GEC 108: Ethics

WORKSHEET NO. 2

(Moral Acts)

Instruction: Answer the questions below in essay form. Your answer to each question shall not be
more than 300 words.

1. What is the unique feature of a human act that makes it a moral act? Give an example of a moral
act based on your personal experience. (20 points)

For me, the distinctive quality of a human action that qualifies it as a moral act is that it is carried out
voluntarily and with awareness of whether it is a good or evil action. One instance I can recall is when
I was purchasing food in a store and was too preoccupied to count the change the cashier handed me.
When I chose to check my money in my pocket again, I was already outside and really far from the
store. I was surprised to see that I still had a large amount of money despite knowing that I should
only have little change up to 20 pesos, but I still had 50 more in my hands. Even though I was halfway
there, I made the decision to go back and see if she had miscounted the items I had purchased. She
very definitely had. Money does not just appear out of thin air; one must work hard to obtain it. Since
many individuals struggle to find ways to earn money, feed their families, and provide for themselves,
may we all be nice and truthful. Never steal something that is not yours, and never take advantage of
someone who is trying hard to make a living.

2. As the head of office, you are deciding whether or not to accept the money offered to you for the
approval of a contract. How will you deal with the situation given what you know about the elements
of human acts? Narrate your response and illustrate the role of knowledge, freedom and
voluntariness in your response to the situation. (30 points)
Bribery is the act of offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting anything of value in order to persuade an
official or another person in charge of legal or public responsibility to take a particular course of
action. If I were the head of the office, I would find such behavior intolerable since it suggests
economic injustice and is, in fact, illegal. Accepting bribes is similar to engaging in corruption because
it allows people to move freely with their money. I would politely deny the money being given and
inform them that it is against the law to facilitate payments because doing so constitutes a crime.
Instead, I suggested that we follow the correct procedure for signing contracts and provide equal
opportunity.