LESSON 1:

BASIC THEORIES AS FRAMEWORKS IN

ETHICS

AROZA, MARIA DIN-DI DE GUZMAN, CARLA LOZENDO, TRISHA

FRAMEWORK
• Framework can be defined as a basic structure underlying a
system or concept.
• Framework in Ethics refers to “a set of assumptions, concepts,
values and practices that constitutes a way of viewing reality”
• So, this means that…
This means that…in Ethics...
• Personally held frameworks or principles in Ethics dictate one’s
moral disposition or a way/avenue a person resolves moral dilemmas.
• Importance: it is important to LEARN/UNDERSTAND the basic
moral theories held by YOU and many people.
• In this lesson, an overview on the fundamental principles, concepts
and theories in Ethics is provided/explored.
3 GENERAL SUBJECT AREAS

1 META-ETHICS

2 NORMATIVE ETHICS

3 APPLIED
ETHICS
• ME TA-E T H IC S

• branch of ethics that studies the nature of morality.

• It talks about the meaning, reference, and truth values of moral

judgments.
• It also, explain what goodness and wickedness mean and how we
know about them.
Meta-ethics can be classified as:

1.1 COGNITIVISM VS NON-COGNITIVISM

1.2 UNIVERSALISM VS RELATIVISM

1.3 EMPIRICISM VS RATIONALISM VS INTUITIONISM

1.1 COGNITIVISM VS NON-COGNITIVISM
a. Cognitivism
— states that moral judgments convey propositions, that is, they are
'truth bearers' or they are either true or false.
• MORAL REALISM— claims that the existence of moral facts and the truth
(falsity) of moral judgment are independent of people's thoughts and
perceptions.
• ETHICAL SUBJECTIVISM — holds that the truth ( or falsity) of ethical
propositions is dependent on the attitudes or standards of a person or group of
person.
1.1 COGNITIVISM VS NON-COGNITIVISM

b. Non-cognitivism
— claims that ethical sentences do not convey authentic propositions.

• EMOTIVISM— submits that moral judgments are mere

expressions of our emotions and feelings.
1.2 UNIVERSALISM VS RELATIVISM
a. Moral Universalism
—theorizes that moral facts and principles apply to everybody in all
places.
—also called 'moral objectivism'
—very much compatible with 'moral realism'

b. Moral Relativism
—submits that different moral facts and principles apply to different
persons and group of individuals.
1.3 EMPIRICISM VS RATIONALISM VS INTUITIONISM
a. Moral empiricism
—meta-ethical stances which states that moral facts are known through
observation and experience.
—Empiricism- states that all knowledge of matters of fact is derived from
experience and that our mind is not equipped with pre-experience concepts.
1.3 EMPIRICISM VS RATIONALISM VS INTUITIONISM
b. Moral rationalism
—contends that moral facts and principles are knowable a priori, that is,
by reason alone and without reference to experience.

—Rationalism - claims that knowledge about reality are gained

through non-empirical deductive system

c. Moral intuitionism
—submits that moral truths are knowable by intuition, that is, by immediate
instinctive knowledge without reference to any evidence.
2 . N OR MAT IV E E T H I C S

• A branch of Ethics that studies how man OUGHT TO ACT morally.

• Evaluates standards for the rightness and wrongness of actions and
determines a moral course of action.
• It is prescriptive in nature wherein it addresses specific moral
questions about what we should do or believe.
Classifications of Normative Ethics

1. Virtue Ethics (Aristotle/St. Thomas)

2. Deontology (Immanuel Kant)
3. Teleology (Mill/Bentham)
2.1 "DEON"TOLOGY
—an ethical system that bases morality on independent moral rules or duties.
Also called non-consequentialism.

2.2 "TELEO"LOGY
—an ethical system that determines the moral value of actions by their outcomes or results.
It deems an action as morally right if its favorable consequences are greater than its adverse
outcomes. Also called consequentialism.

2.3 VIRTUE ETHICS

—an ethical system that places emphasis on developing good habits
of character and avoiding bad character traits.
Let us differentiate the two…
Deontology Teleology
Deontology is a theory that bases morality Teleology is a theory that bases morality
on moral rules or duties. on the consequences of actions.
So, an action is good if it is done or in pursuit
In other words, a moral deontologist will utilize
of a moral goal or end. This means that this
established rules or duties to distinguish what is
theory look at the desirable end or result of an
right and wrong.
action.
Goodness or badness is determined by the Goodness or badness is determined by
action. the results or outcomes.
3 . A PPL IE D E T H I C S
• Philosophically examines specific, controversial moral
issues. Using philosophical methods, this area of concern in
Ethics attempts to determine the ethically correct course of
action in specific realms of human action
 3.1 BIOETHICS
—this concerns ethical issues pertaining to life, biomedical researches,
medicines, health care, and medical profession.

3.2 ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS

—it deals with moral issues concerning nature, ecosystem and its
nonhuman contents.
3.3 BUSINESS ETHICS
—it examines moral principles concerning business environment which involves
issues about corporate practices, policies, business behaviors and the conducts and
relationships of individuals in the organization.

3.4 SEXUAL
ETHICS
—it studies moral issues about sexuality and human sexual behavior.

3.5 SOCIAL ETHICS

—it deals with what is right for society to do and how it should act as a
whole.
THANK YOU