ETHIC

S
Andrela Aquino
 3 Main Elements of Moral Experience

✓ The agent, including context – cultural,

communal, and environmental;
✓ The act
✓ The reason or framework (for the act)

2
1
INTRODUCTION
 What are moral standard?
 How do they differ from other rules of lives?
 What is a moral dilemma?
 Why is freedom crucial in our ability to make moral
decisions?
 What is the advantage of owning moral standards
over merely abiding by moral standards?
Remember this:
 Ethics
Particularly as a subject

Generally -about determining the

grounds for the values with
 Good vs Bad particular and special
 Right vs Wrong
 Acceptable vs Unacceptable
significance to human life
 Obligations vs Prohibitions

5
“ There are instances when we
make value judgments that are
not considered to be part of
ethics.

6
7
 KINDS OF VALUATION

AESTHETICS ETIQUETTE TECHNICAL ETHICS

Greek word-
aesthesis (“sense” -concerned with
Greek word-
or “feeling”) the right or wrong
techne -matters that
actions, but those
concern life and
-refers to the which might be
-refer to a proper human well-being
judgments of considered not
way of doing are often included
personal approval quite grave
things; may not in the discussions
or disapproval that enough to belong
necessarily be an of ethics.
we make about to a discussion on
ethical one.
what we see, hear, ethics.
smell, or taste.
8
 ETHICS MORALS
Discipline of studying and Refers to specific beliefs
understanding ideal or attitudes that people
human behavior and have or to describe acts
ideal ways of thinking. that people perform.
Can be used interchangeably.

9
 DESCRIPTIVE NORMATIVE
Reports how people, Often done in philosophy
particularly groups, make or moral theology;
their moral valuation prescribes what we ought
without making nay to maintain as our
judgment either for or standards or bases for
against these valuations. moral valuation.
Philosophical discussion of ethics engages in a
critical consideration of the strengths and
weaknesses of these theories.

10
 MORA
ISSUEJUDGMENT

L
DECISION DILEMMA

11
MORAL
ISSUE
Often used to refer to those particular situations
that are often the source of considerable and
inconclusive debate

Capital
punishment?
Euthanasia?

12
MORAL DECISION
When one is placed in a situation and confronted
by the choice of what to act or to perform

What should I
do?

13
MORAL
JUDGMENT
When a person is an observer who makes an
assessment on the actions or behavior of
someone

Is what she did

right or wrong?

14
MORAL DILEMMA
When an individual can choose only one from a
number of possible actions, and there are
compelling ethical reasons for various choices.

Does the end

justify the
means?

15
REASONING
What reasons do we -fear of punishment
give to decide or to - Desire for reward
judge that a certain way
of acting is either right
or wrong?

16
PRINCIPLES
Rationally established
grounds by which one
justifies and maintains
her moral decisions and
judgments.

17
MORAL THEORY
Systematic attempt to
establish the validity of
maintaining certain moral
principles.

18
FRAMEWORK
✓ Theory of
interconnected
ideas, and at the
same time, a
structure through
which we can
evaluate our reasons
for valuing certain
decision or
judgment.

19
PLATO (427-347 BCE)
The Apology of Socrates (written
by Plato)- Socrates makes the claim
that it is the greatest good for a
person to spend time thinking about
and discussing with others these
questions on goodness and values.

20
SOURCES OF
AUTHORITY
✓ Law
✓ Religion
✓ Culture

21
 LAW
It is supposed that law is one’s guide to ethical behavior.

POSITIVE LAW- refers to the different rules and regulations that are posited or put forward
by an authority figure that require compliance.

Can one simply identify ethics with law?

 Prohibitive nature of law- cannot tell us what to pursue, only what to avoid
 There are things that are not forbidden by law, but are ethically questionable.

Ethics does not simply identify with obedience to the law.

22
 RELIGION
DIVINE COMMAND THEORY- one is obliged to obey her God in all things.

There is a strong inclination in us to refer to our religious

background to back up our moral valuations.

 Not simply prohibitive, but it also provides ideals to pursue.

 Has the advantage or providing us with not only a set of commands but also a
Supreme Authority that can inspire and compel our obedience in a way that
nothing else can.

PROBLEMS:
 Multiplicity of religions
 Conceptual problem

23
 CULTURE
CULTURAL RELATIVISM- what is ethically acceptable and unacceptable is relative
to, or that is to say, dependent on one’s culture.

DIFFICULTIES according to JAMES RACHELS:

 Reality of difference
 We are in no position to render any kind of judgment on the practices of
other culture.
 We are in no position to render any kind of judgment on the practices
even of our own culture.
 Presumption of culture as a single, clearly-defined substance

RESOLUTION:
Jus Cogens- preemptory norm of International Law which cannot be
derogated upon unless by another or subsequent preemptory norm.

24
 1
1
SU
BJ
EC
TI
V
IS
M

22
PS
Y
C
H
O
LO
G
IC
A
L
EG
O
IS
M
SENSES OF THE SELF

33

ET
H
IC
A
L
EG
O
IS
M
25
SUBJECTIVISM
It is the recognition that
the individual thinking
person is at the heart of all
moral valuations.
Individual is the sole  We can be mistaken
determinant of what is  Many experiences are
morally good or bad, right common
or wrong.
 Immunity from criticism
and correction
26
PSYCHOLOGICAL EGOISM
A theory that describes the The ego or self has its STRONG POINTS:
underlying dynamic desires and interests, and  Simplicity
behind all human actions all our actions are geared  Plausibility
toward satisfying these
 Irrefutable
interests.

27
ETHICAL EGOISM
Prescribes that we should
make our own ends, but
we should do that only if it
ultimately benefits us.
Imposition of a will to
power that is potentially
destructive both the self
and of others.
28