Overview of Ethics Norms - general rules about actions or behaviors

Ethics - Greek word “ethos" custom or character. Values - including beliefs about what is good
and desirable.
Studies the rightness or wrongness of a human
action

Ethics are defined as a set of moral principles or = Moral Standards - norms or custom
values. - values placed on what we
believed.
Greek Tradition - Good life or happiness “being
- promotes the good.
happy.”

Judeo - Christian ; rightness before god, love of

God and neighbor "Doing what is right” Topic 1 - Brotherhood or Violence

A Fraternity or Sorority is a brotherhood or

sisterhood.
Ethics - theory of right action and the greater
good. “systematic study” of the underlying - Formed around common goals
principles of ethics. - Men and women make a life
commitment.
Morality - practice of rightness or wrongness of
- Share their efforts, friendship and
human action.
knowledge.
- prescription - practice of ethics.
The main goal is to establish brotherhood
(Terrence Mcconell)
Fraternities turn to unlikely acts that debunks
Ethics - science of morals.
brotherhood. Including:
Types of Ethics
● Violence
1. Normative (Prescriptive) - seek to set wrong ● Harassment
norms or standards that regulate right and ● Promotion of misogyny and
wrong. hypermasculinity

- “Do good at all times" Fraternity Hazing - violent act means to prove’s
one commitment and loyalty. .
2. Metaethics (Descriptive) - aims to understand
the nature and dynamic of ethical principles

- “What is God?" Many people view hazing as an effective way to

teach respect and develop discipline and loyalty.

- Believe that hazing is a necessary

3. Applied Ethics - actual application
● Causists - adherent of applied ethics.
● Moral standard - values
○ norms placed on what we believe.
○ forces others to act accordingly.
● Non-moral standards - no right to
impose on others.
component of initiation rites.
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8049
AN ACT REGULATING HAZING AND OTHER FORMS OF
INITIATION RITES IN FRATERNITIES, SORORITIES, AND
OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND PROVIDING PENALTIES
THEREFOR.
Topic 2 - Valuation - addressing our current ethical
judgements and duties rather than
Valuation - denotes the degree of importance learning anything new.
of some thing or action, with the aim of
determining which actions are best to do or what Clarifications - clarifying the way we think and
way is best to live or to describe the significance talk about ethics.
of different actions.
Ethics - sets of principles or rules that governs
Values - beyond mere monetary considerations. people (Objective)

Aesthetics - Greek word “aisthesis” ("sense or Moral - personal beliefs of what is right or wrong
"feeling") (Subjective)

judgments of personal approval or disapproval Ethical - doing the right thing

that we make about what we see, hear. smell. or
taste. Unethical - opposite of ethical

"taste" - personal aesthetic preferences that Moral - standards of behavior or beliefs that are
individuals have., Such as acceptable to society.

- "his taste in music" Immoral - something that does not conform to

- "her taste in clothes." the recognized standards of right and wrong

Ethics typically involves distinguishing between Amoral - something that is neither moral nor
good and bad. immoral.

Aesthetic - judgments, such as preferences in art,

music, or taste, are distinct.
Reasoning - understanding why we see certain
- assessments of worth or taste. behaviors as right or wrong.

Technical Valuation - Greek word "techne" Advocated by Socrates, ethical discernment is

highlights the technical aspect of proper actions. crucial to being truly human, encouraging
thoughtful engagement before delving into
Etiquette - conduct or procedure required or ethical theories and acknowledging challenges
prescribed by authority to be observed in official tied to appeals to authority or self-
life. understandings in ethics.

- ethical behavior is that required for the Topic 4 - Sources of Authority

practice of law.
Authority of the:
- described as concerned with actions of
lesser gravity, upheld by societal norms. ● Law
● One’s religion
Topic 3 - Thinking of Ethics ● One’s culture

Think - Ethics should not be about learning new Law

material; rather, it should be on making
Positive Law
thoughtful decisions.
● rules and regulations
● one should obey the law
● provides us what to avoid
 ● Law cannot tell us what to pursue, only ● own culture have more codes.
what to avoid. ● CULTURE IS VERY DIFFERENT.
● all different rules which requires
compliance
Topic 5 – Senses of the Self
Negative Law
Subjectivism - places the individual at the center
● individuals who cannot be controlled by
of moral evaluation, acknowledging that each
the government.
person faces unique situations requiring
○ Ex: Freedom to live and such.
decisions or judgments.
Prohibited Nature of Law
Common phrases like:
“Law does not oblige people to help on others in
need” 1. "No one can tell me what is right and wrong"
2. "No one knows my situation better than myself"
3. "I am entitled to my own opinion"
Law as basis of ethics 4. "It is good if I say that it is good"

Deontology - Greek word “deos” - duty. It's the belief that everyone can have their truths
and morals based on how they see things.
● Focus on duties and principles.
● Emphasis is place on doing wyat is right
based on ethical principle, regardless of
outcome. Psychological Egoism - human are driven by the
● Emmanuel Kant’s categorical pursuit of self-interest is "Human beings are
imperative. naturally self-centered.

Religion Two main advantages: reasonableness and

simplicity.
● what is pleasing and not in the eyes of
God Plausibility validates that a person's actions are
● Religious Sensitivity motivated by self-interest
● Divine Command Theory - one is obliged
to obey their God in all things. Simplicity explains the rationale and foundation
for every decision we make.
Problems:
Raises two questions: first, "Should we accept it
1. Practical Level - different religions
as true since we are unable to contradict it? and
2. Conceptual Level - Euthyphro - holiness
secondly, "Are the implications of this hypothesis
(Plato)
acceptable?
● Socrates: “Is it holy because only
God says so?”

Culture Ethical Egoism - contrast to psychological

1. Aesthetics differences egoism, it claims that even if we might behave in
2. Religious a way that helps other people, we behave in a
3. Etiquette way that serves our interests in the long run. The
only way to determine what is best for us is to
Cultural Relativism
take action.
● what is ethical or not depends on one’s
culture.
We ought to always put ourselves first. It is more
than just a call to indulge one's wishes; there is
always a motive for acting in that way.
● governed by 2 sovereign masters: pain
and pleasure.
● we do things because they make us
happy
● increase happiness and decrease pain.

Topic 6 – Utilitarianism

Utilitarianism suggests common good - Bentham - Qualitative

identified with the greatest good for the greatest
Felicific or Hedonistic Calculus
number.
● Intensity
● should prioritize outcomes that lead to the
● Duration
greatest overall benefit of the society.
● Propinquity
● “utility” - beneficial for a human being.
● Fecundity
● holds pleasure and happiness.
● Extent

Mill - Quantitative
Features:
“It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than
1. Consequentialist - rightness or a pig satisfied”
wrongness of an act determined by the
results.
2. Utility Principle - usefulness of the result. Topic 7 - Principle of the Greatest Number

● Do what best for more people

● Utilitarianism - cannot lead to selfish acts.
Types:
● Action rather than motives.
1. Act Utilitarianism - an action results as
John Stuart Mill
much good as all other possible
outcomes, it is considered right. ● Good deeds are not intended to benefit
2. Rule Utilitarianism - action is mandated. the world.
● Two types: strong and weak rule ● Justifying actions
● act + weak rule
Justice and Rights
Strength - focus on overall happiness.
● Justice - respect and protect the rights.
Weakness - determining right or wrong. ● Rights - valid claims on society and are
justified by utility.
○ Legal rights - defined by law
Thinkers ○ Moral rights - based on ethics

1. Jeremy Bentham 2 things involve:

2. John Stuart Mill
a. Rule of Conduct
b. Sentiment

Principle of Utility

● Jeremy Bentham - proposed ● Legal rights are not morally justified in

Utilitarianism supported by John Stuart accordance with the greatest happiness
Mill. principle.
 ● Rights need neither be observed nor be The Christian Life - developing the capacities
respected. given to us by God toward the good.

Conscience - directs moral thinking.

Topic 8

Natural - acceptable Unnatural - Topic 9 - The Greek Heritage

unacceptable
Neoplatonic Good
Natural Law - “good is to be done and evil is
● Central belief - “God creates” by Plato.
avoided.”
● Notion of a SUPREME.

Plotinus
Thomas Aquinas - proposed natural theory
● Neoplatonists
(established by God).
● “The one”
Ex: Preservation to kill

● medieval thinker
Aristotelian Being and Becoming
● doctor of the Roman Catholic Church
● wrote “Summa Theologiae” ● being - anything that exist
● theory: matter and form which is
Four Causes:
supported by – body and soul from
Socrates. 1. Material
● material components
● possess certain materiality or
Summa Theologiae physical stuff.
2. Formal
I. First Part - God
● design or pattern
● God is beyond
● form - shape
● Cosmological Argument -
3. Efficient
everything that had a beginning
● force or agent responsible for
had a cause.
bringing something into existence.
● God, THE PRIME MOVER.
4. Final
● Causation - everything has to
● telos or purpose
have been caused.
II. Second Part - Man
● Happiness is God.
Potency and Act - Potentiality and Actuality
I. Third Part - Christ
● Jesus as Savior. PROCESS OF BECOMING

Aquinas Ethics POSSIBILITY OF CHANGE

Habits - our actions are related to certain

dispositions.
The Existence and Varieties of Law
● Good dispositions - lead us toward
St. Thomas Aquinas - Italian Dominican
making moral choices
● Bad dispositions - making immoral Theologian.
choices Summa Theologiae - God, creation, and the
nature of humanity.
 ○ Uniquely human
○ Guidelines:
Essence
■ Epistemic - truth
● Free will ■ Social - relation
● Goods = end of actions
● “Means to an end”
● Mistake on beliefs can lead to later Topic 10 - Deontology
realization of error.
● Duty-based Ethics
● Reason - part of the process.
● Greek word - “deo” means duty or being
Common Good necessary.
● Study of duty and the necessity of fulfilling
● Good for the majority.
obligations.
Law
Moral - principles or rules.
● Proper measure of our acts.
Conviction - belief or opinion.
● Directed toward universal happiness.
Moral Conviction - strong belief about what is
Promulgation
right or wrong.
● Rules or laws need to be communicated
● moral compass.
to the people.

Ideal Perspective of the Law

Duty and Agency
● Law is made to achieve common good.
Immanuel Kant
Varieties - God is the creator of all beings.
● Copernican revolution
1. Eternal Law
● Paradigm shift to philosophy
● Unchangeable plan of God
● “Supreme Principle of Morality” - views
● God’s rational purpose
reason as basis for morality.
2. Human Law
● Sentience - able to perceive feelings.
● Positive law
“Humans are sentient and rational”
● Secondary Preceipt
● Subject to change 1st Construction - Ideation
3. Divine Law
2nd Construction - Imagination
● Law from God
4. Natural Law Agency - ability to act based on intentions.
● Participation of natural creatures
to eternal law.
● Acting according to reason.
● Moral principles
● Primary Preceipt - “good is to be
done and pursued, and evil
avoided”
● Three:
○ In common with other
beings - preserve one’s
being
○ Common with other
animals - sexual drive