MORALS

•MORALS ARE THE PREVAILING STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOR

THAT ENABLE PEOPLE TO LIVE COOPERATIVELY IN GROUPS.
•MORAL REFERS TO WHAT SOCIETIES SANCTION AS RIGHT
AND ACCEPTABLE.
MORAL BEHAVIOR
•ACTION OR ACTIONS THAT
PRODUCE GOOD OUTCOMES FOR
THE INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF
A COMMUNITY OR SOCIETY.
MORAL BEHAVIOR
•RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY SHAPE
CULTURE.
•THIS CULTURE IS REFLECTED IN THE
PEOPLE’S BEHAVIOR AND WAYS.
WESTERN ETHICAL TRADITIONS
•EUROPEAN TRADITIONS ARTICULATE THE GOOD AND LIVE IN A WAY
THAT REALIZES THE GOOD.
•IT FOLLOWS THE ROOTEDNESS OF NORMS ON THE NATURAL LAW TO
THEIR GROUNDING IN REASON AND THE EVENTUAL EMPLOYMENT OF
DISCOURSE THEORY TO ARRIVE AT A SHARED CONCEPTION OF THE
GOOD IN A MULTIVERSE OF SOCIETY.
ASIAN ETHICAL TRADITIONS
•ANOTHER TRADITION OF THINKING ABOUT THE GOOD HAS SURFACED
THAT IS WORTH CONSIDERING FOR A FULLER UNDERSTANDING OF
HOW PEOPLE ORIENT THEIR LIVES TO THE GOOD.
•THIS TRADITION COMES FROM THE GREAT CIVILIZATIONS OF THE
EAST, PARTICULARLY FROM INDIA AND CHINA.
ASIAN ETHICAL TRADITIONS
•MANY PEOPLE IN THE PHILIPPINES ARE DEEPLY INFLUENCED BY OR
HAVE GREAT COMMONALTIES IN THEIR ETHICAL WAY OF
THINKING WITH THESE TRADITIONS.
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF
ASIAN TRADITIONS
1. RELIGIOUS THOUGHT IS INTERTWINED WITH PHILOSOPHICAL AND
ETHICAL THINKING.
2. LOVE AND COMPASSION BINDS THESE INTELLECTUAL TRADITIONS.
3. CONNECTEDNESS OF PERSONAL CULTIVATION AND SOCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY.
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF
ASIAN TRADITIONS
4. ENLIGHTENMENT
5. THESE GREAT TEACHINGS OFFER PATHS OF “HARMONY WITH
ONESELF, WITH OTHERS, WITH NATURE, WITH A
TRANSCENDENT.”
THE VEDAS AND UPANISHADS
• VEDAS – SOME OF THE OLDEST PHILOSOPHICAL WRITINGS IN THE
WORLD.
• RITA – RIGHT ORDER OF THE UNIVERSE
• UPANISHADS – COLLECTIONS OF THE RETHINKING OF THE
REVELATIONS OF THE VEDAS.
UPANISHADS
• MOKSHA – STATE OF ENLIGHTENMENT THAT LIBERATES PERSONS
FROM THE CYCLE OF BIRTH AND REBIRTH TO A STATE OF
STILLNESS AND A ROOTEDNESS IN THE ETERNAL.
• ATMAN– SELF THAT UNDERLIES ALL BEING.
BUDDHISM
• BUDDHISM WAS BORN FROM THE ENLIGHTENMENT OF GAUTAMA
BUDDHA WHO LIVED BETWEEN THE 6TH AND 4TH BCE.
• HE DISCOVERED THAT ENLIGHTENMENT AND SALVATION COULD
BE ACHIEVED IN THE ORDINARY HUMAN LIFE IF PEOPLE ARE
ENLIGHTENED ABOUT THE NATURE OF SUFFERING.
FOUR TRUTHS/CHATVARI-ARYA-
SATYANI
1. LIFE IS SUFFERING OR DUKKHA.
2. ACTION OR KARMA IS THE CAUSE OF THIS SUFFERING,
PARTICULARLY “NONVIRTOUS ACTION, AND THE NEGATIVE
MENTAL STATES THAT MOTIVATE SUCH ACTIONS.”
FOUR TRUTHS/CHATVARI-ARYA-
SATYANI
3. THERE IS AN END TO SUFFERING AND THE PATH BEYOND SUFFERING
IS TO TRANSCEND THIS ILLUSION AND ENTER THE STATE OF
NIRVANA.
4. HOW HUMAN BEINGS OUGHT TO LIVE A LIFE FREE FROM SUFFERING
BY FOLLOWING THE EIGHTFOLD PATH OR ASTANGIKA-MARGA.
CHINESE PHILOSOPHY AND
CONFUCIAN ETHICS
• CONFUCIANISM IS A SYSTEM OF THOUGHT ATTRIBUTED TO THE
TEACHER KONGQUI KNOWN IN THE WEST AS CONFUCIUS.
• ANALECTS – COMPILED BOOKS OF CONVERSATIONS WHICH IS
THE MAIN SOURCE OF CONFUCIAN TEACHING.
CHINESE PHILOSOPHY AND
CONFUCIAN ETHICS
• THERE IS ONE BASIC ASPIRATION FOR ANY CONFUCIAN, THAT IS,
TO BE A PERSON WH0 HAS THE VIRTUE OF THE REN, TO BE A
PERSON WHO HAS INTERNALIZED THE WAY OF HEAVEN.
CHINESE PHILOSOPHY AND
CONFUCIAN ETHICS
• REN IS MADE UP OF TWO CHARACTERS:
• REN=HUMAN BEING
• ERH=TWO
• INDICATING THUS THAT REN IS THE VIRTUE THAT GOVERNS
INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS.
• REN IS TO LOVE HUMAN BEINGS.
CHINESE PHILOSOPHY AND
CONFUCIAN ETHICS
• LI OR CUSTOM AND RITUAL ARE NOT ONLY EMPTY ACTIONS THAT
ARE HANDED DOWN FROM THE ANCESTORS BUT THE
EMBODIMENT OF THE DAO REALIZED IN DAILY LIFE SO THAT A
PERSON WHO FOLLOWS LI CAN BECOME ONE WITH THE DAO.
WAYS AND BEHAVIOR IN CHINA
•SOCIALLY HIERARCHY IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE
CHINESE IN THEIR INTERACTION WITH OTHER PEOPLE.
•DO GREET OTHERS BY USING A HANDSHAKE OR A NOD.
•RESPECT AND HIGH REGARD FOR ELDERS.
WAYS AND BEHAVIOR IN JAPAN
•THE JAPANESE ALSO HAVE HIGH REGARD FOR SOCIAL
HIERARCHY. THIS IS DEPICTED IN THE MANNER OF BOWING.
•IN CALLING THE ATTENTION OF ANOTHER, THEY USUALLY ADD
THE WORD SAN TO THE LAST SYLLABLE OF A PERSON’S
FAMILY NAME.
WAYS AND BEHAVIOR IN INDIA
•THE TRADITIONAL GREETING AMONG HINDUS IN INDIA IS NAMASTE
WHICH MEANS “GOOD DAY.” THEY SAY THIS GREETING WITH
HANDS HELD TOGETHER AS IF IN PRAYER, PLACED NEAR THE CHIN
AND WITH THE HEAD SLIGHTLY BENT FORWARD.
•THE GREETING AMONG MUSLIM IS SALAAM ALEIKUM (SAHLAHM A-
LAYKUHM) OR MAY PEACE BE WITH YOU. FOR THE SIKHS, IT IS SAT
SRI AKAL (SAHT SHREE AH-KAHL).
WAYS AND BEHAVIOR IN INDIA
• PUBLIC DISPLAY OF AFFECTION – KISSING, HUGGING AND
HOLDING HANDS IS HIGHLY DISCOURAGED.
• AT LEAST ONE ARM’S LENGTH DISTANCE WHEN OPPOSITE SEX
MEET AND TALK IN PUBLIC.
• INDIANS BELIEVED THAT THE HEAD IS A VERY SENSITIVE PART OF
THE BODY SO IT SHOULD NOT BE TOUCHED BY OTHER PEOPLE.
• INDIANS CONSIDER THAT THE FOOD THEY EAT AND RELIGION ARE
CLOSELY CONNECTED SINCE ALL THEIR FOOD EMANATE FROM
THEIR GODS.
WAYS AND BEHAVIOR IN INDONESIA
• WHEN INTRODUCED TO ANOTHER PERSON, AN
INDONESIAN USUALLY OFFERS HIS OR HER RIGHT HAND
FOR A HANDSHAKE WHILE THE LEFT HAND IS PLACED ON
THE CHEST TO SHOW SINCERE PLEASURE IN MEETING
THE OTHER PERSON.
• HOLDING HANDS IN PUBLIC BETWEEN UNMARRIED
MALES AND FEMALES IS NOT ENCOURAGED.
WAYS AND BEHAVIOR IN INDONESIA
• IT IS IMPORTANT TO ADDRESS THOSE WHO HAVE DONE
SO WITH THE TITLE OF HAJI (FOR MALES) OR HAJJAH
(FOR FEMALES) AS A SIGN OF RESPECT.
• HEAD OF THE PERSON CONSIDER AS THE SEAT OF THE
SOUL AND SACRED PART OF THE BODY. FOR THIS
REASON, PATTING OR TOUCHING THE HEAD OF ANOTHER
PERSON EVEN CHILD IS AVOIDED.
WAYS AND BEHAVIOR IN SAUDI ARABIA

• THE CUSTOM OF THE BEDOUINS IS TO INVITE INTO THEIR TENT

ANY TRAVELER WHO PASSES BY. THE TRAVELERS ARE OFFERED
FOOD AND INVITED TO STAY, USUALLY UP TO THREE DAYS IN
THEIR TENTS.
• SOME BEDOUIN TRIBES DO NOT EAT UNTIL THE GUESTS ARE
FINISHED EATING.
WAYS AND BEHAVIOR IN SAUDI ARABIA

• ON THE SPECIAL OCCASIONS LIKE RAMADAN,

BEDOUIN WOMEN PREPARE SPECIAL DISHES.
• THE BIGGEST AND WEALTHIEST FAMILY IN THE
TRIBE SERVES THE SPECIAL DISHES BEFORE
SUNRISE AND AFTER SUNSET.
WAYS AND BEHAVIOR IN PHILIPPINES
• THE FAMILY IS AT THE CENTER OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY.
• OPTIMISM, HUMOR, AND POSITIVITY ARE VALUED TRAITS IN THE
PHILIPPINES.
• THE TERM BAHALA NA, WHICH CAN BE TRANSLATED TO WHATEVER
HAPPENS, HAPPENS, IS ONE OF THE MORE FAMILIAR PHRASES USED
IN THE COUNTRY AND IS PERHAPS THE MOST REPRESENTATIVE OF
HOW FILIPINOS VALUE ADAPTABILITY AND QUICK THINKING.
WAYS AND BEHAVIOR IN PHILIPPINES

• SPIRITUALITY IS DEEPLY INGRAINED IN FILIPINOS.

• FILIPINOS IN THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE GLOBE CAN BE
EXPECTED TO EXTEND A WARM WELCOME TO THEIR GUESTS
REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY COME FROM, HOW WELL THEY
KNOW THEIR HOST, AND WHY THEY’RE VISITING SOMEONE’S
HOME.
SYNTHESIS
• CULTURE IS AN IMPORTANT DETERMINANT OF WAYS AND
BEHAVIOR OF ANY GROUP OF PEOPLE.
• SOME OF THE VALUES AND PRACTICES COMMON AMONG ASIAN
PEOPLES ARE RESPECT FOR ELDERS, RESPECT FOR THE
COLLECTIVE INTEREST, BEING HELPFUL TO OTHERS AND RESPECT
FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.
SYNTHESIS
• BUDDHISM AND CONFUCIANISM ARE ONLY TWO OF THE MAJOR
TRADITIONS FROM THIS CONTINENT AND ITS LONG HISTORY OF
PHILOSOPHIZING.
• WHEN ASIAN THINKERS PHILOSOPHIZE ABOUT DOING GOOD,
THEY DO NOT THINK ABOUT RULES OR GUIDELINES FOR
DECIDING WHAT IS A GOOD ACTION OR WHAT MAKES A NORM
UNIVERSAL.
SYNTHESIS
• THEIR MAIN CONCERN IS HOW TO LIVE A GOOD LIFE AND BE A
GOOD PERSON BY GAINING AN INSIGHT INTO THE
TRANSCENDENT AND ETERNAL ORDER OF THE UNIVERSE, AND
FROM THAT INSIGHT HOW TO ATTUNE ONE’S LIFE TO THAT
ORDER.
• ASIAN ETHICAL SYSTEMS ARE LESS ABOUT BECOMING AN
AUTONOMOUS, RATIONAL LEGISLATOR PF ONE’S OWN LAWS.