TEACHING AND LEARNING

MODULE IN MORAL
PHILOSOPHY (ETHICS)

Christopher V. Caurel
AB Philosophy, MA Psych, Ph.D Psych
CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY- ANDREWS CAMPUS
TUGUEGARAO CITY, CAGAYAN PHILIPPINES 3500
0935-560-4276
EMAIL: chriscaurel@yahoo.com
COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course is intended to equip the students

with the necessary knowledge and understanding
of the philosophies, theories and principle of
morality, moral practices and contemporary moral
issues.
TOPIC OUTLINE

• Introduction
• Branches of Philosophy
*Metaphysics, Epistemology, Moral
Philosophy, Aesthetics, Logic,
Ethics, et al.
• Division of Philosophy
a. Ancient Philosophy
b. Medieval Philosophy
c. Modern Philosophy
• Difference of Ethics and Morality
• Different Theories
OUTCOMES TOPIC OBJECTIVES

• Appraise the importance of philosophy

• Develop insights into the nature of moral
philosophy
• Appraise the significance of philosophy to
contemporary life
INTRODUCTORY

DISCUSSION
WHAT THIS MORAL PHILOSOPHY COURSE ALL
ABOUT…

ETHICS?

MORALITY?

PHILOSOPHY?

THEORIES?
WHAT THIS MORAL PHILOSOPHY IS NOT…

…THIS IS NOT VALUES EDUCATION

…THIS IS NOT CATECHISM

…THIS IS NOT MORAL THEOLOGY

DIVISION OF PHILOSOPHY
A. ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY
(PRE-SOCRATIC PERIOD)
1. THALES

• Metaphysics and Epistemology tries to answer the

question, what is the basic stuff of everthing?
• According to the idea of Thales, WATER is the basic stuff
of everything.
• This principle speculated that everything came from
water.
Example:
* a piece of wood
2. ANAXIMANDER
• According to the idea of Anaximander, FIRE is the basic
stuff of everything.
• This principle speculated that everything came from fire.
Example:
* the world surrounded by fire
* star/ heavenly bodies
* the can be change according to seasons
3. ANAXIMENES

• According to the idea of Anaximenes, AIR is the basic

stuff of everything.
• This principle speculated that everything came from air.
Example:
* the world float on air
* the idea of evaporation
4. PYTHAGORAS

• According to the idea of Pythagoras, NUMBER is the basic

stuff of everything.
• This principle speculated that everything came from
number.
Example:
* everything can be enumerated, countable and
measurable.
5. HERACLITUS
• According to the idea of Heraclitus, CHANGE is the basic
stuff of everything.
• This principle speculated that everything came from
change.
Example:
* everything will change
* there’s only one permanent- change
6. PARMENIDES
• According to the idea of Parmenides, REASON is the
basic stuff of everything.
• This principle speculated that everything came from
reason.
Example:
* the first “priori”
* principle of reason
* you cannot create something out of nothing
7. EMPEDOCLES
• According to the idea of Empedocles, ILLUSION is the
basic stuff of everything.
• This principle speculated that everything came from
illusion.
Example:
* change is a mere illusion
* everything came from imagination
8. ANAXAGORAS
• According to the idea of Anaxagoras, MIND is the basic
stuff of everything.
• This principle speculated that everything came from mind.
Example:
* nous
* intelligence
* knowledge
B. MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHY
(THE DEVELOPMENT OF IDEAS)
1. SOCRATES
• Prove the Unprovable
• What is Socratic Method?
a. Knowledge is a strong belief
b. Knowledge is ANALYSIS
c. Dialectic Method
2. PLATO
A. The Theory of Forms (separation between the Matter and
Form)
> the true/real object the we perceive in reality is NOT
true/real, but it is only a FORM

Explanation:
the one that makes the existence of everything is the
form. When the form separated into matter, the matter no
longer exist.
Ex. Chair and a wood/metal/plastic
B. The Theory of Knowledge- it is not just a mere perception
but more than perception.

Example:
“The Myth of the Cave”
Characters:
1. Cave- the world/ experience thru our senses
2. Sunlight- realm of forms
3. Prisoner- ordinary people, taking sensible world as real
world
4. Escaped Prisoner- philosopher, who seen light, true reality
C. The Theory of Love- define love as longing and belonging,
striving for to attain the object.

3. ARISTOTLE
“What is it to be”
To be – is a particular thing/object.

Example: a PARTICULAR statue, stuff.

What is the Actuality and Possibility?
A. The Theory of Forms
Form is a universal, something that more than universal
form.
Therefore, Form and Matter cannot be separated

B. Theory of Knowledge
-comes into our perfect INTUITION
- Even the existence of God come from INTUITION.
C. MODERN PHILOSOPHY
RISE OF
CHRISTIANITY
A. St. Augustine
Faith is the Ultimate source of Everything.
1. Faith can be adopted
2. Faith can be ammended
Christianity remains strong because of the
Foundation-Faith.
Augustine says: “Creation Ex Nihilo”- God Created
the world out of nothing.
B. St. Thomas Aquinas
Tries to seek the boundaries of these two fields:
1. Philosophy- based into the precepts of reason
2. Theology- based into the truths of revelation true faith

# He was convinced that there’s a real external world ordered

by law.
# He claims that we have knowledge into the natural world
but insufficient bec. Human being does not really know the
natural truths, God is inaccesible for us human being to
know.
INTRO TO ETHICS
Moral and Non-Moral
Moral Dilemma
Moral Assumptions
Minimum Requirements of Morality
Standards of the Moral Valuation of the Self
ETHICS PROPER
Division:
1. The Moral Agent
2. The Moral Actions
3. Ethical Frameworks and Principles in
Moral disposition