MORAL AGENT

TRISHA
What Is Moral Agent? is reporting!

A moral agent is a person who has the

ability to discern right from wrong and
to be held accountable for his or her own
action.

Moral agents have a moral

responsibility no to cause unjustified
harm.
 What is Culture in Moral Behavior
CULTURE??

 Culture describes a collective way of life, or way of

doing things. It is the sum of attitudes, values, goals, and
practices shared by individuals in a group, organization, ERIKA
or society. is reporting!
 Culture reflects the moral and ethical beliefs and
standards that speak to how people should behave and
interact with others.
 Culture refers to the outlook, attitudes, values, goals,
and practices shared by a group, organization, or
society. Interpretation of what is moral is influenced by
cultural norms, and different cultures can have different
beliefs about what is right and wrong.
WHAT IS CULTURAL RELATIVISM?
 This refers to not judging a culture to our own
standards of what is right or wrong, strange or
CLARISSE
normal.
is reporting!
 It is the view of all beliefs, customs and ethics are
relative to the individual within his own social context.
(in other words, "RIGHT & WRONG " are culture-
specific)
 It is the belief that there is NO MORAL TRUTH that
applies to all peoples at all time.
 There is NO ABSOLUTE MORAL STANDARDS for CLARISSE
moral judgement. is reporting!
Why Cultural Relativism
is not tenable in ethics??
CLARISSE
is reporting!

It’s because cultural relativism denies the meaning

or principle of ethics.

It’s because ethics is useless, pointless study if it

does not tell us how to act in real life, or at least
give us guidance as we choose our words and
actions.
 MORAL BEHAVIOR

Actions that provide good outcomes for the individual as

member of a community or society. It can be applied to TRISHA
the whole global society. is reporting!
 Are there an Asian and a
Filipino understanding of
moral behavior?

INDIAN BEHAVIOR
RONNIELEN
Cooperation is highly valued. The value placed on is reporting!
cooperation is strongly rooted in the past, when cooperation
was necessary for the survival of family and group.
•Modesty : behaving, dressing, speaking, etc. in a way that is
considered proper or decorous; decent.
•Generosity: Generosity is giving good things to others
freely and abundantly. Generous behaviors are intended to
enhance the well-being of others.
 PAKISTAN BEHAVIOR
•UNIQUENESS: RONNIELEN
Mixed Culture - Pakistani culture is a mixed culture although is reporting!
majority of people are Muslims by birth and faith. However there is
great influence of Hindu and British culture on present Pakistani
society.
Sport, education and so on.
•Diversity: Pakistan is home to different cultures, people speaking
different languages and ethnic backgrounds.
 RONNIELEN
FILIPINO BEHAVIOR is reporting!
Strength
 Close Kinship - a Filipino considers family as an important social
structure that they must love and care. Close family ties results to the
family still being intact regardless that the children are old and with
families of their own.
 Respect for Elders - the use of “po” and “opo” in conversing or
addressing older people is a sign of a Filipino’s respect for the elders.
Filipinos do not send their elders to nursing homes because they still value
the worth and presence of the elders at home po at opo.
 Hospitality - the Filipino community are very warm and
hospitable. They even give “pasalubong” (welcome gifts) and
“pabaon” (farewell gifts) to guests. At times, they sacrifice their
own comfort to accommodate their guests very well.
 Strong Faith in God- their faith in God keeps them united to
overcome all the problem sand challenges of life.

RONNIELEN
is reporting!
 Flexibility / Adaptability / Resiliency - the Filipinos have the trait to laugh at
themselves and their misfortunes or failures. This is a coping mechanism to
balance emotional stress and to boost the capacity to survive. They can smile in
midst of problems and hardships. They can still crack jokes despite the stresses of
their daily lives and during calamities. They are strong and cheerful people.
 Readiness to Share and Help - they re always ready to lend a hand, not onlyin
times of need (calamities or disasters) but also in festive occasions (“fiestas”,
baptisms and weddings). The “bayanihan” spirit, or giving help without
expecting something in return, of a Filipino is widely admired
RONNIELEN
is reporting!
Weakness
 “Bahala na”- This is also synonymous to the phrase “Que
sera sera” (whatever will be, will be) or “Hakuna matata”
(no worries). It leaves everything to chance or just let the
circumtances take care of themselves, embracing luck over
good reason. RONNIELEN
 “Mamaya na”- A poor habit, a sign of laziness of leaving, a is reporting!
later time what can be done at the moment.
 Crab Mentality- A troublesome trait evident of a Filipino
where when one sees the progress of the comrade the other
become resentful rather than happy for achievement of
other.
 “Patigasan”- Most Filipino hardly say “I'm sorry” or
“pasensya na” their precious pride always gets the best
of them.
RONNIELEN
 “Kanya-kanya”- A trait which shows self-centeredness
is reporting!
and lack of regard for others. There are Filipinos who
give priority to what they and their families could have
rather than on what they can do to share their wealth
and serves others better.
 DEVELOPING VIRTUE AS HABIT
Moral Character refers to the existence of virtue.

1. Moral Character and Virtues

ANNE JAYE
-the term “character” is derived from the Greek is reporting!
word ‘charaktêr’, means a distinct mark by which
one thing was distinguish from others.

-the term “virtue” is derived from Latin word

‘virtus’, means a moral excellence. Eg. integrity,
courage, fortitude, honesty and loyalty
2.The Circular Relation of Acts and Character

-in the process of moral development, there is the circular

relatives between acts that build character and moral
character itself. Not all acts help to build moral character,
ANNE JAYE
but those act with emanate from moral characters certainly
is reporting!
matter in moral development.

-this goes to show that moral development should also be

understood the sense of human flourishing.

-Virtues traits of character ought to be stable and enduring

and not mere product of fortune, but learning, constant
practice and cultivation.
 TRISHA
is reporting!
Kohlberg’s Six Stages of
Moral Development

Level 3
POSTCONVENTIONAL
Stage 6: Principle
(adulthood)
Stage 5: Social Contract
Level 2
CONVENTIONAL Stage 4: Law & Order Morality
(8-13 years old)
Stage 3: Good Attitude
Level 1
PRECONVENTIONAL Stage 2: Self- Interest
(3-7 years old)
Stage 1: Avoiding Punishment
 Level 1: PRECONVENTIONAL
During the preconventional level, a child’s sense of morality is externally
controlled. Children accept and believe the rules of authority figures, such as
parents and teachers, and they judge an action based on its consequences.

TRISHA
is reporting!
 Stage 1: Avoiding Punishment
The individual will obey in order to avoid
punishment.
TRISHA
is
reporting!
Stage 2: Self- Interest
The individual focuses on receiving rewards
or satisfying personal needs.
Level 2: CONVENTIONAL
During the conventional level, an individual’s sense of morality
is tied to personal and societal relationships. Children continue
to accept the rules of authority figures, but because they believe
TRISHA that this is necessary to ensure positive relationships and
is reporting! societal order.
 Stage 3: Good Attitude
The individual wants to maintain or win the
affection and approval of others by being a
“good person.”
TRISHA
is reporting! Stage 4: Law & Order Morality
The individual now takes into consideration a
larger perspective of societal laws. The
individual believes that rules and laws maintain
social order that is worth preserving.
Level :3 Postconventional
During the postconventional level, a person’s sense of morality
is defined in terms of more abstract principles and values.
People now believe that some laws are unjust and should be
TRISHA changed or eliminated.
is reporting!
 Stage 5: Social Contract
The individual becomes aware that while rules/laws might exist
for the good of the greatest number, there are times when they
will work against the interest of particular individuals. 
TRISHA
is reporting! Stage 6: Principle
People at this stage have developed their own set of moral
guidelines which may or may not fit the law. The principles apply
to everyone.
HOW DO WE GET TO THE HIGHEST
LEVEL, CONSCIENCE-BASED ON
MORAL DECISION
EDCEL
is reporting!
 WHAT IS CONSCIENCE?
 Can be defined as something within each of us EDCEL
that tells us what is right and what is wrong. is reporting!
 Latin word “con” means with and “science”
means knowledge.
 Therefore, we should surely use our conscience
when we are making decisions as we should be
being told what is the right thing to do and what
is wrong.
 WHAT IS MORAL DECISION?

 Is a choice made based on person’s ethics, EDCEL

manners, character and what they believe is is reporting!
proper behavior
THOMAS AQUINAS
 Conscience is thought that synderesis is the
means of distinguishing between right and
wrong.
 Synderesis was first use by Aristotle and is
the ability the mind to understand the first
principle of moral seasoning.
Aquinas said that it is important to apply your moral principle to
each situation but you can still be wrong if you follow your
conscience because principle can be wrong if you follow your
conscience too. Conscience is reasoning used correctly to find out
what God sees is good.
EDCEL
JOSEPH BUTLER is reporting!
Similarly, Aquinas believed that conscience
could determine and judge the rightness or
wrongness of different actions or thoughts.
However, he saw that conscience as being more
authoritative that “magisterially exerts itself”.
 Hierarchy of Human Nature
EDCEL
Co is reporting!
nsc
ien
ce
Principle of
Reflection

Self-love and Benevolence

Basic Human Drives

 AUGUSTINE
Also believed that we should take it seriously and listen to our
conscience because we are hearing the word of God.
Newman, Augustine and Butler take a much less rationalist
view upon conscience compared to Aquinas but as all four
believe that God is involved with our Conscience it is
important to use it when making moral-decisions, especially if
we believe in God. EDCEL
Hence, we cannot attain to the highest level; nor could bring is reporting!
our own will under the purest moral decision that we might
make. That has always been man’s dilemma.
Those commandments of God are the highest order of moral
decisions. As we grow un grace and the knowledge of God, our
ability to respond correctly increases. OUR CHOICE!!
THANK YOU FOR
LISTENING!!
CLARISSE ERIKA
EDCEL RONNIELEN

ANNE JAYE TRISHA