EF 303:

PROFESSIONALI
SM AND ETHICS
IN EDUCATION
DR.JOSEPH MANASE
MODULE
1:CONCEPTUALIZING
MORALITY AND ETHICS

 Moralityand ethics are used

interchangeably. Sometimes they
are used separate.
-But generally both terms has
something to do with the concepts
of good or bad, rights or wrong,
acceptable or inacceptabe
concept

Correct or incorrect, proper or improper.

The terms ethics and morality can be
differentiated based on their origin,
where we find that ethics acquires its
origin from Greek terminology which
pronounced from Ethos which means
moral character or custom.
 On the other hand Morality comes
from Latin word Moralis which means
customs, behaviors or manner.
 The words both deal with the customs
or the manner in which people do
things either in a good or bad ways.
 Moralityis used to refer to the moral
character or standards. Is looking at
how good or bad our conduct is, and
our standards about conducts.
Ethics is used to refer to formal study
of those standards or conducts.
Sometimes ethics may be reffered to
 the study of moral philosophy.One
might say, Morality is Ethics in
action, but the two terms can be
used interchangeably.
Categories of Ethics

 The study of ethics or Moral

philosophy can be divided into three
(3) areas according to various
scholars
i. Normative ethics( Prescriptive ethics
ii. Descriptive ethics or comparative
iii. Meta ethics or Analytical ethics
Descriptive ethics

 This is the branch of ethics which

describes how people should
behave in various contexts or
profession. It deals with factual
information about ethical norms of
particular societies.
Basically, it is empirical or scientific in
investigating peoples’ moral beliefs
from scientific perspective.
Also, it is referred to as comparative
ethics because it compares ethics of
one society and another or the past
and the present ethics
 Descriptive ethics in its operation
incorporates the fields of
psychology, sociology and
anthropology as a part of
understanding how people behave
in their day to day life and on how
people believe about moral norms.
 For-example from sociology and
anthropology we came to
understand how society in the past/
present has structured moral
standards and how they expect
people to live.
Normative Ethics

 Isthe branch of ethics which tries to

establish norms or typical
appropriate behaviors people should
perform. It set standards of
appropriate behaviors.
 It is sometimes refers to as
Prescriptive ethics
Normative ethics involve value
judgement, and it tends to indicate
whether something is good or bad.
 Itanswers the questions what people
should do.
 It
is a practical means of determining a
moral cause of action
 According to Bennaars,(1993)
Normative ethics attempts to justify the
norms, principles and ideals that
govern human conducts
Categories of Normative ethics

i. Moral Values
ii. Moral Norms/code
iii. Moral Virtue
 Moral Values- Are matters of
convictions that are worth striving for
in general for decent living. For-
example: Justice, happiness, charity,
freedom etc.
 Again, moral values can be Intrinsic
or instrumental
 Intrinsic moral values- is the value
in itself. For instance: happiness,
freedom
 Instrumental values- Is the value
that contributes to intrinsic moral
value ie they aid one to acquire
intrinsic moral value.
For-instance if you want to get money
ie material possession (this is
instrumental value) while helping
people( intrinsic value)
 Moral Norms/codes
Are rules that prescribe what actions
are required, permitted or forbidden. In
fact some norms are so important and
so prescriptive that they have been
turned into laws
 Moral Virtues
-Are character traits that makes
someone a good person and allow one
to lead good life. Eg: Honesty,
courage, creativity, loyalty, truthfulness
etc.
Meta-Ethics/Analytical/Critical
Ethics

 Itis the branch of ethics which looks

at how people determine for
themselves what norm to follow. All
these are done after making critical
and analysis of the meaning of
moral concepts, statements as well
as their justification.
 Etymologically, meta is a Greek
word which means that which comes
after or beyond. Therefore, Meta-
ethics means all discussions done
after talks about ethics.
 Generally, it is concerned with
analyzing ethical concepts in order
to achieve deeper understanding of
the meaning and to be in a position
of coming up with justification
 For-example in examining moral
terminologies- What is meant by
right/wrong? Good/Bad
 Also it deals with analysis of
statements about morality. Eg. What
does it mean to say that stealing is
wrong?
 In meta-ethics people don’t accept
superimposed sets of behaviors,
rather they question the nature of
the behavior people acts.
 Itseeks to understand the nature of
ethical properties and evaluation.
 It has been argued that a
metaphysical account of morality is
necessary for the proper evaluation
of the actual moral theories and for
making practical moral decisions
Rationale for Teachers to study
Ethics

i) Since teaching is a moral

profession, teachers therefore
must be moral model. If teachers
are immoral it is likely that
students too will be immoral
consequently the whole society.
 So the study of ethics for
teachers is important for
instilling them with ethical
principles.
ii) Ethics deepens teachers’
understanding/ reflection on the
ultimate questions in life. For
example, why should I treat
students fairly? Why should I be
moral?
iii) The studies of ethics sharpen
teachers’ general thinking,
process and thus it develops an
enquiry on their daily practices
iv) Ethics knowledge helps
teachers to pursue goodness,
fairness and being impartial/ moral.
v) The study of ethics is important
due to wide spread of immoral
practices and unethical issues in
our communities.
Questions for Reflection
1. Why is ethics or morality important?
2. Why is important for a teacher to
lead ethical life in a day to day
occupational accomplishment?
3. How relevant ethics and morality to
you?
Different Context in which Morality
and Ethics are used

 FAMILY LEVEL
-Ones ethics and conducts must
start at home. The way we are today
is because of the roles played by
parents and/or guardians at home.
However, as a result of the peer
influence ones conduct may change.
 Atfamily level a child learn how to
respect people, greetings,
tolerance, love and kindness.
Parents are always discouraging
immoral practices
 SCHOOL/COLLEGE

-People learn issues related to moralities,

impartiality, valuing work, respect, fairness,
punctuality and responsibilities as well.
Teachers are responsible for imparting ethics
into students. Examples, through Civics
students learn respect, human rights, moral
values, patriotism, accountability and
transparency as well as cooperation.
 Teachers are responsible for
imparting ethics into students.
Examples, through Civics
students learn respect, human
rights, moral values, patriotism,
accountability and transparency
as well as cooperation.
 WORK PLACE
Different fields have their ethics
related to their fields. At school or
college, teachers are supposed to
be punctual, fair, respectful to
their colleague.
 RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS
All religions have ethical
components. From religious
institution people are internalized
with ethical principles.
 For instance, the Christians have
to adhere to ten ethical principles
referred to as Ten
Commandments. For the Muslims,
ethics are drawn from stories
drawn from Quran they are
commonly referred to as Hadith.
 DEVELOPMENT OF
MORALITY.

There are three stages/levels

through which morality is
developed
INSTINCT

 The term instinct means a natural

tendency for people and animals to
behave in a particular way using the
inborn knowledge and abilities.
 Therefore, the right or wrong conduct is
said to be determined by the fundamental
instinct or innate tendencies rather than
thoughts or training.
CUSTOM

 The right or wrong conducts are

determined by the customs of the
social group to which an individual
belongs.
CONSCIENCE

Conscience means awareness of

a person of what is right or wrong
with regard to his or her actions or
thoughts
-Conducts which appear right or
wrong are approved by an
individual judgement
 The moral authority is within an
individual. It is the inner voice
which directs a person to take
or not to take an action
INDIGENOUS EDUCAITION

Traditional African societies had no educational

institutions as schools as today.
Children and adults were educated through informal
learning.
Informal learning was complex and according to the
environment and cultural norms of the tribes.
e.g farming societies, coastal zones, pastoral tribes
Education in traditional African society was
therefore ‘education’ for consolidating the society
because it reinforced cultural solidarity of the tribe
 Unpacking the Concept

 Indigenous education or traditional education means

education that is foundational.
 That is educational system that was not imported into
the country as the Muslim and the Christian/western
systems.
 To professional educators, it means education that is
foundational or traditional.
 The indigenous education in Africa had three
components: moral, intellectual and vocational.
 Moral Dimension

 Moral component involves learning to live within the

norms or moral code of the society .
 Moral education was a lifelong process.
 values of godliness, truthfulness, cleanliness, chastity,
respect for humanity and human dignity, mutual aid
and hospitality, respect for elders and Legitimate
authority.
 Moral education scheme served the individual
members’ interests, kept the communities afloat
morally and ensured social cohesion.
 Intellectual Dimension

 In the societies every member was expected to have

essential knowledge within the cultural setting.
 There was no compartmentalization of knowledge
into subjects as in the western system.
 From childhood to adulthood there was a sort of
participatory earning.
 As individuals participated in different activities,
they learnt the language and its literature through
folklore, myths, praise songs, proverbs and idioms.
 Vocational Component

 To be an ideal member of the society, one was expected to

have a visible means of livelihood.
 An idle member of any community was hated and was
suspected because idleness was seen as a tool for evil deeds.
 Every member of the community was expected to belong to
an occupational group.
 The indigenous occupations included farming, blacksmithing,
fishing, hunting, woodcarving, leatherwork, weaving,
medicine, midwifery, physiotherapy etc.
 moral education permeated all components of indigenous
education in Arica.
 Challenges facing indigenous
education

 The most important challenge of indigenous knowledge is

that of being undervalued.
 Many scholars do not take local indigenous knowledge in
the curricula.
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MORALITY IN INDIGENOUS
EDUCATION: African Perspective

Moral values were central to

Indigenous education in almost all
African societies. Moulding moral
character and providing moral qualities
were the primary objectives in
traditional African education.
Traditional African education focused
on good manners, good character,
obedience and respect for
others( Zanoli, 1971).
Every family and society expected a
child as a future adult to be a moral
agent in his or her daily conducts.
 Transmission Methods(Adult specific)

 transmitted through music, songs and

dances.
 Marriage &death Ceremonies.
 Myths, legends, proverbs: Has specific
meaning to teach and warn people.
 Through age ceremonies (Rites of
passage) eg. Jando and Unyago.
 Nature and Scope of Indigenous
African Education
General Education:- Civics education, health care, history,
moral education and food production. Open curriculum

 Age Grade Education:- Provided to specific age groups e.g. Sex

education, Social responsibilities, Courtship and Welfare.

Specialized Education:- Provided to specific groups in the

society, it was for a few selected members. e.g. Leadership,
Special crafts, medicine, witchcrafts, rain making, building skills,
fishing. This was known as closed curriculum.
 Principles of Traditional African
Education

 Education was integral part of community

 Education was a lifelong process; acquired from
birth to death
 Learning was a practical activity; learning by doing
was the method widely used.
 Education was functional; knowledge and skills
were used immediately to solve problems
 Weaknesses of Traditional African
Education
 It was limited in scope: education was restricted to a particular
clan or tribe
 It put little emphasis on intellectual development due to more
emphasis on practical
 It discouraged creativity because it encouraged no questioning
 . It lacked proper methods of storing knowledge and relied on
the memories of the elders
Education had no room for growth, knowledge was produced in
isolation, e.g rainmaker
The teaching and learning and morality
was in many ways
-Children were taught how to eat in
acceptable manner.
-To value work, others and obligation
in the community.
-Respect for ones elders
 A strong sense of responsibility
towards one’s family and a concern
of good manners remain the
hallmark of an education system
which is people’s own.
 -To respect all people.
 NB: Given their roles in the society,
adults were expected to be
trustworthy, morally upright, ready to
serve and be able to discern
people’s needs
Both boys and girls were informed of
their responsibilities, work and
obligations towards their communities,
clan and families
All kind of laziness were disapproved
and dealt with accordingly.
 Depending on a specialization, clan or
community, every child was
challenged to engage in certain kind
of activities or work. This is because
issues regarding work, responsibility
was mandatory.
 Usually work were assigned
according to age and sex
 In all education, the teaching and
learning was practically handled/
oriented children into the world of
work.
 Sex education was also part and
parcel of indigenous moral
education
 Since childhood, children were
advised regarding sex and gender
roles, but what was taught varies
according to age.
 InAfrican societies, issues related to
sex were not only important but also
very sensitive. Training on such
matters focused on dos and donts.
 Besides relatives such as uncles
and aunts, there were special
teachers/ instructors who were
responsible for sex education. The
communities recognized and
respected the role of those
instructors.
 For-instance: Several ethnic group
in Tanzania among the Pare, Kurya,
Ngoni, Haya and other tribes along
the coast had a rites of initiation.
 The length of rites of initiation differs
from one place to another. For-
example in some areas could take
children away from their homes for
several weeks.
 Punishment was used for children
who misbehaved sexually. Rigid
code of conducts were imposed to
regulate behaviors. Eg: in Kikuyu
society, those who misbehaved were
fined or ostracized
Methods used in Indigenous
education

1. Immitation hands on practice

This was the common method of
passing the moral values. Every adult
was supposed to be a role model( moral
modelling) because children and other
members of the community learnt by
seeing what and/or how parents /adults
behaved.
2. Verbal admonition
-Formed an important part of the tradition
methods. It was used by parents to bring
up their children in morally accepted
conducts.
Parents would admonish a child when
he/she acts outside the family code of
conducts.
Usually, verbal admonition was
certainly followed by disciplinary
action. In most cases punishment were
administered to reinforce among other
things good conducts. In this context,
bad behavior of children was taken to
be an indicator of parents failure to
teach community values.
3. Dramatization/Role Play/Simulation.
Was used to teach young the kind of
conducts or discharge responsibilities
expected to them. This helped boys
and girls to reflect their character and
moral values.
Most often, drama was staged to show
immoral values did not flourished.
Children participated on various
scenes of play and would assume a
part of offenders traditional
councellors,judges,chiefs,mothers,fath
ers etc
4. Story Telling
Was also used to promote moral
values. Usually children listen to
stories of elders like grandmothers and
grand fathers
-It was said to be effective method in
character formation of the child.
-Likewise, educative stories, proverbs,
and other idiomatic expressions from
parents would serve the same.
-Were told in the evening after day’s
activities to govern the moral code and
the general rules of etiquette in the
community.
5. Traditional Games
-They were also used to promote and
perpetuate moral values. It is where
children ethical and moral values
would be defined. Traditional games
were used to develop courage,
endurance, solidarity, honesty, humor
The bases of Indigenous Moral
undertakings(Why people were to be
moral?)

-There are several grounds for moral

practice in indigenous Education
a) Traditional code of practice. Each
society had its set of rules (code) to be
followed by all members. It was codes
of conducts that lead to condemnation
of all sorts of misbehaving like lazzness,
theft etc.
b) Divine power of God (ancestors).
In most African societies, people had
beliefs on god(s).On this view good
conduct is obedience to god(s).In
principle, people were expected to live
life in fear of God.
 C) Fear of ancestral spirits.
-The role played by ancestral spirit
was closely related to religious faith in
helping people to make moral
judgements.
-What is right/wrong is evaluated if it
has approval or disapproval of the
ancestors
d)Golden Rule
-In pre-colonial African societies,
morals were grounded to golden rule
or categorical reciprocity principle,
which holds that people should
treat others in the same way they
would want to be treated by others.
Therefore, indigenous societies
believed that every member was
responsible to treat another the way
he/she would like to be treated.
Lessons we get from Indegenous
Moral Education

1. Indigenous moral values in all

spheres of life and education are
inseparable.
2. Every adult individual in the society
is responsible for moral education
and character development of
children.
3. Moral education and character
development begins at home when a
child interacts with parents and other
relatives serves as moral value
teachers.
4. In every community, the teaching and
learning of moral values is part and
parcel of socialization process.
5. While African Indigenous education
advocated knowledge and skills
specialization according to societies
needs, but moral education was for all.
Questions for reflection
a) Compare and contrast the teaching of
moral values between indigenous
education and formal schooling.
b) Use the knowledge from Indigenous
Moral Education, then find the gap that
exist in our education system in
promotion of moral values.
Philosophical Perspectives on Ethics
and Morality

There are various philosophical thinkers

who created for the society a whole
world of ideas with respect to society,
universe, social organizations, moral
values, the individual nature etc.
Most of them have also written on the
meaning and nature of ethics as follows:
Democritus(460-470 B.C

 The leading figure in the Greek

Astronomy specializing in Physics.
Also he was a philosopher in search
of knowledge.
 He argued that, the goal of life is
happiness, but should not be
happiness of things rather
happiness should be a state of inner
man and desires, an attitude which
combines reflection and reasoning .
 According to him, the good man is
not the one who does good things
but someone who wants to do
goodness all the time.
-Such goodness brings happiness.
Sophists

These were the first professional

wisemen among the Greeks.
They taught Greek Grammer, rhetoric
and how to win cases in court or
assembly.
Actually, they were itinerant teachers
and took payment for instruction.
From there, issues regarding good
and bad entered a period of
confusion.
Eg: PROTAGORAS

In his writings he indicated that man is

the measure of all things thus man is
the measure of good and evil.
 Each one had to get each and
everything by any means (each man
has to form his/her code of conduct).
 The result of the Sophists argument
was individualism and selfishness
and moral chaos.
 Accordingto the Sophists “by man”
the sophists meant the “individual
man” but not in general term.
 Each one has the right to
determine for him/her on what is
good or evil. One cannot judge
another to be right or wrong, good or
bad.
 Thus, they simply contend that there
is no moral laws, no principle of right
and wrong and so each man had to
live as he/she desires.
Socrates

Was the 1st Greek Philosopher to

encourage scholars and philosophers
who insisted on human well being
centred approach Eudaimonic view to
turn the conduct of any human kind.
 He challenged the teachings of
Sophists and he believed that there
must be the basic principles of
right and wrong a measure which
will apply far beyond the belief of
an individual
During Socrates' time self knowledge
was placed highest, than all other
knowledge
He posted that, people are naturally do
good when they know about bad
things. To him, people who do bad
actions are the results of ignorance.
A truly wiseman will know what is
good, right and therefore be happy.
Socrates made the following
arguments regarding Ethics:
1. Self knowledge is the sufficient
condition
+ to good life.
2. An unexamined life is not worthy living.
One should seek knowledge and wisdom
before private interests ie Knowledge is
sought as the means to ethical actions.
3. Reasoning is the way to good life
4. The true happiness is promoted by
doing what is rights.
PLATO

He took up problems of good and evil

from where Socrates left.
Basically Plato was an idealist who
believed that the world of sense is
unreal and changing, that condition to
him is an evil.
 To him, the real world of pure and unchanging ideas is
the world of good where there is unchanging situation, it
implies goodness. All these can be known through
reasoning.
-Each human being is a combination of physical body and
non-physical soul

2. Aristotle(384-322 BC)
He posted on ethical system realization of ones potentials.
His theory is much focused on the well
being of the soul.
According to Plato, man has three(3)
parts: Reason, Spirit and appetite
• Reason- According to Plato,
reasoning is the highest good for
man.
• Will- A spiritual part of a man and is
concerned with courage, action and
bravery.
• Appetite is responsible for bodly
function and desire, maintaining
pleasure and minimizing pain
Living a good, happy and wise life is
when reasoning rules the will and
the appetite. Therefore, happiness
and goodness goes together.
Plato’s ideas is also based on virtue
ethics which involves eudemonia(well
being) and arête(excellence).
-Plato’s ethics believed on intellectual
life as the only good life when an
individual can distinguish between
good and evils.
Aristotle (384-322 BC)

His ideas on Ethics include the

following:
-The highest good and end towards
which all human activity is directed is
happiness (this is universal truth)
-Happiness is attained by having
virtues life, development of reason and
the faculty of theoretical wisdom.
 He emphasized moral virtue which he
believed to be a relative mean between
extremes of excess and deficiency.
Thus, moral life is one of moderation.
For-example courage is the moderate
virtue between extreme of cowardice and
recklessness
 Moral virtue can not achieved
abstractly. It requires moral action in
a social environment.
Thus, moral virtue is acquired by a
combination of knowledge, habituation
and self discipline.
Jean Piaget

-He is American psychologist who

believed that children develop rules
and become aware of according to
their differing ages.
He theorized that there are three basic
stages of cognitive moral development
that all children pass.
i) Egocentric stage(0-4 years)
ii) Authority stages(4-11 years)
iii) Consensus derived stage(11 and
above)
i) Egocentric stage(0-4yrs)

At this stage a child believes that

things are the way in which he/she
perceived them.
Everything must be done the way the
child thinks they should be done; rules
of the game are his own.
ii) Authority stage(4-11yrs)

 At this stage, the rules and ethics

come from the authority.
 Rules are regarded as sacred
dedicated to God. An action is right
because the authority figure says so.
iii) Consensus derived stage(11+)

 This is the mutual consent stage. It

forms the ground for rule making. An
act is right because is agreed upon
by many people. Example,
legislative laws
From Piaget’s stages of cognitive
development we note that:
 Education make a child to resemble
like typical adult of his society
 Education make individuals to be
creators and innovators and not
conformists
Piaget believed into two principles:
i) Morality of constraints
ii) Morality of cooperation
Morality of constraints

 Young acquire moral instructions

from a symbol of authority. Morality
develop in asymmetrical relationship
in order to avoid punishment
-One actor has strong authority than
the other
Morality of cooperation

 It is dominated by symmetrical/
equal relationship. For-example:
Parents and teachers may
cooperate in building moral
character of children.
-In here, participants assume equal
authority
Lawrence Kohlberg

He is a psychologist, his theory is

based upon Piaget’s findings.
He expanded Piaget’s three basic
levels into six(6) stages.
Read about Heiz experiment
A cross-sectional dilemma between
boys and girls
i) Pre-Conventional level
ii) Conventional level
iii) Post-Conventional level
Level 1: Pre-conventional

The stage of self interest and

considerations and it is common in
children,
-At this stage people judge morality of
action by its direct consequences.
Normally children perceives rights and
wrong primarily interms of rewards and
punishment.
It has two sub-stages
Stage 1: Obedience and punishment
orientation
Stage 2: Individualism and
exchange(Self interest driven
stage/Favors)
Stage 1: Obedience and
punishment orientation.

-The child assumes that powerful

authority is fixed to set of rules.
-The major pre-occupation is to avoid
punishment through obeying the rules.
Children do right things because of the
consequences accompanied by bad
actions
Stage 2: Individualism and exchange
orientation

-Moral decisions are conditioned by

self-interest and not obeying the
authority. For-example if an act
satisfies one need and desire.
Level 2: Conventional

 At this level, moral decisions are

made on maintaining or
conforming to the expectations
within the family, social group and the
community.
 This is a level of socially acceptable
standards. It has the following stages:
Stage 3: Interpersonal conformity
(good boy-girl orientation)
- The major question is what must I do
to be seen and perceived as good
boy/girl (socially acceptable)
Stage 4: Maintenance of social
order.
 Moral decisions are determined by
fixed rules, laws and properly
constituted authority.
 Obedience to the laws is considered
a virtue.
 Thisis the highest stage attained by
most adults. The major question is
what if everyone did it?
Level 3: Post-conventional

 It involves ethical reasoning of what

is good and bad. It goes beyond the
stage of laws and order and seek to
develop own judgement in moral
matters.
Stage 5: social contracts and
individual rights.
Individuals are viewed as holding
different opinions and values. Also,
laws are regarded as social contract
rather than rigid dictum.
 There is majority discussion about
laws to be followed and should be
changed where necessary in order to
meet greatest good for the greatest
number
-Society is best conceived as social
contract through which people enter to
work towards the benefit of all.
 All rational people would want
certain basic and social rights to be
protected like liberty, right to live etc.
 Also they would want some
democratic procedures for improving
society like changing unfair law,
situation
Stage 6: Universal ethical principle
Moral reasoning is based on abstract
reasoning using universal principles.
The key idea is that laws are valid if
they are grounded in justice.
 People are working towards the
conception of good society suggesting
a need to protect certain individual
basic rights, settle disputes through
democratic processes
The stage has clear and broader
conception of justice and individual rights
Categorical imperative theory

It was propounded by Immanuel Kant

(1724-1804), a German Philosopher.
The theory states that we can
perform an action if we can
consistently will, that everyone
follows the policy/law upon which
our action is based.
 Therefore, a moral act of an action is
judged according to a term of duty or
responsibilities.
 The theory is imperative because it
applies to all without exclusion
In other words, categorical imperative
is referred to as Deontological ethics.
Basically, deontological ethics are not
interested in consequences that the
action would bring, rather they are
primarily interested in the following:
 nature of the act itself
 the motive for doing the act
 the act is done out of a sense of
duty i.e being moral means acting
out of duty.
Therefore, to Kant’s Deontology the
means justifies the ends i.e to act in a
right morally way, people must act
from duty and the motives of the
person who carries out the action is
also considered.
Kant formulated the Categorical imperative
into the following principles:
a)Universality principle
“Act only on that maxim through which at
the same time will that it should become a
universal law”
This implies that your maxim is your
reason for acting while at the same
time willing that it become a universal
law that everyone adopt that reason
for acting.
b) Reciprocity principle
It states that people would like to treat
others the same way they would like to
be treated. This is what came to be
known as Kantian law of
reciprocity/Golden Rule.
 Reciprocity principle is morally
grounded- man needs to be treated
by others fairly, honestly, equally and
so on, hence one has a duty to
others to do the same way (Gensler,
2013, p.1).
Find out the strengths and
weaknesses of Kantian Theory
Utilitarianism Theory.

It was proposed by Jeremy

Bentham(1748-1832) and John Stuart
Mill(1806-1873).
The moral act of action is judged
according to the consequences it
accompany with.
 Theact is good if it benefits
someone and it is bad if it harms
someone
 The consequences of a particular
action form the basis for any valid
moral judgement about action.
-The theory focus on the maximization
of pleasure and minimization of
suffering/pain.
-Sometimes it is called the greatest
happiness principle
 Thus, from consequentialist
standpoint, morally right action is the
one produces a good
outcome/consequences and vice
versa.
This view is expressed by aphorism
“the end justifies the means”
Eg One could regard stealing is good if
it is accompanied with happiness(on
part of the doer)