ETHICS – CHAPTER 3

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THE ACT

Some ethicists believe that ethics is also a matter of emotion. “Feelings are
seen as also necessary in ethical judgment as they are even deemed by some as
instinctive and trained response to moral dilemmas” (De Guzman, 2018).

“The Act” simply means the action performed by the agent (as deliberate and
free). When you perform whatever kind of action, you need to consider three
important things:
1. Feelings
2. Reason and impartiality
3. Will

Topic 1: Feelings and Moral Decision Making

Sub-Topic 1.1: Feelings can be Obstacles in Making the Right Decisions

What are Feelings?

• Feelings are instinctive responses to moral dilemmas.
• According to David Hume, “a person gains awareness of moral good and evil
by experiencing the pleasure of approval and uneasiness of disapproval.
Reason alone is insufficient to yield a judgment that something is virtuous or
vicious”

Feelings can be obstacles in making the right decisions because of its three central
features, they are:
1. Their non-deliberate nature
2. Their partial nature
3. They are capricious

Sub-Topic 1.2. Feelings can Help in Making the Right Decisions

There are at least three ways that feelings help in making the right decisions,
namely:
1. It signals the need to adjust behavior
2. It can help us learn from our mistakes
3. Emotional responses can be reshaped as time pass by

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 ETHICS – CHAPTER 3
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Topic 2: Reason and Impartiality as Minimum Requirements for Morality

Sub-Topic 2.1. Reason and impartiality defined

Reason
• According to Merriam-Webster, reason is “the power of the mind to think,
understand and form judgments by a process of logic”
• Emmanuel Kant claims that reason alone is the basis of morality, hence,
acting morally is acting rationally.

Impartiality
• “Involves the idea that each individual’s interests and point of view are equally
important. It is the principle of justice holding that decisions ought to be based
on objective criteria, rather than on the basis of bias, prejudice, etc.”

Sub-Topic 2.2: The Seven-Step Moral Reasoning Model

Scott Rae suggested a 7-step model which can be used in making moral decisions.
These steps are:
1. Gather the facts
2. Determine the ethical issues
3. What principles have bearing on the case
4. List the alternatives
5. Compare the alternatives with the principles
6. Weigh the consequences
7. Make a decision

Topic 3: Moral Courage

Sub-Topic 3.1. Why the will is as important as reason

One’s will power is very important in making moral decisions.

Moral Courage
• is the courage “to put your moral principles into action even though you may
be in doubt, are afraid, or face adverse consequences. On the other hand, will
is the capacity to act decisively on one’s desire”

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 ETHICS – CHAPTER 3
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Sub-Topic 3.2. Developing the will

To develop the will, the one and only way to do it is to engage into putting
rational, moral choice into action.

According to De Guzman, to develop the will, one must:

1. develop and practice self-discipline
2. do mental strength training
3. draw inspiration from people with great courage
4. repeatedly do acts that exhibit moral courage and will
5. avoid deeds that show lack of moral courage and will

Summary

• Feelings can really become obstacles when making ethical decisions; but this
fact should not be interpreted as completely removing your feelings in the
domain of morality. Though feelings can become obstacles, they can likewise
help in making the right decisions.
• Since some feelings can hinder decisions, making your actions automatic,
instinctive and emotional responses, there should be a minimum requirement
in making ethical decisions - they are reason and impartiality.
• According to Rachels, morality at the very least “is the effort to guide one’s
action based on the most logical choice (reason) while giving equal
importance to the interests of each person affected by your decisions
(impartiality)”.
• To help you in making a reason-and-impartiality-based ethical decision, the
7-step moral reasoning model is very useful. The steps in the model are as
follows: 1) gather the facts, 2) determine the ethical issues, 3) identify the
principles that have bearing on the case, 4) list the alternatives, 5) compare
the alternatives with the principles, 6) weigh the consequences, and 7) make a
decision.
• Will power be very important in making moral decisions. It helps you to make a
courageous choice/decision and the resolve to stand firmly and put into
action that decision.

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