Moral Courage, Impartiality, and

Reason
Developing the Courage to use own’s reason and becoming Impartial
Activity: Kip Oebanda, Bar Boys (2017)
1. What was the situation?

2. What was the moral dilemma? Who is confronted with the moral dilemma?

3. What was Chris Carlson’s argument?

4. What was Erik Vicencio’s Argument?

5. What would you choose?

Reason and Impartiality
Reason
• Moral truths are truths of reason
• Reason explains why things are good, and why things are evil. Therefore, it is a
requirement for morality.
• Basis or motive for an action, decision, or conviction. It must be logical, rational, capable
of making sense, and verifiable to existing knowledge.
• Goes beyond preference, and of emotions.

Moral Deliberation
• It is a matter of weighing reasons and being guided by them.
• One uses reason, and at the same time analyzes reasons in deliberating.

Impartiality
• Espouses the idea of Fairness
• A principle of justice holding that decisions ought to be based on objective criteria
Scott Rae’s 7 Step Reasoning Model
1. Gather the Facts
1. What do you know about the issue? Outlining of all the facts

2. Determine the Ethical Issues Strength of this method:

1. Looking for the conflict of two interests • Sees the two sides of
the argument
3. Identify the Principles that have a Bearing on the Case
• Arrives on a conclusion
1. Between two parties of conflicting interests, they both have principles they
uphold (Ex. Pro Life vs. Pro Choice) that is reasonable and
moral
4. List the Alternatives
1. To attempt on making a decision by being creative in making some solutions.
Alternatives can be understood as “mere solutions”

5. Compare the Alternatives with the Principles

1. To check what alternatives would agree with principles.

6. Weigh the Consequences

1. “Both positive and negative consequences are to be considered. They should be
informally weighted, since some positive consequences are more beneficial than
other, and negative consequences are more detrimental than others.”

7. 7. Making a decision
1. To decide on the dilemma. However, no clear definition to what is a true and
reasonable conclusion.
Issue of Emotivism
Analysis on Emotions:
• Are said to be empirically “unverifiable”. Cannot be proven to be true through experience.

Subjectivism, and Emotivism

• Ethical Subjectivism
o it declares that Man is the measure of all things.
o Every moral standard depends on the person himself, and not on any other social factors.
o Just like Cultural Relativism, there is no absolute standard of morality. Therefore, no objective criteria.

• Emotivism
o comes from a Subjectivist standpoint. However, the basis of his moral standards is on Emotions.
o It goes beyond Positivism
o Purpose: They influence other people’s behavior, and to express the attitude of the speaker/doer.

Long Story Short: Emotions to some extent, impede our capability to be rational and impartial.

HOWEVER: Feelings can help in Right Decision Making

• However, there are said to be events when feelings are interrelated with our notion of what is good and what is bad.
• Christian Philosophy/ Ethics also comes from a standpoint of emotion, specifically love.
• Emotions are ought to be tempered in order to make right decisions.
SITUATION:
• You are taking an exam(pre-pandemic setting), and suddenly your phone
rang

• You asked to be excused to answer the call

• It turns out a family member was rushed to the hospital

• Question: Would you leave your exam?

THE MORAL COURAGE
Given that you have the capacity to be moral, and to choose the right decisions,
one therefore needs to execute of such. But there is difficulty in the execution,
therefore, one needs Moral Courage.

Moral Courage:
• To do the right thing despite the inconvenience, and risking things.
• To rise above apathy, complacency, hatred, cynicism, and fear mongering in our
political systems, socio-economic divisions, cultural and religious differences.
• To demand one to make judgements of what is ethically and morally good, and
those that are destructive
• To allow oneself to be responsible and accountable for all our actions

The Will
• Arthur Schopenhauer - “The innermost essence, the kernel, of every
particular thing and also of the whole. It appears in every blindly acting force of
nature, and also in the deliberate conduct of man.”

• Will Power - The inner strength to make a decision and execute difficult tasks
towards its completion.
THE MORAL COURAGE
• Development of the Will and Courage.

• The Following are “tips” that may help you develop the courage.

• 1. Develop and Practice Self-Discipline

• 2. Do mental strength training

• 3. Draw inspiration from people of great courage

• 4. Repeatedly do acts that exhibit moral courage and will

• 5. Avoid deeds that show lack of moral courage and will

Recap: Kip Oebanda, Bar Boys (2017)
• Are their arguments reason based?

• Is it possible to be impartial in that moral dilemma?

• Do you have the courage to choose a decision?

• Mahirap maging mabuting tao diba?