New Era University

College of Engineering and Architecture

GECETH-18 - Ethics
SUBJECT

NORMATIVE AND APPLIED ETHICS

(LEARNING KIT)

FRANCISCO, MELAINE A.
TUZON, FRANZ GABRIEL A.
3AR -1 (THU7:00AM-10:00AM)

PROF. MARICAR GRACE M. VELASCO

PROFESSOR

FEBRUARY 2021
 I. OBJECTIVES
1. Articulate the concept of Normative and Applied Ethics.
2. Identify the categories and elements of Normative Ethics.
3. Evaluate the principles and subsets of Applied Ethics.
4. Illustrate the application of topics in real life situation.
5. Reflect on learning experiences.

II. NOTES/DISCUSSION
I. Normative Ethics
It is a branch of moral philosophy, or ethics, concerned with criteria of what is morally right and
wrong. It includes the formulation of moral rules that have direct implications for what human
actions, institutions, and ways of life should be like. Normative ethics involves arriving at moral
standards that regulate right and wrong conduct. In a sense, it is a search for an ideal litmus test
of proper behavior.

i. Sample Situation
The Golden Rule is a classic example of a normative principle: We should do to others what we
would want others to do to us. Since I do not want my neighbor to steal my car, then it is wrong
for me to steal her car. Since I would want people to feed me if I was starving, then I should help
feed starving people. Using this same reasoning, I can theoretically determine whether any
possible action is right or wrong. So, based on the Golden Rule, it would also be wrong for me to
lie to, harass, victimize, assault, or kill others. The Golden Rule is an example of a normative
theory that establishes a single principle against which we judge all actions. Other normative
theories focus on a set of foundational principles, or a set of good character traits.

ii. Categories of Normative Ethics

Deontological ethics, in philosophy, ethical theories that place special emphasis on the
relationship between duty and the morality of human actions. The term deontology is derived
from the Greek deon, “duty,” and logos, “science.” It determines moral actions by their outcomes
or results. Deontological ethics pertains to moral duties and the intentions which motivates an
action to be performed.

Teleological ethics, (teleological from Greek telos, “end”; logos, “science”), theory

of morality that derives duty or moral obligation from what is good or desirable as an end to be
achieved. Also known as consequentialist ethics, it is opposed to deontological ethics which
holds that the basic standards for an action’s being morally right are independent of the good or
evil generated.  Teleological ethics base their moral evaluations and principles upon (the actual
or possible) consequences that actions produce. It is also known as consequentialism.

Virtue ethics maintains that the rightness of an action is in some way determined by the character
of the moral agent. Emphasis is on developing good habits of character like kindness and
generosity. It gives importance to moral education where the purpose is to mold individuals to
habitually act in a virtuous manner. Virtue ethics looks at the moral character or virtue of a
person. Also known as aretaic.
 iii. Differences of the Categories
 The principal difference between them is that deontological theories do not appeal to
value considerations in establishing ethical standards, while teleological theories do.
 Deontological theories use the concept of their inherent rightness in establishing such
standards, while teleological theories consider the goodness or value brought into being
by actions as the principal criterion of their ethical value.
 A deontological approach calls for doing certain things on principle or because they are
inherently right, whereas a teleological approach advocates that certain kinds of actions
are right because of the goodness of their consequences.
 Deontological theories thus stress the concepts of obligation, ought, duty, and right and
wrong, while teleological theories lay stress on the good, the valuable, and the desirable.
 Deontological theories set forth formal or relational criteria such as equality or
impartiality; teleological theories, by contrast, provide material or substantive criteria, as,
for example, happiness or pleasure.

iv. Elements of Normative Ethics

 Normative individualism, i. e., the view that in the last instance moral norms and values
can only be justified by reference to the individuals concerned, as its basis
 Consideration of the individuals’ concerns and interests—aims, desires, needs, strivings
—insofar as they have a justificatory function
 A pluralism of references of these concerns and hence of moral norms and values to all
possible elements of actions
 The necessity of a principle of aggregation and weighing regarding these concerns
 The principle of relative reference to self and others, a central principle of aggregation
and weighing, operating as a generalizing meta-principle that guides the application of
concrete principles and decisions.

II. Applied Ethics

It is a branch of ethics devoted to the treatment of moral problems, practices, and policies in
personal life, professions, technology, and government. In contrast to traditional ethical theory—
concerned with purely theoretical problems, applied ethics takes its point of departure in
practical normative challenges. It consists of the analysis of specific, controversial moral issues
such as abortion, animal rights, or euthanasia.

i. Sample Situation
Two features are necessary for an issue to be considered an “applied ethical issue.” First, the
issue needs to be controversial in the sense that there are significant groups of people both for
and against the issue at hand. The issue of drive-by shooting, for example, is not an applied
ethical issue, since everyone agrees that this practice is grossly immoral. By contrast, the issue of
gun control would be an applied ethical issue since there are significant groups of people both for
and against gun control.

The second requirement for an issue to be an applied ethical issue is that it must be a distinctly
moral issue. On any given day, the media presents us with an array of sensitive issues such as
affirmative action policies, gays in the military, involuntary commitment of the mentally
impaired, capitalistic versus socialistic business practices, public versus private health care
systems, or energy conservation. 

ii. Principles in Applied Ethics

 Personal benefit: acknowledge the extent to which an action produces beneficial
consequences for the individual in question.
 Social benefit: acknowledge the extent to which an action produces beneficial
consequences for society.
 Principle of benevolence: help those in need.
 Principle of paternalism: assist others in pursuing their best interests when they cannot
do so themselves.
 Principle of harm: do not harm others.
 Principle of honesty:  do not deceive others.
 Principle of lawfulness: do not violate the law.
 Principle of autonomy: acknowledge a person’s freedom over his/her actions or physical
body.
 Principle of justice: acknowledge a person’s right to due process, fair compensation for
harm done, and fair distribution of benefits.
 Rights:  acknowledge a person’s rights to life, information, privacy, free expression, and
safety.

iii. Subsets of Applied Ethics

Bioethics. It is concerned with ethical issues pertaining to life, biomedical research, medicines,
health care, and medical profession. It deals with controversies like surrogacy, stem cell
research, genetic manipulation of fetuses, in-vitro fertilization, abortion, euthanasia, suicide,
patent rights, confidentiality of patient’s records, and others.

Environmental Ethics. It deals with moral issues concerning nature, ecosystem, and its
nonhuman contents. It includes issues such as animal rights, animal experimentation, endangered
species preservation, pollution control, and sustainable development.

Business Ethics. Relates to moral principles concerning business environment of issues related to
corporate practices, policies, business behaviors, as well as the conduct and relationship of
individuals in the organizations. Investigates ethical controversies regarding social responsibility
of businesses, employee rights, harassment, labor unions, misleading advertising, job
discrimination, and whistle blowing.

Sexual Ethics. Studies moral issues about sexuality and human sexual behavior. Analyzes
situations of topics like homosexuality, lesbianism, polygamy, premarital sex, non-marital
procreation, loveless sexual relations, safe sex, and contraceptive use.

Social Ethics. Deals with what is right for a society to do, and how should society act as a whole.
Focused also on the idea of what may be deemed as proper behavior for people as a whole.
Involved are issues on racial discrimination, death penalty, nuclear production, gun control, drug
use for fun, and welfare rights.
 iv. Issues in Applied Ethics
Biomedical ethics focuses on a range of issues which arise in clinical settings. Health care
workers are in an unusual position of continually dealing with life and death situations. It is not
surprising, then, that medical ethics issues are more extreme and diverse than other areas of
applied ethics. Prenatal issues arise about the morality of surrogate mothering, genetic
manipulation of fetuses, the status of unused frozen embryos, and abortion.

Business ethics examines moral controversies relating to the social responsibilities of capitalist

business practices, the moral status of corporate entities, deceptive advertising, insider trading,
basic employee rights, job discrimination, affirmative action, drug testing, and whistle blowing.

Environmental ethics often overlaps with business and medical issues. These include the rights
of animals, the morality of animal experimentation, preserving endangered species, pollution
control, management of environmental resources, whether eco-systems are entitled to direct
moral consideration, and our obligation to future generations.

Sexual morality include monogamy versus polygamy, sexual relations without love, homosexual
relations, and extramarital affairs.

Social morality which examines capital punishment, nuclear war, gun control, the recreational
use of drugs, welfare rights, and racism.
 III. EVALUATION
Question #1: It is an issue in Applied Ethics which focuses on a range of issues which is arise in
clinical settings.
a. Environmental Ethics
b. Business Ethics
c. Biomedical Ethics

Question #2: It deals with moral issues concerning nature, ecosystem, and its nonhuman
contents.
a. Social Ethics
b. Environmental Ethics
c. Business Ethics

Question #3: It is a principle in Applied Ethics which acknowledge the extent to which an action
produces beneficial consequences for the individual in question.
a. Personal Benefit
b. Social Benefit
c. Rights

Question #4: Another principle in Applied Ethics that acknowledge a person’s freedom over
his/her actions or physical body.
a. Principle of Autonomy
b. Principle of Harm
c. Principle of Honesty

Question #5: It is a branch of ethics devoted to the treatment of moral problems, practices, and
policies in personal life, professions, technology, and government.
a. Normative Ethics
b. Applied Ethics
c. Social Ethics

Question #6: In Applied individualism, the view that in the last instance moral norms and values
can only be justified by reference to the individuals concerned, as its basis.
a. True
b. False

Question #7: It is a category of Normative Ethics that place special emphasis on the relationship
between duty and the morality of human actions.
a. Virtue Ethics
b. Teleological Ethics
c. Deontological Ethics

Question #8: The principal difference is that deontological theories do not appeal to value
considerations in establishing ethical standards, while teleological theories do.
a. True
b. False
Question #9: It is a classing example of Normative Principle.
a. Golden Rule
b. Law of Honesty
c. Stealing is a Crime

Question #10: It is a branch of ethics that search for an ideal litmus test of proper behavior.
a. Virtue Ethics
b. Normative Ethics
c. Applied Ethics
 IV. REFLECTION
REFLECTION 1 – Francisco, Melaine A.

Ethics is defined as the rules of behavior wherein its basis is from what one believes is right
against what one believes is wrong. It is also said to be the social, religious, or civil code of
behavior that is considered correct. Ethics surrounds many emotions which are not accepted by
morality as not important what is discussed about it at the moment. It is also regularly used in
same manner as with morality. Ethical concern having largely taken place with friends, family,
and society as well, preparing a place for ideals such as social justice. Inheriting good things
from past is not bad. We human beings we learn from surroundings, our nature is also with
mixture of good and bad. As long as we have the talent to choose what suits us and does not, we
have to choose the one fits us.

Normative ethics and applied ethics have the most similarities - both revolve around the
reasoning behind making a choice and use similar theories in terms of its justification, but applied
ethics delves into deeper issues that are already present in real life situations. It looks for an
engaged personality of the right behavior. The normative ethics has got an example of normative
principle. The normative ethics is like give and take, systems, expecting from someone to give
and to take it back. I agree with golden rules of normative ethics regarding the Golden rules
which do not allow to lie, to harass, victimize assault or kill others is single principles judging all
actions. In normative ethics there is no alternatives only one happening coming at the end of the
process with criterion of moral conduct. On the other hand, applied ethics refers to
the practical application of moral considerations. It is ethics with respect to real-world actions
and their moral considerations in the areas of private and public life, the professions, health,
technology, law, and leadership.

Normative ethics takes on a more practical task, which is to arrive at moral standards that

regulate right and wrong conduct. This may involve articulating the good habits that we should
acquire, the duties that we should follow, or the consequences of our behavior on others.
Normative ethics studies what features make an action right or wrong while applied ethics
attempts to figure out, in actual cases, whether certain acts have those features or not. I am about
to end this reflection with sample clear situations. If we agree that slavery is wrong, but disagree
about what makes it wrong, then our disagreement is a matter of normative ethics. If we agree
that morality is whatever produces the best consequence but disagree about whether the death
penalty produces the best consequences, then our disagreement is a matter of applied ethics, as
simple as that.
REFLECTION 2 – Tuzon, Franz Gabriel A.

Ethics refers to the concepts of right and wrong conduct. Furthermore, ethics is basically a
branch of philosophy dealing with the issue of morality. Moreover, ethics consist of the rules of
behavior. It certainly defines how a person should behave in specific situations. Ethics define as a
branch of moral principles that governs the behavior of individuals and their activity. Such principles
may also influence the decision people make and the manner in which they live. In terms of ethics,
asking ethical questions helps us find the answers to how to live our lives correctly, what
responsibilities and rights we have as humans, what is good and bad, as well as what decisions we
should make. Often, our concepts of ethics are based on our religious and cultural principles.

Normative and Applied Ethics were the topics we chose in order to expand our knowledge
came from the module we studied. Normative ethics is important branch of ethics. Moreover,
Normative ethics deals with certain norms or set of considerations. Furthermore, these norms or set
of considerations dictate how one should act. Therefore, normative ethics sets out the rightness or
wrongness of actions or behaviors. Another name for normative ethics is prescriptive ethics. This is
because; it has principles which determine whether an action is right or wrong. Applied ethics
involves philosophical examination or certain private and public life issues. Furthermore, this
examination of issues takes place from a moral standpoint. Moreover, this branch of ethics is very
essential for professionals. Also, these professionals belong to different walks of life and
include doctors, teacher, administrators, rulers.

Many of us are asking if there are such moral rules or principles in moral philosophy that can
be applicable to all questions, situations, and choices made at all times and in all culture. Finding the
answer to this question divides people into moral absolutism and relativism. According to the moral
relativism, people had different moral views and principles at different times. As a result, one can
affirm that something is regarded to be “good” if the specific number of people believes it to be so.
The same applies to anything that is regarded as “bad”. Each person may have their own personal
ethical and moral principles that have the right to exist and be true, while others will find them
incorrect or false.
V. REFERENCES
Applied Ethics. https://iep.utm.edu/ap-ethic/. 2010.

Applied Ethics. https://www.britannica.com/topic/ethics-philosophy/Applied-ethics.

2017.

Applied Ethics. https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-

9780195396577/obo-9780195396577-0006.xml. 2019.

Business Ethics Definition. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/business-

ethics.asp#:~:text=Business%20ethics%20is%20the%20study,social
%20responsibility%2C%20and%20fiduciary%20responsibilities.. 2018.

Consequentialism. https://www.britannica.com/topic/consequentialism. 2013.

Deontological Ethics. https://www.britannica.com/topic/deontological-ethics. 2013.

Environmental Ethics. https://iep.utm.edu/envi-eth/. 2014.

Ethics. https://iep.utm.edu/ethics/#H2. 2013.

Five Elements of Normative Ethics – A General Theory of Normative Individualism.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10677-011-9299-2. 2012.

Normative Ethics. https://www.britannica.com/topic/normative-ethics. 2013.

Normative Ethics.
http://www.mesacc.edu/~barsp59601/text/lex/defs/n/normativeethics.html. 2015.

Normative Ethics.
https://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199234769.001.000
1/oxfordhb-9780199234769-e-2. 2007.

Sexual Ethics. https://pages.stolaf.edu/ein/disciplines/sexual-ethics/. 2017.

Social Ethics. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/social-sciences/social-

ethics#:~:text=Social%20ethics%20is%20the%20systematic,ethical%20reasoning
%20to%20social%20problems. 2017.

Teleological Ethics. https://www.britannica.com/topic/teleological-ethics. 2013.

Virtue Ethics. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-virtue/. 2016.

What is bioethics? https://bioethics.msu.edu/what-is-bioethics. 2018.

 VI. CURRICULUM VITAE

PERSONAL INFORMATION
Name: FRANCISCO, MELAINE AZARCON
Address: 749 Vallarta Street, Pulong Munti, San Isidro, Nueva Ecija
Birthday: January 12,2000
Birthplace: Gapan City, Nueva Ecija
Sex: Female
Civil Status: Single
Nationality: Filipino
Language/Dialect: English & Filipino

CONTACT INFORMATION
Phone No.: 0956-708-5804
Email Address: melaine.francisco@neu.edu.ph
Mail Address: 749 Vallarta Street, Pulong Munti, San Isidro, Nueva Ecija

EDUCATION
Primary
(S.Y. 2005 - 2012) J&F Vallarta Memorial School

Secondary
(S.Y. 2012 - 2016) Juan R. Liwag Memorial High School
(S.Y. 2016 - 2018) New Era University – Integrated School

Tertiary
(S.Y. 2018 - Present) New Era University
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Name: TUZON, FRANZ GABRIEL ALVAREZ
Address: Blk. 15, Lt. 37, Langka Street, Majada In, Canlubang,
Calamba City, Laguna
Birthday: November 24,1998
Birthplace: Calamba, Laguna
Sex: Male
Civil Status: Single
Nationality: Filipino
Language/Dialect: English & Filipino

CONTACT INFORMATION
Phone No.: 0935-814-0338
Email Address: franz.tuzon@neu.edu.ph
Mail Address: 749 Vallarta Blk. 15, Lt. 37, Langka Street, Majada In, Canlubang, Calamba
City, Laguna

EDUCATION
Primary
(S.Y. 2005 - 2012) Little Jesus Learning Center

Secondary
(S.Y. 2012 - 2016) Calamba Institute - Canlubang
(S.Y. 2016 - 2018) Mary Help of Christians

Tertiary
(S.Y. 2018 - Present) New Era University