ETHICS Approaches of Philosophy : How
CHAPTER 1 - PHILOSOPHY : A
Brief Introduction on its Genesis
Three Ways to Define Philosophy
 Etymology. From the Greek
words - philos + sophia = love
of wisdom
 Aristotelico - Thomistic Defi-
nition. Philosophy is the study
of the ultimate reality, causes
and principles underlying being
acquired through the use of
human reason alone.
 Karl Jasper’s Definition
(Modern Definition). Philoso-
phy is a personal and existential
endeavor. Philosophy was not
just a body of knowledge or a
set of abstract theories, but
rather a way of engaging with
the fundamental quiestions of
human existence.
Claimed the first cause was water,
do we enter the study of
Philosophy?
 Historical Approach.
 Ancient Period. Charac-
terize by Cosmocentrism. A
vision of reality that places
the highest importance of
emphasis in the univerese
or nature, as opposite to an
anthropocentric vision, w/c
strongly focuses on human-
kind as the important
element of existence.
 Presocratic Philosophers
(The Miletian Philoso-
phers - Pre - Socratic Era)
 The Birth of Western
Philosophy. “What is
the basic stuff of the
universe from which all
else comes?”
Thales of Miletus (585 BCE)
There were practical, provable, logical
reasons for why things happened and
the Gods had nothing to do with
observable phenomena.
systematic, scientific examination in
because it could change shape and literally every area of human knowledge
move while remaining unchanging in and was known, in his time, as "the man
substance. who knew everything" and later simply
Anaximander (610 - 546 BCE) as "The Philosopher”.
Postulated eternal motion, along with
the apeiron “(infinite, boundless”, as the  Medieval Period
originating cause of the world. This  Known as the Middle
motion caused opposites, such as hot Age or Dark Age.
and cold, to be separated from one
 Essentially monothe-
another as the world came into being.
istic. From a state of
Anaximenes (546 BCE)
polytheism to a belief
Proposed air as the first cause from w/c
in a one and only God.
all else comes. Air was comparable to
 The medieval period is
soul.
very much theocentric
Pythagoras
by nature.
The first thinker to coined the word
philosopher.  The philosophical in-
quiry, discourse is
 Ancient Philosophers anchored to the very
Socrates (470 - 399 BCE) nature of God, who
A Greek philosopher and is considered God is.
the father of western philosophy. “To St. Augustine
know is to know that you know nothing”. St. Augustine Confessions, Book VII :
Plato (427 - 347 BCE) Getting Metaphysics of God and Evil
He is one of the world’s best known and Wrong.
widely read and studied philosophers. Anselm’s Proslogion
Aristotle (384 - 322 BCE) Define God as that than which nothing
Greek philosopher who pioneered greater can be conceived, which exists
in reality is greater than which exists in  Some of the philosopher,  So he proposed two aspects  Branches of Philosophy
the mind. thinkers of the time, towards the during their time, very common  Metaphysics is the study
St. Thomas Aquinas end of the Renaissance, started as basis for truth, two aspects of existence, “What’s out
Proofs for the Existence of God: to think, “Why do we have to that you need to doubt: there?”
1. Motion anchor our inquiries, natural, or  Senses  Epistemology is the study
2. Cause even the idea or the very nature  Dream of knowledge, “How do I
3. Possibility and Necessity
of man, to a being that we  So he started what he called the know about it?”
4. Perfection
cannot fully grasp”. methodic doubt.  Ethics is the study of
5. Intelligence
 Modern philosophy, focusing  Cogito, ergo sum = I think, action, “What should I do?”
to the inquiry, philosophical therefore I am  Politics is the study of
 Modern Period
dialog within the perspective of  So man is a thinking being. force, “What actions are
 Three Characteristic of
the man, the man who is permissible?”
Modern Philosophy:
philosophizing, the man who is  David Hume (Empiricism), our  Aesthetics is the study of
1. Centers on the problem of
observing the phenomena knowledge of the world is based art, “What can life be like?”
consciousness ( contrary
around him. on sense impressions.
to theocentrism)
 Modern philosophy is, by nature,  Such matters of fact are based CHAPTER 2 - ETHICS
2. Radicalization of the
anthropocentric. on experience (posteriori) and  Ethics is the branch of
epistemological concept of
 Anthro- means man. their truth is synthetic. philosophy that focuses on
critique (contrary to
 “That in order to examine into  Relations of ideas are known as morality and the way in which
dogmatism)
the truth, it is necessary once in priori : they cannot be denied moral principles are apply to
3. Teleological concept of
one's life to doubt of all things without contradiction, and their everyday life.
historical progress of
insofar as this is possible” - truth is analytic.  Ethics has to do with fun-
mankind (contrary to
Rene Descartes  Knowledge is experiential. damental questions such as:
status quo)
 Rene Descartes is the Father of  What is fair?
 Modern Era is marked by total
Modern Philosophy  Immanuel Kant, “Thoughts  What is just?
defiance to the believe system
(Rationalism) content are empty, intuitions  What is the right thing to do
of the Medieval.
without concepts are blind”. in this situation?
 Ethics Morality  Applied/Special Ethics refers  Immoral refers to the actions  Lighten or aggravate the
Ethos (Greek) Mores (Latin) to the application of the w/c are not conformity with the weight of moral accountabi-
means customs or means customs principles in various specific norm of morality. lity of the performer.
a manner of acting and practice.
areas of human life.  Amoral refers to the actions  It doesn’t change the
and behaving.
 Acts of Human are actions w/c stand neutral in relation to specific nature of human
is focused on the is the praxis,
beyond one’s consciousness, the norm of morality. act.
general princi- the application of
not dependent on the intellect  Moral Determinants of  Modifiers of the Accoun-
ples, rules and those principles.
and will. Human Acts tability of the Commission of
theories on deter-
mining what is  Essential Qualities of AOH:  Object of the Act an Act:
right and wrong.  Done w/o knowledge  Intention / End in View  Ignorance
guiding principles principles of w/c  W/o consent  Circumstance  Concupiscence or
of conduct of an one’s judgement  Involuntary passion
individual or group of right and wrong  Human Acts are actions done  Object of the Act is the  Fear
are based consciously and freely. substance / nature of the action.  Violence
Influenced by Influenced by
 Essential Qualities of HA:  Object specifies the act of  Habit
profession, field, society, culture,
 Knowledge of Act the will.  Ignorance is the absence of
org, etc. and religion.
 Freedom  Intention concerned with the knowledge.
related to profess- not related to
 Voluntariness goal of the activity.  Vincible is lack of
ional work professional work
 Morality can be classified  Purposes for which a knowledge can easily be
uniform varies
into: human performs the act. rectified.
 Moral (good act)  Motive for factors which  Invincible is when its
 General Ethics deals with
 Immoral (bad act) the agent acts. difficult to rectify.
morality of the human act that
 Amoral (neither)  The end does not justify the  Norms are expectations of
mainly focuses on the basic
means. proper behaviour. They are the
concepts.
 Moral refers to the actions w/c  Circumstance refers to the ways an individual expects all
are conformity with the norm of events, conditions that make people to act.
morality. the act concrete.
 Two norms of Morality:  How does culture define  Dangers of Cultural  Negative Peace is the absence
 Objective moral behavior: Relativism of direct / physical violence.
 Subjective  Native trait  We cannot call out societal  Positive Peace is the presence
 Culture contains nearly all  Early child experience practice that promote harm of condition of well-being and
aspects of shared human  Cultural surrounding  We cannot justify our own just relationship.
experience.  Claims of Cultural Relativist culture’s harmful practices  Economic, political, and
 Elements of Culture 1. Different societies have  The idea of social justice ecological
 Symbols different moral codes. becomes doubtful  Structural violence- such as
 Language 2. The moral code of the poverty, hunger
 Beliefs society determines what is  Ways of Life Based on:  Socio-cultural violence
 Values right or wrong.  Respect for life. such as racism, sexism,
 Norm 3. There are no universal  Respect for human rights religious intolerance
moral truths. and fundamental freedoms.  Ecological violence such as
 Symbols are anything that 4. The moral code of a  Rejection of all forms of pollution, over consumption
people find meaningful. particular society has no violence.
 Language is a complex symbol special status.  Adherence to the principles
system that enabled human 5. It is arrogant for one culture of justice, democracy,
beings to communicate. to judge another culture. tolerance, solidarity, coope-
 Beliefs are assumptions or  Two Positive Lessons on ration, diversity, dialogue
convictions held to be true. Moral Relativism and understanding in all
 Values are culturally accept-  It warns us that our levels of society.
able standard of behaviour. preferences are absolute  Types of Peace:
 Norm is informal guideline by a rational standard.  Negative Peace
particular group of people.  It teaches us to keep an  Positive Peace
open minded and to be
more amenable in disco-
vering the truth.