN01A
Discussion Points:

❑ Define what is Ethical Subjectivism

❑ Simple Subjectivism
❑ Emotivism
❑ Ethical Egoism
❑ Capitalism

ETHN01A 2
 1
SUBJECTIVISM = Morality is Grounded on Feelings
(Emotions & Desire)
Discussion

2
EMOTIVISM = Moral Language does not determine “facts”, they
are expressions of “what we feel”

3
ETHICAL EGOISM = Self-Interest as the Obligation of any
Individual

ETHN01A 3
The Basic Idea of
Ethical Subjectivism

Ethical Subjectivism is the idea that our

moral opinions are based on our feelings
and nothing more. On this view, there is no
such thing as “objective” right or wrong.
When someone says that something is
wrong, one is not stating a fact about that
something. Instead, one is merely saying
something about one’s feelings.

ETHN01A 4
 The Evolution of
the Theory

The First Stage: Simple Subjectivism

When a person says that something is morally good
or bad, this means that he or she approves of that
thing, or disapproves of it, and nothing more.
Problems:
Simple Subjectivism cannot account for
disagreement.
Simple Subjectivism implies that we’re always right.
.

ETHN01A 5
 The Evolution of
the Theory

The Second Stage: Emotivism

Language, Stevenson said, is used in many ways.
One way is to make statements—that is, to state
facts.
“Gas prices are rising.”
“Lance Armstrong beat cancer and then won the Tour
de France bike race seven times.”
“Shakespeare wrote Hamlet.”
Language is also used for other purposes. Its purpose
is to get the listener to do something.
“Aaargh!”
“Way to go, Lance!”
“Damn Hamlet!”
ETHN01A 6
Comparison

According to the first theory, Simple Subjectivism,

moral language is about stating facts about what they
feel -- ethical statements report the speaker’s
attitudes or feelings of approval or disapproval.
According to Emotivism, however, moral language is
not fact-stating language; it is not used to convey
information or to make reports. It is used, first, as a
means of influencing people’s behavior.
If someone says, “You shouldn’t do that,” he is trying
to persuade you not to do it. Thus, his utterance is
more like a command than a statement of fact; “You
shouldn’t do that” is like saying “Don’t do that!”

ETHN01A 7
 Emotivism emphasizes that
disagreement comes in different
forms.

• I believe that Lee Harvey Oswald acted

alone in the assassination of President John
F. Kennedy, and you believe there was a
conspiracy. This is a disagreement about
the facts—I believe something to be true
which you believe to be false.
• I am rooting for the Atlanta Braves to win,
and you want them to lose. Our beliefs are
not in conflict, but our desires are—I want
something to happen that you want not to
happen.
• In the first case, we believe
different things, both of which
cannot be true. Stevenson calls
this disagreement in belief.
• In the second case, we want
different outcomes, both of
which cannot occur. Stevenson
calls this disagreement in attitude.
 Emotivism
(Emo)
• “X is good” is an emotional
exclamation (not a truth claim),
& means “Hurrah for X!”
• Pick your moral principle by
following your feelings.
• Moral judgment is an expression
of feeling, not a statement that
is literally true or false.
AJ Ayer & Logical
Positivism
• Empirical Proposition (Testable
by sense experience) “It’s
snowing outside.”
• Analytic Proposition (True by
Definition) “All bachelors are
single.”
Logical Positivist’s Claim
• If a statement is neither
empirical or analytic, then it is
meaningless.
• If a statement is neither
empirical or analytic, then one is
not stating a truth claim (true or
false); one is perhaps merely
expressing feelings.
• Any genuine truth claim is either empirical (testable
by sense experience) or analytic (true by definition).
• Moral statements aren’t either empirical or analytic.
___________________________________________
• /: Moral statements aren’t genuine truth claims.
 • Although Emotivism is an improvement on
Simple Subjectivism, both theories imply
that our moral judgments are, in a sense,
beyond reproach.
• For Simple Subjectivism, our judgments
cannot be criticized because they will always
be true. For Emotivism, our moral
Problems judgments cannot be criticized because they
are not judgments at all; they are mere
expressions of attitude, which cannot be
false. That is one problem for Emotivism.
• Another problem is that Emotivism cannot
explain the role reason plays in ethics.
The Role • A moral judgment—or for that
matter, any kind of value
of Reason judgment—must be supported by
in Ethics good reasons. Any adequate
theory of ethics should be able to
explain how reasons can support
moral judgments.
 • Performative language refers to language that
performs a specific action or function.
• In the case of ethical norms, the language used to
Moral describe and communicate these norms can serve as
a performative utterance that reinforces their
Language as existence and importance.

Performative • For example, when someone says, "lying is wrong,"

they are not just stating a fact, but also performing
an action by reinforcing the norm against lying.
Similarly, when a group or society collectively agrees
on certain ethical norms and values, they can use
language and communication to perform and
reinforce those norms, shaping the behavior and
actions of individuals within the group.
Do We Have
an Obligation
to consider
Other
Peoples’
Welfare?

Conference presentation 15
 Ethical Egoism
A normative ethical theory that
asserts individuals should act in their
own self-interest.
According to Ethical Egoism, an
individual's moral duty is to
maximize their own well-being,
regardless of the impact on others.

ETHN01A 16
 Capitalism & the Self

Hyperreality of the Self (Hyper-Individualism)

Hypersensitization

Culture Industry

Culture of ‘Crisis’ Industry (CoCi)

ETHN01A 17
 Capitalism

• A Socio-Economic System grounded on the principles of

‘Liberalism’ (Life, Liberty, Property) that emphasizes the free-
market system and private ownership of the means of
production in pursuit of economic interest; capitalism also
evolved into the 20th-century system of Neoliberalism
(Highlights deregulation of the free-market system as it
expands the framework of Globalization)
• It underlines the value of individual choice & effort.

ETHN01A 18
ETHN01A 19
A Culture of Pity

ETHN01A 20
Thank you
PJ Minoza

philip.minoza@lpu.edu.ph

ETHN01A 21
 Building Arguments
The ICARE Framework

Philip James S. Miñoza

 ICARE

• What is the ISSUE?

• What is your CLAIM?
• What are your ARGUMENTS?
• What are your REASONS?
• How will you END?
01 | ISSUE
• Refers to the identified
problem/issue you are going
to address. In normative
discussions such as ethics, this
refers to the ethical dilemma.
• The issue is usually stated in
the form of a question.
• Be specific in your description
of the identified problem.
02 | CLAIM

The claim is what

Refers to the
you think is the
statement that
most effective
indicates the
position for
position you have
solving a
taken.
problem.
03 | What are your
ARGUMENTS?
• Arguments are the special tools you will
need to defend your claim.
• Develop a list of arguments that
address the issue (creative thinking).
• Select your best choice (here you will
use critical thinking).
• Be prepared for counter-arguments or
counter-claim/s.
04 | What are
your REASONS
lightbulb?
• Reasons are the explanations
for your arguments.
• Your arguments should
clearly state what is the case
and explain why it should be
the case.
• Ensure that your arguments
are supported by evidence
supporting your claim.
05 | How will you END?
• Establish a conclusion that will synthesize
the list of arguments you presented.
• To end your argument, highlight your point
by restating the issue briefly that
summarizes your arguments and
conclusion.
• Check the inferences in your arguments
whether they truly support the conclusion
you presented.