GE 8 (Ethics) Reviewer Cultural Relativism

 Since interpretations of what is moral are

Culture in Moral Behavior influenced by cultural norms, the possibility
exists that what is ethical to one group will not
How culture defines moral behavior? be considered so by someone living in a
different culture.
Culture  Cultural relativism is the ability to understand a
 Culture describes a collective way of life, or way culture on its own terms and not to make
of doing things. It is the sum of attitudes, values, judgments using the standards of one’s own
goals, and practices shared by individuals in a culture.
group, organization, or society.
Descriptive ethical relativism Normative ethical relativism
 it varies over time periods, between countries
and geographic regions, and among groups and  describes the fact  a theory, which claims that
organizations. that in different there are no universally
cultures one of the valid moral principles. 
 it reflects the moral and ethical beliefs and variants is the sense
standards that speak to how people should of morality: the  says that the moral
behave and interact with others. mores, customs and rightness and wrongness
 Culture describes a collective way of life, or way ethical principles of actions varies from
may all vary from society to society and that
of doing things. It is the sum of attitudes, values, one culture to there are no absolute
goals, and practices shared by individuals in a another. universal moral standards
group, organization, or society. binding on all men at all
 culture includes all the things individuals learn times.
while growing up among particular group:  What is thought to  claims that all thinking
attitudes, standards of morality, rules of be moral in one about the basic principles
etiquette, perceptions of reality, language, country may be of morality (Ethics) is
notions about the proper way to live, beliefs thought to be always relative. 
about how females and males should interact, immoral and even
made illegal in
ideas about how the world works and so forth. another country.

Cultural Norms
 Cultural norms are the shared, sanctioned, and  MORAL in USA IMMORAL IN:
integrated systems of beliefs and practices that Eating Beef India
are passed down through generations and
characterize a cultural group. Drinking alcohol, Gambling Middle Eastern Islamic
Countries
 it acts as prescriptions for correct and moral
behavior, lend meaning and coherence to life, Women in school or business Afghanistan under the Taliban
and provide a means of achieving a sense of Women wearing shorts, face Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sudan
integrity, safety, and belonging. uncovered
 Norms cultivate reliable guidelines for daily
living and contribute to the health and well-
being of a culture.  IMMORAL in USA MORAL/acceptable IN:
 normative beliefs, together with related cultural Killing newborn females China, India
values and rituals, impose a sense of order and
Female genital mutilation Many African nations 
control on aspects of life that might otherwise
appear chaotic or unpredictable. Family kills a woman family member Somalia, Sudan
who is raped
Culture and Human Behavior
 Culture is learned as children grow up in society
and discover how their parents and others Filipino Culture
around them interpret the world.  Filipino culture is a mix of both Eastern and
 People learn moral and aspects of right or wrong Western cultures.
from transmitters of culture: respective parents,  The beliefs and traditions of pre-colonial
teachers, novels, films, and television (Social Philippines was mainly indigenous Malay
Learning, Enculturation, Role Modeling) heritage (Baringer 2006)
 Hispanic culture influenced the natives; the
Anthropologically speaking: Americans shaped the modern Filipino culture.
 culture-including moral values, beliefs, and  Filipino cultural morality especially that which
behavior-is learned from other people while concerns social ethics, centers on ideally is
growing up in a particular society or group; having a smooth interpersonal relationship
 is widely shared by the members of that society (SIR) with others.
or group; and so profoundly affects the thoughts,
actions, and feelings of people in that group that
individuals are a product of their culture" and
"learning a culture is an essential part of human
development"
Filipino Culture-6 basic Filipino values
   In its most basic sense,
1. PAKIKISAMA “pakikisama” means going
along with others.
2. HIYA
 Its basic etymological source is
3. AMOR “sama” (to go with). 
PROPIO  A derived term is “kasama”
(companion; together with). 
4. UTANG NA  In the social interaction context,
LOOB
“pakikisama” means “getting
along with others‟, and ideally
5. HOSPITALITY
getting along “well‟ with
6. RESPECT FOR others. 
ELDERS  Pakikisama is having and
maintaining good public
relations.
 This is usually being practiced
avoiding clash with other people
or a certain group.
 It characterizes both a value and
a goal that invokes keeping
good feelings in all personal
interactions and getting along
with others, oftentimes, at all
costs.
 The first part of the term “paki-”
is also significant, since it also
happens to be the Tagalog affix
for “please‟.
 It’s as if the individual is being
requested to “please‟ get along
well one’s fellow human beings.
 To be polite is to use paki- or
maki-. Filipinos go to great
lengths to avoid offending
another’s feelings which is why
they have this linguistic social
convention. It is also part of this
whole system of pakikisama and
pakikipagkapwa-tao.
 Pakikisama is the opposite of
individualism.
 In Filipino culture, a person who
has no pakikisama is a loner, an
individualist disdained by others
who seek his company. He does
not know how to “go with the
crowd.”
 A related word is makibagay,
“to conform” with the group in
order to maintain a Smooth
Interpersonal Relationship.
1.PAKIKISAMA  Hiya is describe as feeling of
lowliness, shame or
2. HIYA embarrassment and inhibition or
shyness which is experienced as
somewhat distressing.
3. AMOR  “hiya” is related to the concept
PROPIO
of “face” and a concern with
how one appears in the eyes of
4. UTANG NA others.
LOOB  “hiya” or “fear of losing face”
encompasses being afraid to do
bad things as it may damage
5. HOSPITALITY one’s reputation in the sight of
other people
6. RESPECT FOR  Too much “hiya‟, may lead to
ELDERS having inferiority complex and
losing self-confidence.  
 “Hiya” is one value that
regulates the Filipinos social
behavior. Just as one is very
careful not to be subjected to
embarrassment or “mapahiya”
one must also make it a point
NOT to cause another person‟s
embarrassment.
 Hiya is a controlling element in the
Filipino society. A person‟s
behavior is socially restricted by his
sense of “hiya” while public
behavior is censured, or approved
of, by hiya.
 Public ridicule, or to be censured
openly, or to fail to do what is
expected of one, is to suffer hiya, a
loss of esteem.
 1 PAKIKISAMA  Like “hiya,” the Filipino value
of “amor propio” is derived
from the concept of “face.”
2. HIYA
Although commonly translated
as “self-repect” or “self-
3. AMOR esteem”
PROPIO
 “amor propio” has been
“characterized as the high
4. UTANG NA degree of sensitivity that makes
LOOB a person intolerant concerning to
criticism and causes him to have
an easily wounded pride” 
5. HOSPITALITY
 “amor propio” comes from the
person‟s tendency to protect his
6. RESPECT FOR or her dignity and honor.
ELDERS  Because of pride or amor propio,
for instance, a person may refuse
offers even if he she really wants
to accept them.
 “Amor propio” in short means
ego defensiveness, dignity or
one’s personal pride akin to the
traditional oriental attitude of
having “face‟.
 1 PAKIKISAMA
 obligation and responsibility are
often viewed in terms of
2. HIYA
reciprocity (utang na loob) --
comprised of debts (utang), and
3. AMOR inner-self-free will (na-loob). 
PROPIO  is considered an important
"accommodative surface
value," along with hiya (shame)
4. UTANG NA
LOOB and pakikisama (togetherness).
 it is one of the values by which
the Filipino accommodates the
5. HOSPITALITY demands of the world around
him, as opposed to confrontative
6. RESPECT FOR values like "lakas ng loob" and
ELDERS "pakikibaka". 
 “Utang na loob” may be invoked
by some people to demand
favors from someone, for the
right or wrong reasons.
a fundamental aspect of
upholding group harmony and
relationships that demand the
balancing of obligations and
debts.
 The inability to repay the “utang
na loob” usualy makes a person
“walang utang na loob” or
 “walang hiya”
 To avoid being dubbed as „walang
utang na loob,‟ some Filipino

   refers to the innate ability and

trait of Filipinos to be courteous
1. PAKIKISAMA
and entertaining to their guests.
 Filipinos are hospitable as they
2. HIYA are internationally known to be
warm, welcoming and
3. AMOR accommodating. 
PROPIO  “Tuloy kayo” is a Filipino warm
welcoming expression that shows
kind accommodations to their
4. UTANG NA
visitors. “Tuloy” means “to go
LOOB
on” or “to enter.” 
 Filipinos welcome them and ask
5. them the following as a
HOSPITALITY thoughtful gesture. “Umupo ka
muna,” “Kain tayo”, Kumain ka
6. RESPECT FOR muna”
ELDERS  As Host-it’s a pleasure for
Filipinos to see their guests feel
at home and well accommodated.
 Filipinos are generous and
hospitable people especially to
their visitors.
 They would even go out of their
way just to accommodate their
guests

   this includes the use of “po‟ and

“opo‟ when talking to elders and
1. PAKIKISAMA
“pagmamano‟ or the putting of
the elder’s hand to one’s
2. HIYA forehead.
 respect to elders makes one
3. AMOR dependent or irrationally
PROPIO obedient to parents or elders.
 failure to follow instructions
from elders and to do so will
4. UTANG NA
lead you to a foolish act. 
LOOB

5. HOSPITALITY

6. RESPECT to
ELDERS

Foundation of Morality
Freedom and Responsibility
 Basically, morality is a question of choice.
 Morality, practically, is choosing ethical codes,
values, or standards to guide us in our daily
lives.
 The personal aspect of morality is about the
development of virtues to think morally, to act
morally, and to choose to do what is good.
However, virtues become habits which go beyond
moral behavior. A person becomes a role model when
he/she does not only what is right but also when it
becomes a standard that others follow.
 Morality requires and allows choice, which
means the right to choose even differently from
our fellows.
 Philosophically, choosing is impossible without
freedom and be responsible for this freedom .
 Freedom is the power to choose between two or
more courses of action without being forced to
take one or the other by anything except our own
will.
 Is the ability to act free from outside influences
of the independence from the impediments of
one’s own wishes.
 It is the willful act and decision that give form
and shape to the actions and inclinations of
people
 Free human acts are governed by reflections and
are freely decided such that they are not
determined by internal or external forces
 The whole moral life revolves around the use of
freedom.
 The good use of freedom guarantees man the
affirmation of his better self and the
achievement of the purpose of life.
 Give an Example: The abuse of freedom is the
origin of man’s guilty conduct.
 Freedom is a gift – is the ability to act
significantly.
 Freedom is Complementary to Reason – both
are necessary faculties for consciously making
sense of things.
 Freedom is Absolute – humans have higher
kind of freedom. (not the right to do whatever
we want but as something that can never be
taken away from us)
 Freedom demands Responsibility – the
consequences to freedom are something that a
person must endure. It serves as voluntary check
and balance of one’s freedom.
Responsibility – taken from 2 words :
Response and Ability
 One is able to respond to situation with morally
sound decision (full knowledge of moral laws)
 It means, a person has a moral, legal, mental or
psychological, and emotional accountability or
culpability.
 It is important to note that a person can and
should choose to act, but his/her actions should
be in harmony with others and their rights.
 Unbalanced freedom is dangerous especially
when it controls a social group.
 Injustices have resulted out of this and as well as
the abuse of freedom and power.
Thus:
 True liberty dignifies man; misuse of liberty
debases him.
 Authentic Freedom is not “the right to say and
do anything,” but to “do the good and truth.”
The Moral Agent
Why only Humans are Ethical?
Human Being-a Moral Agent
 Instincts are what functions to animals
such as a pack of wolves that need to survive,
suicide attacks of worker honeybees that protect
the colony from intruders, and when
chimpanzees
scratch each other’s back as an example of
altruism (Thrivers,1971).
 Rationality is a concept of decision-making
when people act on their best to attain their
needs, preferences, priorities, and principles
(IRMA, 2015). We are free to act.
Thus:
 Only human beings are rational, autonomous,
and self-conscious.
 Only human beings can act morally or
immorally
 Only human beings are part of the moral
community.
 Only beings capable of ethics because of free
moral judgment.
Develop-Moral Character
 The term “character” is derived from the Greek
word “charakter”, which was initially used as a
mark impressed upon a coin.
 Moral character refers to the existence or lack of
virtues such as integrity, courage, strength,
honesty, and loyalty.
A certain person has a good moral character means
that he/she is a good person and good citizen with a
sound moral compass.
 The word character gives a distinct mark by
which one thing was distinguished from others,
and then primarily to mean the collection of
qualities that distinguish one person to another.
  The moral character traits that constitute a
person’s moral character are characteristically
understood as behavioral and affective
dispositions.
 Moral character, in philosophical sense, refers to A Virtuous Human Being
having or lacking moral virtue.
 If one lacks virtue, he/she may have any of the
moral vices, or he/she may be marked by
condition somewhere in between virtue and vice,
such as continence or incontinence.
 Moral character traits are those dispositions of
character for which a person is deserving of a
positive reactive attitude, such as praise or
gratitude, is a virtue.
 On the other hand, a vice is a moral character
trait for which the agent is deserving of negative
reactive attitude, such as resentment or blame.
 A good moral character is practically a
disposition to do virtuous acts.
 Oppositely, a bad moral character is, in effect, a
disposition to do malicious deeds.

Virtue-a Habit for Human Being

 Virtue- “arete” in Greek means excellence
Excellence in Greek thought is how a
thing/being fulfills its function in accordance
with its nature

Example:
o A knife is considered excellent if it
cuts/slices sharply , durably and
properly. Fulfilling its essence as a tool
for cutting and slicing.
o Thus, it can be called a “virtuous knife”

 Virtue is a state of character which makes a

person good and capable of fulfilling his/her end
(telos)
 as character, it emphasizes a certain consistency
or constancy in facing different situations (it is a
mean between excess and difficiencies-mesotes)
 is a result of one’s character that is the result of
choice (governed by prudence or practical
wisdom-phronesis)

 Virtuous –means to exhibit one’s capacity to

fulfill one’s essence or purpose in such a way
that one’s potentiality as a particular being may
be said to be actualized in the most excellent
way.

Example:

o A horse who consistently wins in a race

is a virtuous horse.
o A dog who consistently bark at night
because there is an intruder is virtuous
dog.

How a Human Being becomes Virtuous?

Moral Virtue-a Habit for Human Being
 All persons have the latent potentiality to
develop moral virtues, only if they habitually do
excellent deeds
 The role of practice and habit is necessary in
developing moral virtue
 It is only by practice that we come to know that
we truly know how to do something
 we become morally virtuous by doing morally
virtuous.
 we become just by doing just acts.
 we become temperate by doing temperate acts
 we become courageous by doing courageous
acts.

6 stages of Moral Development

 The American psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg
(1927-1987) is best known for his theory of
stages of moral development.
 In principle, he agreed with the Swiss clinical
psychologist Jean Piaget’s (1896-1980) theory
of moral development but wanted to develop his
ideas further.

 Level 1 – Pre-conventional morality

Stage 1. Obedience and Punishment
Orientation
Stage 2. Individualism and Exchange
 Level 2 – Conventional morality
Stage 3. Good Interpersonal
Relationships
Stage 4. Maintaining the Social Order

 Level 3 – Post-conventional morality

Stage 5. Social Contract and
Individual Rights
Stage 6. Universal Principles

Getting to the Highest Level, Conscience-Based Moral

Decisions