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Definition of Ethics

Ethics (the study of values in human behaviors).

 Comes from the Greek word (Ethos), which means customs, usage, or character.
 It is the traditional manners, customs, habits, character or attitude of a community or a
group, which pertains to the group’s standards or norms.
 It is a set of rules of human behavior, which has been influenced by the standards set by
the society or by himself in relation to his society (Reyes 1981, 1).
Ethics is mora clearly defined as a “a practical and normative science, based on reason,
which studies human acts, and provides norms for their goodness and badness (Timbreza
1993, 3). This definition is to be explained as:
1. Ethics is science. Science is defined as a systematized body of knowledge. As a science,
ethics is a systematic study of the grounds and norms of morality. However, ethics is
first and foremost a practical science. As a practical science, ethics deals with a
systematized body of knowledge that is applicable to human action (Timbreza). For this
reason, the primary consideration of Ethics is the application of human knowledge and
its practicality to human experience. Therefore, Ethics is to be considered a necessary
part of life, i.e., a part of man’s daily existence.

2. Ethics is a normative science. As a normative science, ethics sets a basis or a norm for
the direction and regulation of human actions. It sets its rules and guidelines to maintain
a sense of direction to human actions. As a normative science, ethics aids man in
distinguishing whether one’s action can be considered good or bad.

3. Inasmuch as Ethics is a science, it should, therefore, be based on reason. All ethical

theories and all moral decisions must have its basis from the power of reason. Since the
human person is a rational being, he is, therefore, capable of making moral decisions. In
other words, man has the capacity to rationalize on whether a particular action can be
considered proper or improper.

4. Ethics studies human acts. To explain this, it is necessary to distinguish between human
acts (actus humanus) and the acts of man (actus hominis).

 Human acts are those actions that are done by the human person based on
human knowledge and the full consent of the will. It is is that which proceeds
from the deliberate free will of human person (Glenn 1965,3). A person, for
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example, is doing a human act if he knows what he is doing and if he is doing it

freely and willingly irrespective of whether the action is good or bad.

 Acts of man are those actions that are done in the absence of either knowledge
or will or of both knowledge and will – the two conditions of human acts. In this
case, this action comprises all spontaneous, biological, and sensual processes like
nutrition, breathing and sensual impressions. This also include those actions
done by lunatics, pf drunken people and all spontaneous actions, which precede
the activity of intellect and will, like initial reactions of anger or sympathy.

For instance, a crime is to be considered a human act if there are knowledge and
full consent of the will on the part of the criminal. This is in case that the said
criminal knows already that such action is bad and he was not forced by anybody
to do such an act, i.e., he performs the said action through his own volition. In
this case, the person who did the evil act out of knowledge and full consent of
the will is held morally liable for such an act.

Ethics particularly deals with the voluntary human conduct. This voluntary
human conduct includes all actions as well as non-actions because the human
person understands and will these activities in relation to some end that he has
in view. This human conduct also includes the involuntary activities that are
unlikely performed, yet involve a degree of personal approval.

Consequently, if the person, who performed an immoral act, was only forced to
do such an act but against his own will, or merely unaware of the fact that such
an action is bad, he is not, therefore, to be held morally liable. On the other
hand, the person who performed such evil act may be held responsible in terms
of the human positive law. In the case of an evil act, the victim, therefore, suffers
from an act of man unless he provoked the criminal to do such an evil act against
him.

5. Ethics provides norms for the goodness and badness of a certain act. Ethics is a
dimension of human existence whereby man is always oriented towards (Ryes, 2). Every
human person is in constant search for the meaning of his own life. In setting a meaning
for his own existence, man has to have an ideal vision or goal. Such vision or goal is that
which will lead him to happiness. Ethics is the one that provides the guidelines for which
a human person can know if he is still leading his life to the goal which he sets for
himself. This makes Ethics very important in the life of the human person.
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 The ideal vision of man provides for him a sense of value. Value is defined as
that which an individual deems to be useful, desirable, or significant (Reyes, 3).
Value sets in man an idea of good that is inclined towards that which is
objectively the fulfillment of the being of man. Consequently, a good action is
that which imposes a moral obligation or duty.
The Importance of Studying Ethics
The bible states that man is by nature good. This is because he is created as an imago
Dei. an image of God. Because God is considered as the Summum Bonum or the Highest Good,
man is also naturally good (cf. Genesis 1, 26-27). In this case, it is the nature of the human
person to incline himself towards the good. The human person naturally finds beauty in doing
good deeds. He will eventually obtain meanings in his existence if he will be in constant search
of goodness.
However, since the human person is endowed with a faculty of reason, which is
sometimes inclined towards his passion, there is always the possibility that he may choose to
turn away from goodness. Man will always have the tendency to cling instead to the goods of
this earth even if it will mean the loss of his supreme end and purpose. When this happens,
man will lead himself to perform morally evil acts.
Man’s inclination towards the earthly goods will oftentimes lead him to envy and
despair. For this reason, man needs to study ethics
1. To be guided so that he may be able to fully understand what real happiness is.
2. To be able to understand that the goal of a human being is not merely the acquisition of
material goods. Rather, his actual fulfillment lies in the development of the moral
quality, which places the human person above brute creation.
3. Ethics serve as the main instrument in the development of the qualities needed to
acquire such goal.
4. Ethics provides for a person an idea of what right living is all about and the importance
of acquiring good moral character.
5. Ethics is the very investigation of life. It gives the person the necessary guidelines for the
acquisition of his goal.
6. It provides the person the meaning and purpose of daily living, as well as the meaning
and purpose of life as a whole.
7. It will help students studying Ethics to understand ethical principles by heart as this will
help them develop a moral way of life. For this reason, Ethics has to be more practical
and must be based on the students’ day-to-day living rather than academic and
doctrinal.
8. Students must be taught that moral training must be learned and must be integrated
into our system inasmuch as they will serve as the future educators to the next
generation. They have a great duty to understand ethical principles so that they can be
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able to make a stand regarding moral decisions. Inasmuch as Plato considered Ethics as
supreme philosophy, a student who is able to understand ethics and apply it in his life
can be considered a superior individual.

As the human person is in constant search for goodness, knowing and doing what is good
will lead him to the attainment of this goal, which is goodness. In this regard, education can
serve as the means in order to teach the young people what good is.

To God be the Glory!