YOU ARE FREE

TO CHOOSE,BUT YOU
ARE NOT FREE FROM
THE CONSEQUENCES
OF YOUR CHOICES.
 ARE YOU A GOOD PERSON?

WHAT ARE THE UNETHICAL ACTS

THAT YOU HAVE DONE SO FAR AS
A PERSON?
WHAT IS ETHICS ?
 ETHICS is a Major Branch of Philosophy

Ethics as a major branch of Philosophy, is

significantly broader than the common conception
of analyzing right and wrong.

A central aspect of ethics is the “good life”, the life

worth living or life that is satisfying.
ETYMOLOGY

The term ethics was derived from a Greek word “ethos” which
originally means custom or character.
Branch of Philosophy that is concerned with human
conduct and moral value.

Deals with the question “What

should I do?”
 ETHICS MORALITY

“theory” of right action and “practice” rightness or

the greater good. wrongness of human action.

“systematic study” of the “prescriptive”

underlying principles of morality. = tells us what we ought to do.
= exhorts us to follow the right way.

ETHICS IS THE SCIENCE OF PRACTICE OF ETHICS

MORAL.
 DIFFERENT ETHICAL THEORIES

1. EPICUREANISM - Epicurus believed that what he called “pleasure” is the greatest

good, but the way to attain such pleasure is to live modestly and to gain knowledge of
the workings of the world and the limits of one’s desire.
2. HEDONISM- The belief that pleasure is the most important thing in life.

- The name derives from the Greek word for “delight”.

- Aristippus considers pleasure as the one and only good and basis for moral
judgement.

- Some hedonists stress the pursuit of pleasure, and others emphasize avoiding
pain, for a strict hedonist, nothing that provides pleasure can be bad.

PLEASURE = GOOD PAIN = EVIL

3. MIGHTISM- Whenever an act enhances one’s strength or capacity to rule,
it is good or morally legitimate; whereas as if it causes one’s effectiveness,
weakness, then it is regarded as wrong.

4. NATURAL LAW ETHICS- An absolute moral code, not just opinion nor
subject to change and is applicable to everyone. This means a shared,
objective morality with no cultural barriers
- Uses an respects human reasoning.
5. TEOLOGICAL OR UTILITARIANISM- A theory of moral philosophy that
is based on the principle that an action is morally right if it produces
greater quantity of good or happiness than any other possible action.

6. SITUATIONISM- The morality of an action depends on the situation.

THE THREE BRANCHES OF
ETHICS

• DESCRIPTIVE ETHICS
- OBSERVES AND DESCRIBES PEOPLE’S ACTUAL BEHAVIOR.
- EXPLAINS WHY PEOPLE BEHAVE THIS WAY.
• NORMATIVE ETHICS
- STUDY OF MORAL DUTIES, RULES WITHIN ITS SOCIAL CONTEXT.
• APPLIED ETHICS
- ATTEMPTS TO APPLY ETHICAL THEORY TO REAL-LIFE SITUATIONS.
• META-ETHICS
- CONCERED WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT, WHETHER OR NOT MORALITY
EXISTS.
There is more to ETHICS than
this