The Origin of Philosophy - Introduction to the Philosophy underlying principles of morality = tells us what we ought to do

of the Human Person = exhorts us to follow the right

way
PLATO: wonder = the only beginning of philosophy

Aristotle: It is owing to their wonder that men both now begin and at
first began to philosophize
WONDER – Philosophic Wonder
Aristotle writes: “for men were first led to study philosophy, as indeed
they are today, by wonder. Now, he who is perplexed and wonders
believes himself to be ignorant… they took to philosophy to escape
ignorance…
TERRANCE MCCONNELL (1994)
“Morality is characterized as an “end-governed rational enterprise”
whose object is to equip people with a body of norms that make for
peaceful and collectively satisfying coexistence by facilitating their
living together and interacting in a way that is productive for the
realization of the general benefit.”
ETHICS: science of morals

Thales – first philosopher MORALITY: practice of ethics

- First to put his philosophy into writing Types of Ethics

- Western Philosophy
 Normative Ethics: (prescriptive)
 Begins in wonder
= seeks to set the norms or standards that regulate right and
 Origin is said to be in Melitus, Ionia
wrong or good and bad conduct
WHAT IS ETHICS? : studies the rightness and wrongness of a = GOOD AT ALL TIMES!
human action  Metaethics: (descriptive)
= aims to understand the nature and dynamics of ethical
Ethos: custom or character (greek) principles, and the way we learn and acquire moral beliefs
Greek Tradition: “good life”, happiness (Sumner, 1967)
= WHAT IS GOOD?
Judeo – Christian: righteousness before God; love of God and  Applied Ethics:
neighbor = actual application of ethical or moral theories for the
purpose of deciding which ethical or moral actions are
ETHICS MORALITY
appropriate in a given situation
“theory” of right action and the “practice”, rightness or
greater good wrongness of human action Casuists – adherent of applied ethics
“systematic study” of the “prescriptive”
Different field: Business Ethics, Biomedical and Environmental Ethics,
and Social Ethics
Example:
“A police officer shoots a terrorist who is about to blowup a crowded
shopping mall.”
Metaethics: The act of the officer is morally wrong
Normative ethics: it is the right thing to do in this particular situation
Casuists: the police officer is just doing his best to fulfill his duty
Morality:
- the rightness and wrongness of human action
- the practice of “ethics”
- refers to principles of right and wrong behavior or rightness
and wrongness of human actions.
In determining the morality of human actions, the moral agent is
guided by the broader rules or principles of ethics.
Ethics: killing is wrong because it violates the basic ethical principles
of “respect for persons” or “non-maleficence”

Ethics: provide systems of moral principles and the reasons why Morality: “do not kill because it is wrong”
these principles are valid.

Basic Ethical Principles

a. Respect for person

b. Truthfulness and confidentiality
c. Autonomy and informed consent
d. Beneficence
e. Non-maleficence
f. Justice

WHAT IS MORALITY?
Latin: Mos – mores

Immoral = unethical ; moral = ethical

Moral/Ethical person: one who is good and does the right thing

Immoral/Unethical person: one who is bad does what is wrong