 Ethics
 Greek – ethos = customs, usage, character
 Latin – mores = root of current words,
“moral,” “morality,” “morals”
 Traditional manners, customs, habits, system
of values, or character of the community or
group
 The “culture” of the community
 Ethics relates to the philosophy behind a
moral outcome.
 The science of morals, that branch of
philosophy which is concerned with human
character and conduct: a system of morals,
rules of behavior: a treatise on morals.
 Morality
 Character or conduct considered as good or
evil;
 Ethical / conformed to or directed towards
right, virtuous.
 Capable of knowing right and wrong: subject
to the moral law.
 Quality of being moral
 That which renders an action right or wrong
 The practice of moral duties apart from
religion; virtue; the doctrine of actions as right
or wrong
 Code of right and wrong behavior as defined
by a community or society or group/culture of
people.
 Aspects of the Original Signification of ethos and
mores
1. Technical Aspect
2. Social Aspect
3. Aesthetic Aspect
4. Ethical / Moral Norm
HUMAN BEING AS A NORM OF MORALITY
 PERSON: Latin persona = mask; implying, there
is something underlying each and every human
individual:
 A conscience = a subjectivity: by virtue of which
the individual, thus person, takes responsibility
for his role and action in the drama of life
 DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON
 Lies in the fact that the human individual by
himself has conscience
 This conscience is oriented toward some end or
telos signifying something infinite = toward the
direction of some final meaning and fullness of
love
 When we engage in Moral Reflections,
eventually, we begin to question these traditions
due to the following:
1. Maturation and Growth
2. The Community encounters other Moral
Traditions
3. The Emergence of Modern Experiment
Experimental Science
PERSONAL NATURE AND DIGNITY OF MAN
AS APPLIED
 Fundamental Dimensions of the Human Person
1. Embodied Consciousness
2. Mind
3. Heart
 Embodied Consciousness - involves two main
considerations: (1) man’s embodied nature; (2)
man as embodied consciousness.
 Laws that provide adequate protection and
security for human life
 Provisions for social security benefits;
 Access to basic education;
 Acquisition of basic skills
 Promote human solidarity and collaboration
 Mind – man is in search for truth and meaning.
 Provisions for basic education, formation, and
guidance of the youth.
 Availability of information and knowledge,
establishment of libraries, institutes, and
centers promoting all forms of intellectual
pursuits.
 Heart – the dimension in which the person seeks
in various forms the mutual recognition and
affirmation of consciousness. This dimension has
two main branches:
1. I-Thou = has four levels, initially found
within the (nuclear) family (but this is
actually extended to the extended family):
a. Child-Parent Relationship – the
newborn child becomes aware of the
“self” in the presence of the “other”
(mother and father): wherein the child
eventually realizes that he/she is
dependent upon the “other.”
b. Sibling Relationship – the child learns
to relate with his siblings: learning that
he/she is equal with the other.
c. Husband-Wife – the man and woman
recognize and affirm each other in his or
her unique role as man and woman. The
 “I” of one sex becomes aware that he/she ETHICS AND OTHER FIELDS OF STUDY
is a complement of the “Other.” 1. Ethics and Feelings
d. Parents-Child Relationship – the “I” 2. Ethics and Religion
learns that he/she is responsible for the 3. Ethics and Law
“Other.” 4. Ethics and what Society Accepts
2. I-community = evolves with the
development of human history, which has IMPORTANCE OF ETHICS
three ramifications:  Serves as a guide towards our goals
a. Economic aspect – the human  Self-Serving Motives
person’s need of the support of an  Accidental Occurrences
organization in view mainly of work  Customs
and production, to provide all the basic  Feelings
goods and services needed for human  Impulses
development.  Deepen our reflection on the ultimate questions of
b. Political aspect – the community life and help us think better about the concerns of
organized in view of communal action, morality
thus for the purpose of considering  Wider perspective on how to live to the fullest
communal problems, of coming to  Considering our finite nature
communal decision, for purposes of  Encourages self-examination and self-evaluative
communal action, requiring the use of as to how we respond to contemporary challenges
communal means and resources.  Trains our capacity to perceive and be sensitive to
c. Cultural aspect – the traditional ways relevant moral issues
and customs and practices of the  Helps us clarify our value priorities
community that maintain the life of the
 Help us realize and become what we ought to be
spirit, as found in such things as music,
dance, the arts, letters, sciences, ethical
and religious life and practices. In the
end, these are what provide for the
substance and the meaning of the
person’s existence, but which can only
be maintained and promoted by way of
the institutions and structures of the
historical community, thus beyond the
confines of mere family ties.
 Personal nature and dignity of man is challenged
when there is a whole reconceptualization and
reinterpretation of the entire norm and not just a
mere different manner of applying the norm.

GENERAL AREAS OF ETHICS

1. Metaethics – concerned with the origins of moral
codes / standards
2. Normative Ethics – concerned with the
examination of ethical principles proposed by
philosophers and theorists.
3. Applied Ethics – using the established ethical
principles and moral standards, the field
examines, analyzes and evaluates moral
experiences, situations, and dilemmas, in order to
lead to a guided resolution to a problem or even a
decision in a dilemma