Presentation by GROUP ONE TAGUIG CITY UNIVERSITY

THE MORAL
AGENTS
 This section address the following
question.

How does culture shapes moral behavior

Why should culture not be the ultimate determinant of value?

Is there a Filipino understanding of right and wrong ? Why this interpretation?

What are its influence?

Presentation by GROUP ONE TAGUIG CITY UNIVERSITY

TAGUIG CITY UNIVERSITY Page 02 of 15

INTRODUCTION
Culture is a manner of looking at reality by a certain group of people,
in a certain place, and in a certain time in history. It consists of the
basic assumptions and images which would more or less give them a
coherent view of realty they experience ( Claver, 1978).
 Involves the following.
Material Living Way of feeling

Way of behaving Way of meaning

Way of speaking Way of believing, valuing and meaning

Way of thinking

Presentation by GROUP ONE TAGUIG CITY UNIVERSITY

Presentation by GROUP ONE

Matsumoto (2007) defines human culture as a unique meaning and information system,
shared by a group and transmitted across generations, that allows the group to meet basic
needs of survival, coordinate socially to achieve a viable existence, transmit social behavior,
pursue happiness and well-being, and derive meaning from life.
The Role of Culture in
Moral Behavior
Within culture are moral codes that are practiced through social
behavior. Moral codes are sets of rules or guidelines that a person or
group follows in order to live a just and good life. Moral codes are
heavily dependent upon culture. This is because each culture has its
own ideas of what is considered right and wrong, and what is
regarded as good or bad. Moral codes dictate many aspects of our
lives, from how we act with different age groups, to how we dress
and even how we treat other people.
Cultural Relativism
Culture may vary from one location to another, from one society to
another, and from a nation to another nation. And this becomes
problematic when the ideas and practices of right or wrong and good
or bad of one ethnic group clashes or overlaps with another even in a
wider context of societies, nations and religions. This brings us to the
idea of cultural diversity and relativism. Cultural relativism claims that
ethical truths are relative- that the rightness of an action and the
goodness of an object depend on or consist in the attitude taken
towards it by some individual or from group to group. Ethical
judgments have their origins in individual or cultural standards.
Universal Values
Universal human values are those ideals that

01 we believe should be privileged and

promoted in the lives of all human beings in
spite of differing culture and societies where
we grew up.

Rachels (2018: 23) points out that there are

some moral rules that all societies must
02 embrace because these rules are necessary
for society to exist. The rules against lying
and murder are two example

Presentation by GROUP ONE

The Filipino Way
The Filipino culture is so rich and diverse that is has greatly
transformed in time. Although it is composed of diverse
ethnolinguistic groups spread across the islands, these cultural
communities have somehow retained their indigenous moral
values and belief systems while consciously embracing Western
lifestyles brought about by colonial subjugation for five centuries
and the adverse effects o globalization that followed. Our culture
and history molded us to what we are now.
 Filipino Strengths
Pakikipag - Kapwa Tao Faith and religiosity

Family orientation: extended family relations Flexibility, adaptability ,and

creativity
Cheerfulness, joy and humor
Ability to survive
Hard work and industry

Presentation by GROUP ONE TAGUIG CITY UNIVERSITY

 Filipino Weakness
Kanya kanya syndrome and crab mentality Colonial mentality

Extreme personalism Lack of self analysis and self

reflection
Passivity, lack of initiative, and bahala na system
Extreme family centeredness
Lack of discipline, palusot system (good and bad)

Presentation by Estelle Darcy TAGUIG CITY UNIVERSITY

 Presentation by GROUP ONE

Moral Character
and Virtues

“CHARACTER” is derived from the Greek word

‘charaktêr,’ which was initially used as a mark THE MORAL AGENT: DEVELOPING
impressed upon a coin VIRTUE AS HABIT

(Later) mean a distinct mark by which one thing was Stress on distinctiveness or individuality tends to
distinguished from others, and then chiefly to mean merge ”character” with “personality” in modern
the assemblage of qualities that distinguish one usage.
person from another
 The Circular Relation of Acts
and Character
Virtuous traits of character ought to be In this sense, the Greek moralists believe,

01 stable and enduring and are not mere

products of fortune, but of learning, 03 virtuous acts complete or perfect human
life
constant practice, and cultivation.

But we have to add that virtuous traits of

02 character are called excellences of the

human being because they are the best
exercise of reason, which is the activity
characteristic of human beings.

Presentation by GROUP ONE TAGUIG CITY UNIVERSITY

Presentation by GROUP ONE

MORAL DEVELOPMENT
PERSONAL VALUES AND MORAL • An individual's values and moral's will also
influence his or her ethical standards. •A key personality variable which may
affect behavior of an individual is his/her "locus of control". •An individual with an FAMILY INFLUENCES
external locus of control believes that a fate or luck or other people affect his Individual's start to form ethical standards as children in response to
life. their perception of their parent's behavior.
Children are more likely to adopt high ethical standards if they see that
LOCUS OF CONTROL is the degree to which people believe that they, as their family members adhere to high ethical standard.
opposed to external forces, have control over the outcome of events in If family members engage in unethical behaviors and allow their children
their lives. to do the same, then the latter is likely to develop lower ethical
INTERNAL LOCUS OF CONTROL You have an internal locus of control standards.
when you believe you're in charge of your own life and your own
environment.
EXTERNAL LOCUS OF CONTROL -If you have an external locus of control,
you likely believe that what happens to you is the result of luck or fate, or is
determined by people in authority.
Presentation by GROUP ONE

PEER INFLUENCES
Colleagues who are always around us conducting our daily
work.
LIFE EXPERIENCES
Thus, an employee must establish good relationships with
Whether positive or negative , key events affect the lives of
colleagues.
individual and determine their ethical beliefs and behavior.
If there are no good relations among colleagues, it will not
happen harmonious atmosphere in work.
In effect, the organization's goals can be achieved properly
How do we get to the highest level, con-
science based moral decision
On and of ourselves, we cannot attain to the highest level, nor
could we bring our own will under the purest moral decision that
we might make. That has always been man`s dilemma! We have
always been hampered by our selfishness, our laziness, and our
appetite for all the wrong things wee need help.
Thank
You!