ST.

JOHN PAUL II COLLEGE OF DAVAO

COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION
Physically Detached Yet Academically Attached

SIMPLIFIED COURSE PACK (SCP) FOR

SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING

GECC 108 – Ethics

This Simplified Course Pack (SCP) is a draft version only and may not be
used, published or redistributed without the prior written consent of the
Academic Council of SJPIICD. Contents of this SCP is only intended for
the consumption of the students who are officially enrolled in the
course/subject. Revision and modification process of this SCP are
expected.

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 ST. JOHN PAUL II COLLEGE OF DAVAO
COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION
Physically Detached Yet Academically Attached

SCP-TOPICS: PRELIM PERIOD TOPICS

Week 9 The meaning, nature, and scope of Ethics

Lesson Title Deontological Ethics
1. Trace the historical origin of deontological theory and
Learning Outcome(s) explain the fundamental principles of Kant’s deontological
theory
Time Frame 3 hrs.

At SJPIICD, I Matter!

LEARNING INTENT!
Words to Ponder
This section provides meaning and definition of the
terminologies that are significant for better understanding of
the terms used throughout the simplified course pack of
Ethics. As you go through the labyrinth of learning, in case you
will be confronted with difficulty of the terms refer to the
defined terms for you to have a clear picture of the learning
concepts.

Deontological is derived from the Greek root word “dein” or “deon”

meaning “to be obligated” or simply “duty”

Inclination refers to a disposition or bent, especially of the mind

or will; a liking or preference

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 ST. JOHN PAUL II COLLEGE OF DAVAO
COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION
Physically Detached Yet Academically Attached

Essential Content

Historical Origin of Deontological Ethics

The historical origin of this moral theory can be traced back to the
early beginning of human civilization, “at the time when the word of
the chief, or the king, (or God or any other recognized authority for
that matter) was given unconditionally and without invitation to
appeal on the basis of consequences.”

Here, the commands or edict of the ones in authority and power are
something that are taken and obeyed without any objection or
question. Once the commands or order is given, everyone below is
expected to follow unconditionally without any qualifications.
Obedience is something absolute or categorical. This means that one
is not expected to pose any question but is asked to take the
command given as it is.

This kind of theory is sometimes called Deontological (from the Greek

root word “dein” or “deon” meaning “to be obligated” or simply “duty”)
In this kind of theory or philosophy, an act or conduct is considered
good or right, thus justified morally, not by showing that it has good
or right but by virtue of its being an action that emanates from sense
of duty or moral obligation. Deontology or simply Duty ethics
recognizes only those actions that are done out of pure duty as the
ones having moral worth.

Hence, the worth of an action lies on the inner motive rather that the
external effects that one can derive from the act. This is the heart of
Kant’s ethics – doing good because its good, nothing more and
nothing less.

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 ST. JOHN PAUL II COLLEGE OF DAVAO
COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION
Physically Detached Yet Academically Attached

Kant’s Major contribution to Deontological Theory.

Immanuel Kant is great German philosopher in modern time is

recognized as the most important philosopher who has ever lived. The
entirety of his philosophic corpus, in the worlds of an author, is
brilliant, profound, rich, complex, and fascinating.

It is said, with fairness, that no other thinker has contributed as

many important and brilliant ideas to the philosophical study of
Ethics as Kant.

The Good will: The heart of Kant’s Ethics.

Kant claims that what makes an act right/good and wrong/bad does
not depend on its results or consequences, since all these are simply
beyond one’s control, hence it is a matter of luck or accident. Thus,
consequences of our action are entirely out of our hands. For him,
morality should be something of which one should have total control.
If one is indeed fully accountable of his action and conduct, then the
chance or luck should be taken out of the equation

The center of Kant’s ethical philosophy is his primary emphasis on

the importance of reason and the unqualified rational nature of moral
principles. Such philosophy is indeed strict, hardheaded, and
uncompromising view of morality. This uncompromising stand has
to be understood in view of Kant’s own philosophical project that is
to set, one and for all, a kind of morality that is grounded firmly on
an objective and rational foundation as well as build one single set of
moral principles for anyone who claims to be logical

At the very outset of his brilliant philosophical work, Grounding for

the metaphysics of Morals, Kant writes: “Nothing… can be called
good without qualification except a good will.” Having good will, or
rather acting in good will means an act with the right intentions or
motives, in accordance with the right maxims or principles, doing
one’s duty or obligation for its own sake (Duty for duty’s sake) rather

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 ST. JOHN PAUL II COLLEGE OF DAVAO
COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION
Physically Detached Yet Academically Attached

personal gain or self interest. This goes against utilitarianism who

prioritize the consequences that one can achieve in acting. For Kant,
morality is a matter of motive or intention and not a matter of what
can gain or achieve in acting.

If one’s motive in doing an act is good and noble, regardless of its

consequences or results, then it is good and thus your conduct is
morally praiseworthy. You ought to be congratulated for doing “the
right thing.” As far as the ethics of Kant is concerned.

Duty over Inclination

According to Kant, a person is only acting morally when he

suppresses his/her feelings and inclination and does what he is
obliged to do. Hence, if one’s reason for acting is simply out from
one’s taste or inclinations, one cannot said to be performing a moral
action.

The only act that is worthy to be called moral is an act that is done
not out of inclination but one that is done out of duty. Doing one’s
duty is doing something that one is not inclined or willing to do, but
that he/she does because he/she must fulfill it.

For instance, a student who studies only because he is afraid to fail

in a particular subject {and this would mean not being able to
graduate) is not a moral person. Nor the reason for studying is that
he is merely inclined to.

Thus, for Kant, to be a good person is to act from some duty alone.
One should not be motivated by any other reason except what
emanates from his sense of moral obligation. Only and only then that
one can truly say that he is acting morally and deserves to be called
a moral person.

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 ST. JOHN PAUL II COLLEGE OF DAVAO
COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION
Physically Detached Yet Academically Attached

Duty is Superior to Happiness

If being good person, according to Kant, requires us to do what is

right out from sense of duty or moral obligation, our duties cannot
consist simply in following rules that promote pleasure and the
avoidance of pain as the utilitarianism claims, since that would make
right actions depend upon consequences, on how well they satisfied
our desires. For Kant, rightness and wrongness of an act is not
determined by the outcomes or results but by the intrinsic property.

For Kant, as we said, the rightness or wrongness of an act is not

determined by its outcomes or results but by its intrinsic property.
Thus, for instance, “lying is morally wrong not because it results in
the experience of pain instead of pleasure (say, we will be scolded by
our parents and will be grounded for a week) but because it is wrong
in itself regardless of the consequences. The same goes true for
breaking a promise, cheating and the like.

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 ST. JOHN PAUL II COLLEGE OF DAVAO
COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION
Physically Detached Yet Academically Attached

SELF-SUPPORT: You can click the URL Search Indicator below to help you further understand the lessons.
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Fernadez, Apolinar Henry. Ethics: Deciding what’s right and wrong. SMKC
PrintShoppe. 2018.

Montemayor, Felix M. Ethics: The Philosophy of Life. National Book Store,

1994.

Sambajon Jr., Marvin Julian. Ethics for Educators. C & E Publishing Inc.
2011.

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/inclination

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