Laguna College

Ethics

Prepared by Raine P. Ramos GE 108

 Introduction to Ethics

The study of ethics belongs primarily within the discipline of philosophy, in the sub-
discipline of ‘moral philosophy’, and so our account begins there. Philosophical study
concerns the systematic and rational consideration of human systems of belief. The
process of asking and answering questions about belief systems is therefore fundamental
to philosophical study – it is not sufficient merely to ‘learn’ the answers that have been
proposed by other philosophers! The branch of philosophy called ‘ethics’ is concerned
with questions concerning how human beings ought to live their lives, and about what is
‘right’ or ‘wrong’.
Think about a significant decision that you have made that had an effect (either for good or bad) on
the lives of other people. This could be a decision about changing a job, moving home, responding
to a dilemma, helping somebody who was in difficulty, etc.

How did you arrive at your decision? Was your decision based explicitly on ideas of what was right
and wrong? Try to examine and record precisely the justifications for your decision. Can you
identify any underlying principles or rules which you used to reach your decision?

Examples of such underlying principles or rules might include:

‘I should do the best thing for my career in the long run.’
‘It is OK to tell someone a lie if it prevents someone from being hurt by the truth.’
‘I should always help someone in difficulty.’

Activity!!!
 How Does Ethics Differ from Morals
and Values?

Morals are codes of conduct Ethics provides a systematic,

Values signify what is
governing behavior. They are rational way to work
important and
an expression of values reflected through dilemmas and to
worthwhile. They serve as
in actions and practices. determine the best course of
the basis for moral codes

action in the face of
and ethical reflection.
For example, ‘One should not kill’ conflicting choices.

provides a guideline for action based

One expression of values might be

upon values. For example, ethics might address a
that ‘Life is sacred.’
question such as ‘If killing is wrong,
can one justify the death penalty or
kill in self-defense?’
 Areas of Ethical Study
Normative ethics
Meta-ethics Applied ethics

- concerned with
- examines such themes as - concerned with the
questions of what people
what moral questions philosophical examination
ought to do, and on how
mean, and on what basis of particular – and often
people can decide what the
people can know what is complex – issues that
‘correct’ moral actions to
‘true’ or ‘false’. involve moral judgments.
take are.

 Rationalization

Studying ethics, then, involves attempting to find valid reasons for the moral arguments that we
make. Most people already have general ideas – or what philosophers call ‘intuitions’ or
‘presumptions’ – about what they think is ‘right’ or ‘wrong’. But a philosophical approach to
ethics requires people to think critically about the moral ideas that they hold, to support or refute
those ideas with convincing arguments, and to be able to articulate and explain the reasons and
assumptions on which those arguments are based. The real value of discussing and debating
ethical questions is not to ‘win the argument’ or to ‘score points’ against the other person! It is
more important to provide carefully considered arguments to support our ideas, and to allow for
rational – and deeper – understanding of the reasons underlying our beliefs, ideas and attitudes.
 Rationalization
One common fault with many arguments about what is ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ – and one that Traer
(2013) highlights – involves what is known as a rationalization. A rationalization occurs when we
use what at first glance seem to be rational or credible motives to cover up our true (and perhaps
unconscious) motives. For example, if a landowner seeks to build a plastic recycling plant and
states that this is driven by a desire to create local employment opportunities – whereas in fact
their true motive is to make a profit – then this is a rationalisation. The landowner is not giving
their true reasons for wanting to build the plant. If, however, they argue that they want to make a
personal profit and create local jobs, then they may be giving two true reasons for their motives.
Traer (2013) explains that we can uncover these types of errors in our own and others’ arguments
by using what he calls ‘critical reasoning’.
Three Forms of Critical Reasoning

‘Reasoning by analogy
‘Inductive reasoning involves
explains one thing by
providing evidence to support a
comparing it to something else
hypothesis. The greater the
that is similar, although also
evidence for a hypothesis, the
different. In a good analogy,
‘Deductive reasoning applies a more we may rely on it.’ The
the similarity outweighs the
principle to a situation. For instance, fact that there is mounting
dissimilarity and is clarifying.
if every person has human rights, and evidence that the burning of
For instance, animals are like
you are a person, then you have fossil fuels is having a
and unlike humans, as humans
human rights like every person.’ detrimental effect on global
are also animals. Is the similarity
climate, for example, is used to
sufficiently strong to support
substantiate the argument that
the argument that we should
we have a moral duty to reduce
ascribe rights to nonhuman
carbon emissions.
animals as we do to humans?’
 Inductive VS Deductive

Deductive reasoning. A process of reasoning that starts with a

general truth, applies that truth to a specific case (resulting in a second
piece of evidence), and from those two pieces of evidence (premises),
draws a specific conclusion about the specific case.

Inductive reasoning. A process of reasoning (arguing) which

infers a general conclusion based on individual cases, examples,
specific bits of evidence, and other specific types of premises.
 Inductive vs Deductive

ACTIVITY!!!
Determine whether the given scenario is inductive or deductive.
Explain your answer.
Type your answers in MS word.
Submit your work in MS Teams.
Name your work using this format:
Surname_First Name_ETHICS_Critical Reasoning_Activity#2
Submit your answers by 9:30 am.
 Inductive vs Deductive

1. Students at Olivia’s high school must have a B average

in order to participate in sports. Olivia has a B average,
so she concludes that she can participate in sports at
school.
 Inductive vs Deductive

2. If Eduardo decides to go to a concert tonight, he will miss

football practice. Tonight, Eduardo went to a concert.
Eduardo missed football practice.
 Inductive vs Deductive

3. Every Wednesday Lucy’s mother calls. Today is

Wednesday, so Lucy concludes her mother will call.
 Inductive vs Deductive

4. In Chicago last month, a nine-year-old boy died of an

asthma attack while waiting for emergency aid. After their
ambulance was pelted by rocks in an earlier incident, city
paramedics wouldn’t risk entering the Dearborn Homes
Project (where the boy lived) without a police escort.
 Inductive vs Deductive

5. Free access to public education is a key factor in the

success of industrialized nations like the United States. India
is working to become a successful, industrialized nation.
 Ethics and Religion

There is another important argument that people use when making ethical
arguments: religious faith. For many people, ’morality and religious faith go
hand in hand’ (Traer 2009 p. 8). Rather than relying on rational arguments,
some people view actions as being right or wrong in terms of whether they
are commanded by a God.
 Ethics and Religion

Both are concerned with moral education, but they differ

from each other.
Ethics is science; Religion is a system of beliefs and practices.
Ethics teaches the value of religion as a duty of man to God;
Religion contributes to the development of ethical thought.
Both complement each other.
Ethics is the branch of philosophy that involves
systematizing, defending and recommending concepts of
right and wrong conduct. Ethics is a branch of
philosophy that studies the nature and the morality of
human conduct.

HUMAN ACTS

- action done intentionally and freely (ex.

walking, reading, working, playing, shopping,
joining a contest, or signing a contract)

ACTS OF MAN

- instinctive, such as the physiological and

psychological movements (like breathing,
feeling happy, or falling in love)
Human Acts vs. Acts of Human:
When a human being does such acts, they are called acts
of man but not human acts.

Acts of man, therefore, are acts shared in common by man

and other animals, whereas human acts are proper to
human beings.
 Ethics is an “art of correct living” because it
teaches how we may put order and harmony in
our lives.

The Art of
Ethics as “the only necessary knowledge” since
Correct moral integrity as attested by people is the true
measure of man’s greatness.
Living:
“Without civic morality, communities perish;
without personal morality, their survival has no
value”.- Beltrand Russell
 Ethics and the Filipino:

They also believe in a just

Filipinos believe in society. However, there Living standard means
moral integrity as are instances show that economic
essential to life moral norms are easily

ignored for personal
interest
Filipino Values
1. Fear of the Lord (Pagkatakot sa Diyos)
2. Faith (Pananalig)
3. Close Family Ties (Makapamilya)
4. Community Spirit (Bayanihan)
5. Solidarity (Pakikibaka)
6. Love for Others/Fellowmen
(Pakikipagkapwa/Pakikisama)
7. Knowledge (Karunungan)
8. Love of Country or Patriotism
(Pagmamahal sa Bayan)
9. Responsible Citizenship (Mabuting
Mamayan)
10. Courage (Lakas o Tikas ng Loob)
Thank you for listening!