UNIVERSITY OF THE CORDILLERAS

College of Arts and Sciences

MODULE 3 in SOC SCI 101N (Ethics)

Course: SOC SCI 101 N

Course Title: Ethics
Course Credits: 3 units
Contact Hours/week: 8 hours
Prerequisite: None
Course Description:
Ethics deals with principles of ethical behavior in modern society at the level of the
person, society, and in interaction with the environment and other shared resources. (CMO 20
s 2013)
Course Outcomes:

At the end of the trimester, the students are expected to:

1. Differentiate between moral and non-moral problems and describe what a moral
experience is as it happens in different levels of human existence;
2. Explain the influence of Filipino culture on the way students look at moral
experiences and solve moral dilemmas and describe the elements of moral
development and moral experiences;
3. Use ethical frameworks or principles to analyze moral experiences and make sound
ethical judgments based on principles, facts, and the stakeholders affected;
4. Develop sensitivity to the common good and understand and internalize the principles
of ethical behavior in modern society at the level of the person, society, and in
interaction with the environment and other shared resources.

Topic 1:
Part 2: The Act
a. Feelings and moral decision-making
b. Reason and impartiality as minimum requirements for morality
c. Moral courage

Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, students are expected to:
1. Realize how culture shape moral behavior and understand why culture is
the ultimate determinant of values;
2. Acknowledge the role of feelings in moral decisions and how to make
impartial decisions.

Instructional Materials:
Moral Act (ppt file)
Lecture Video (uploaded in FB page)

Teaching-Learning Activity/Lesson Proper:

Part 2: Moral Act
a. Feelings and Moral Decision-Making
1. Moral Act (ppt file)
2. Lecture Video (uploaded in FB page)
b. Reasons and Impartiality as minimum requirements for morality
(refer to notes in Module 1)
 c. Moral Courage
Moral courage is the willingness to stand up for and act according to one’s ethical
beliefs when moral principles are threatened, regardless of the perceived or actual
risks (such as stress, anxiety, isolation from colleagues, or threats to
employment). Moral distress occurs when one feels powerless to act after witnessing
improper behavior, if organizational constraints make doing the right thing difficult or
impossible. Ultimately, these situations challenge one’s sense of virtue, which
involves acting in accordance with one’s moral and ethical principles.
Moral courage is a virtue and needs to be developed (as does emotional intelligence)
to determine when action is required. Thus, moral courage is linked to virtue ethics,
which emphasizes the role of character rather than doing one’s duty to bring about
good consequences. Virtue ethics appreciates that conflicts occur and that more than
just moral wisdom is needed to ensure a moral outcome.

Critical Checkpoints in using Moral Courage for Ethical Decision

Making:
1. Evaluate the circumstances to establish whether moral courage is needed in the
situation
2. Determine what moral values and ethical principles are at risk or in question of
being compromised
3. Ascertain what principles need to be expressed and defended in the situation –
focus on one or two of the more critical values
4. Consider the possible adverse consequences/risks associated with taking action
5. Assess whether or not the adversity can be endured – determine what
support/resources are available
6. Avoid stumbling blocks that might restrain moral courage, such as apprehension or
over reflection leading to reasoning oneself out of being morally courageous in the
situation
7. Continue to develop moral courage through education, training, and practice

Enhancement Activity/Outcome:
A. Feelings and Moral Decision Making
Refer to the last slides of the notes given on the Moral Act.
Answer the following:
1. Picture 1
a. What can you see in the picture? Describe in 1 sentence.
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b. Would you agree that children (elementary level) are aware that cheating is an
unacceptable behavior? Yes or No. Discuss your answer in 2-3 sentences.
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c. What do you think has made cheating a constant issue in the educational
system? Discuss in 4-5 sentences.
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 2. Picture 2
a. What can you see in the picture? Describe in 1 sentence.
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b. Would you agree that stealing property is worse than cheating in a test? Yes or
No. Discuss your answer in 2-3 sentences.
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c. What do you think has made corruption a constant issue in the political system?
Discuss in 4-5 sentences.
_______________________________________________________________
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d. Illustration 1 (Last slide)

Among the cited forms of Human trafficking, research on 2 kinds that occur in the
Philippines. Find a recent 2019-2020 online news article that would discuss such
incident of human trafficking.
React on the article by explaining why you think this happens despite the
existence of laws in 4-5 sentences.
1. Article 1:
Citation (place the link to the article here)
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2. Article 2:
Citation (place the link to the article here)
_______________________________________________________________
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B. MORAL COURAGE
Interview 2 persons (if possible; if not refer to personal experience and
knowledge of the person) you would consider have demonstrated Moral
Courage. Discuss their story by narrating the incident where they have
Demonstrated such virtue and how their story affects your own views on
Morality. Discuss in 6-8 sentences for each person.
1. Name of person chosen – relationship to the person
Discussion:
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2. Name of person chosen – relationship to the person
Discussion:
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