HUM039-

ETHICS
ETHICS: KEY
CONCEPTS
TOPICS TO BE COVERED
A. MORAL STANDARDS
B. MORAL DILEMMAS
C. THREE LEVELS
OF MORAL DILEMMAS
D. FREEDOM AS FOUNDATION
OF ETHICS
LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Differentiate between moral and non-

moral standards.
2. Recognize and recall a moral experience.
3. Detect a moral dilemma.
4. Identify the three levels of moral dilemmas.
5. Explain why only human beings can be
WHEN DO WE SAY THEN
THAT AN ACT IS MORAL
QUESTION
OR NON-MORAL?
ETHICS: KEY CONCEPTS
Is it morally right to end the life of an
individual,
even by just administering what the patient
so wishes?
WHAT ARE MORAL STANDARDS?
WHAT ARE MORAL STANDARDS?
MORALITY is the effort to guide one’s conduct by
reason, that is, to do what there are the
best reasons for doing- while
giving equal weight to the interests of each individual
who will be affected by what one does
(Rachels, 2003).
WHAT ARE MORAL STANDARDS?
ETHICS refers to the philosophical concept of morality,
endeavors to understand moral concepts and justify moral
principles. It analyzes concepts such as right and wrong, and
seeks to establish principles of right behavior that may serve
as guides to action for people to follow (Pojman, 1992).
WHAT ARE MORAL STANDARDS?

To analyze what is morally

acceptable or not, it is
significant to zero in on the
definition of morality, and
the standards that point out
whether an action is moral
or not.
WHAT ARE MORAL STANDARDS?
Mason (1996), describes that
morality
is achieved when a set of possible
mores
ofMores
any social group are
(pronounced observed
more-ays)
and held
are strongly achieved.
norms, which
epitomize the deeply held
standards of what is right, and
WHAT ARE MORAL STANDARDS?
Moral standards are those
ethical principles that we
live by and believe. These
are important blueprints of
our behavior, which we
abide by daily, and are
influenced by our society, or
ARE THERE UNIVERSAL PRINCIPLES
WHICH SHOULD BE INVOKED
BEFORE MAKING, OR GIVING IN A
MORAL ACT? QUESTION
WHAT ARE NON-MORAL STANDARDS?

Non-moral standards are

those unwanted principles,
which are in opposition to
everything that we are
expected to be and do.
Likewise, non-moral
standards are influenced
 HOW DOES CULTURAL
RELATIVISM AFFECT
MORAL AND NON-MORAL
STANDARDS? QUESTION
ONLY HUMAN BEINGS BELONG
TO A CERTAIN STANDARD OF
MORALITY
“We are capable of making
judgments about our own and
other people's behavior, and
have the capacity consciously
to change the way we behave
and society as whole.”
-Guldberg (2011)
WHY IS IT THAT ONLY HUMAN
BEINGS
CAN BE ETHICAL? QUESTION
WAS THERE EVER A TIME THAT YOU
COMPROMISED YOUR MORAL
CONVICTIONS? HOW DID YOU FEEL
ABOUT IT? QUESTION
 EUTHANASIA IN FOCUS

As defined, euthanasia exists to at

least help a patient die a good
death. Ezra (2006), explained its
three forms, with the assumption
that the patient has an acute,
terminal, chronic illness that
medical treatment cannot remedy
IS IT MORAL TO END THE LIFE OF
A PATIENT, WITH OR WITHOUT
HIS OR HER CONSENT? EXPLAIN. QUESTION
DO YOU AGREE TO ANY OF
THESE FORMS
OF EUTHANASIA? QUESTION
VELS OF MORAL DILEMMA IN THE WORKPL
VELS OF MORAL DILEMMA IN THE WORKPL

INDIVIDUAL: The dilemma here is when the

employee’s ethical standards are in opposition to
that of his or her employer, which could lead to
VELS OF MORAL DILEMMA IN THE WORKPL

ORGANIZATIONAL: Ethical standards are seen in

company policies. Still and all, there might be a gap
between those who run the business whose ethical
standards deviate from that of the organization. This might
VELS OF MORAL DILEMMA IN THE WORKPL

SYSTEMIC: Here, ethics are predisposed by the larger

operating environment
of the company. Political pressures, economic conditions, societal
attitudes
and others can affect the operating standards and policies of the
SHOULD EMPLOYEES EXPERIENCING
MORAL DILEMMAS
AT WORK LEAVE THEIR JOB NO
MATTER HOW COMPENSATING THEY QUESTION
ARE FOR THEM?
Individual moral dilemmas are
far more challenging as we are
tasked to decide on the
morality of our actions. In
order for us to manage ethical
challenges, there is that need to
make sure that our decisions
have been well thought out.
Here’s an infographic that
would be helpful in our ethical
decision-making in varying
DOM AS FOUNDATION OF ETHIC
In making moral decisions,
Immanuel Kant runs to
human autonomy as the
principal foundation of
morality. Free will then
become the foundation of
our moral act, which is
DOM AS FOUNDATION OF ETHIC
Our understanding then, in
hindsight, comes from reason,
rather than experience. As for
Kant, autonomy-that is
freedom, comes from obeying
the law for the right reasons.
We do not act for self-serving
interests but out of moral
DO YOU FEEL FREE IN MAKING MORAL
DECISIONS? EXPLAIN. WHAT IS THE
SIGNIFICANCE OF FREEDOM QUESTION
IN MAKING MORAL DECISIONS?
UMMARY

Our attempt to act based on our moral standards will not be met with
praise at all times. Since not all people hold the same moral and
ethical principles, we will eventually face moral dilemmas.
Nonetheless, it will always be reasonable to act on moral issues based
on our instinctive rationality, Still and all, we have our autonomy to
ETHICS: KEY
CONCEPTS