Republic of the Philippines

GOVERNOR MARIANO E. VILLAFUERTE COMMUNITY COLLEGE - TINAMBAC

Brgy. Sta. Cruz Tinambac, Camarines Sur, 4426

Module 1 - Ethics with Peace Education

The Study of Ethics

I. Learning Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
 Explain and define Ethics from the different perspective of philosophers
 Identify the important aspect of the study of Ethics

II. Lesson
Ethics is both a science and a way of life. We endeavor to teach the science and hope that virtue follows
knowledge. This subject (ethics) is for everyone, but we prefer to see its relevance to the particularity of the
Filipinos. We will focus our attention on our struggle for moral decency which is embodied in our ideas of
pagpapakatao. This indeed is what Ethics is all about – how we ought to live as “persons in the community
of persons”.

Ethics is derived from the Greek word ethos which means “characteristic way of living”. Its Latin equivalent
is mos, mores, meaning “tradition or custom”. Ethos includes cultural mannerisms, religion, politics, laws,
and social aspirations of a group of people. In our study, ethos refers to those characteristics belonging to
man as a rational being, endowed with intellect and free will.

The ethos of man as man is revealed in the following:

1. He is able to distinguish between good and evil, right or wrong, moral and immoral.
2. He feels within himself an obligation to do what is good and to avoid what is evil.
3. He feels himself accountable for his actions, expecting reward or punishments for them.

In other words, man is endowed by nature with a moral sense. He is self-conscious of his dignity and
submits to the duty of doing what is good and avoiding what is wrong. This much is expected of man; that
he conducts himself according to the “dictates of reason”.

Ethics, its meaning

Ethics is defined as the science of morality of human acts. And because actions reflect the motives of the
doer, Ethics is said to be the study of human motivation, and ultimately, of human rational behavior. The
aspect of the subject matter which primarily interests Ethics is morality.
Human acts are those actions performed by man, knowingly and freely. They are also called deliberate or
intentional actions, or, voluntary actions. As such, they are differentiated from the so called acts of man
which are instinctive and involuntary.

Morality is the quality of human acts by which they are constituted as good, bad, or indifferent. That which
is good is described a moral; that which is bad is immoral; and that which is indifferent is amoral.

Human acts reveal the thoughts and inclinations of the person doing them. They are the manifestations of
one’s character or moral conduct. A person who has the habit or inclination to do good is said to be virtuous.
On the contrary, one who has the habit of doing wrong is vicious.

Ethics as Value Education

In the classical tradition, ethics is moral philosophy and is distinguished from Moral Theology. As a branch
of philosophy, ethics relies solely on human reason to investigate truths.
In contemporary curriculum, Ethics takes the form of Value Education. A value is something a person
prizes, cherishes, and esteems as important to him. It includes ideas, things, or experiences. The aim of
Page PAGE 1 of NUMPAGES 4
 Republic of the Philippines
GOVERNOR MARIANO E. VILLAFUERTE COMMUNITY COLLEGE - TINAMBAC
Brgy. Sta. Cruz Tinambac, Camarines Sur, 4426

Value Education is to guide the individual in choosing wisely his values and acting upon them. Ethics is the
rational foundation of any attempt at Value Education. It goes deeper into the reasons why we must choose
certain values. Thus, explains the human values in relation to the ultimate purpose of human existence.

The Art of Correct Living

Art, in general, is the appreciation of beauty. It implies order and harmony of parts in a given whole. Human
life does not imply merely physical survival. It is a vocation towards the refinement of the spirit. The
demands of daily life include and derive meaning from the cultivation of those traits that truly reflect man’s
innate dignity. Ethics is an art, for it is the breath of life, pulsating with the desire for growth and
development. It is a master plan indicating where man must go and what he ought to do in order to live well.
In a sense, every man is an artist, creating something of beauty out of him.

Importance of Ethics
Ethics is an indispensable knowledge. Without moral perception, man is only an animal. Without morality,
man as a rational being is a failure. Because moral knowledge is too essential to be dismissed, the Creator
has seen it fit to gift man with the natural insight of it. No matter how rudimentary and vague, the primitive
has it. And modern man, finding convenient reasons to turn his back from it, discovers that he is in the
center of it.
Moral integrity is the only true measure of what man ought to be. The most powerful king, or the most
successful professional, is nothing unless he too is morally upright. Thus the philosophers speak of Ethics as
the “only necessary knowledge”. “we are tempted to center everything on human happiness”, says Jacques
Leclercq, “forgetting that man’s greatness, perfection and happiness, his whole meaning in fact, consist in
transcending the commonly accepted human good”. (Christianity and Money, p. 9)
Morality is the foundation of every human society. Rightly, Russell observes that “without civic morality,
communities perish; without personal morality their survival has no value”. Every culture admits the
importance of morality as a standard of behavior. When the moral foundations of a nation are threatened, the
society itself is threatened. In the words of Senator Leticia Ramos Shahani:
“At the bottom of our economic problems and political instability is the weakness and corruption of
the moral foundations of our society. We do need an economic recovery programme. We also
urgently need a moral, intellectual and spiritual recovery programme.” (Nick Joaquin, The Pinoy X-
rayed”, Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Two Ethical Systems

There are two general categories under which ethical theories may be classified: the atheistic and theistic
approaches.
1. Atheistic approach assumes that only matter exists and that man is responsible only to himself since there
is no God who creates and rules the universe. Morality is an invention of man to suit his requirements
and to preserve his society. Moral truths are therefore temporary and mutable depending on the situation.
Accordingly, the concept of good and evil is always relative and changeable.

Atheistic theories propose the following principles:

 Matter is the only reality  Man is free and must exercise his freedom
 Man is matter and does not have spiritual to promote the welfare of society.
dimension.  There is no life after death
 Man is accountable only to the state.

2. Theistic approach begins with the assumption that God is the Supreme Lawgiver. Everything must
conform to God’s eternal plan of creation. Man must exercise his freedom in accordance with God’s

Page PAGE 1 of NUMPAGES 4

 Republic of the Philippines
GOVERNOR MARIANO E. VILLAFUERTE COMMUNITY COLLEGE - TINAMBAC
Brgy. Sta. Cruz Tinambac, Camarines Sur, 4426

will. There are absolute principles of morality which are not changeable. Man is accountable for his
actions and deserves either a reward or punishment in this life or in the next.

It postulates the following truths:

 God is the Supreme Creator and Lawgiver;  Man has an immortal soul which cannot
 Man is free and must use his freedom to die
promote his personal and social interests  Man is accountable for his actions, both
along with his fellowmen. good and evil

Ethics and Religion

Ethics is a science and depends upon rational investigation of its truths. Religion is a system of beliefs and
practices based on faith or revelation.
Ethics teaches the value of religion, presenting it as a duty to the Almighty. Religion, on the other hand, as
an organized church, contributes to the teaching of ethics and continues to enrich with its moral insights.
Religion provides the direction and motivation for the moral life of people. While different religions give
different emphasis to different moral values, they coincide in their efforts to improve both man and human
society. All great religions, for instance, hold life in deep respect and propose universal brotherhood as
necessary for global peace and prosperity.

Ethics and Law

Ethics studies human motivation. It goes deeper than the study of external actions. It explores thoughts and
feelings. It requires that man desires that which is good and act in accordance with that desire. On the
contrary, law requires that we perform the required action regardless of our feelings towards such action.
The law is concerned with the externality of the acts. “For law is definitely concerned with what we do, not
with what we feel”, says Mortimer J. Adler, (Ethics: The Study of Moral Values, vi)
Ethical norms cover thoughts and feelings. Laws do not judge man’s thoughts and desires. In the Ethics of
St. Paul, for example, a man commits adultery when he regards a woman lustfully. This is not the case with
law which requires an external act as proof that a crime has been committed.
Morality therefore, has a wider implication than law, because law can be moral or immoral. Thus, what is
legal is not necessarily moral; but what is moral is necessarily worth legalizing.
Ethics is not simply a body of do’s and don’ts in the manner laws are. Ethics is a personal commitment to
uphold what is true and good. Ethics aims to develop “right disposition and inner spirit” for accepting what
is lawful. (Bernard Haring, The Law of Christ, vol. I Merein Press, Calc, 1960, p. 42-43).

Professional Ethics
The practice of a profession cannot be regulated entirely by legislation. Each profession therefore subscribes
to a set of moral code. This code of ethics guides the actuation of a professional where the law is silent or
inadequate.
A code of ethics implies that, before anything else, a professional is a person who has the obligation to listen
to the “dictates of reason”. The need for it is obviously to the advantage of the profession. Many
businessmen for example, do realize that “honest business” translates to “good business”. The public
patronizes firms that are perceived to be reputable. The code of ethics for business proposed by the Bishops-
Businessmen’s Conference for Human Development, Philippines, provides:

Towards the Customers, business shall, in the production of goods and services:

- Strive after a quality that will enable them to serve their purpose efficiently and effectively;

Page PAGE 1 of NUMPAGES 4

 Republic of the Philippines
GOVERNOR MARIANO E. VILLAFUERTE COMMUNITY COLLEGE - TINAMBAC
Brgy. Sta. Cruz Tinambac, Camarines Sur, 4426

- Avoid anything that would be detrimental to the health, safety or growth of the proper user or
beneficiary of such goods and services;
- And seek to apply or make use of the discoveries and inventions of science with adaptations that will
improve their products or services, thereby benefiting customers/users and increasing their number.

In its marketing arrangement, business shall:

- Deliver the product or service in the quality, quantity, and time agreed upon, and at a reasonable
price, and avoid the creation of artificial shortages, price manipulation, and like practices;
- Establish an after-sales and complaints service commensurate to the kind of product or service
supplied and the prices paid;
- Ensure that all mass media, promotional and package communications be informative and true, and
take into account the percepts of morality and the sound cultural values of the community, and
manifest respect for human dignity.

III. Reference/s:
 Ramon B. Agapay: Ethics and the Filipino

Page PAGE 1 of NUMPAGES 4