DAY 1 the action itself, not because the product of the

action is good.
ETHICS 3. Teleological Ethics - From a teleological
standpoint, stealing, for example, would be
- A branch of philosophy that consists of the
deemed right or wrong depending on the
fundamental issues of practical decision
consequences. The motive alone would have
making, and its major concerns on the nature
nothing to do with the rightness or wrongness of
of ultimate value and the standards by which
the act.
human actions can be judged as right or
wrong. According to Socrates, people will naturally do what is
- It is concerned with knowing what is right and good provided that they know what is right, and that
wrong. evil or bad actions are purely the result of ignorance.
- Greek word “ethos” which means character
- It deals with norms or standards of right and
wrong applicable to human behavior. MORALITY
- These are rules imposed by anyone or a
group - Refers to the extent to which an action is
considered right or wrong.
AIMS OF ETHICS: - It concerns the recognition of the inherent
a) It addresses questions about morality values of people (culture and religion). A
b) Identifies the standards of making moral value that is not reducible to how others benefit
judgments us.
c) Clarifying the meaning of moral judgments - These are rules not imposed by anyone, it is
d) seeks to understand the basis of morals, how how we view what is right or wrong.
they develop and how they are and should be KINDS OF MORALS
followed
1. Moral Standards – refers to norms (rules and
BRANCHES OF ETHICS: values) about the types of actions which are
1. Descriptive Ethics - form of empirical morally acceptable.
research into the attitudes of individuals or - the rules people have about the kinds
groups of people. In other words, this is the of actions they believe are morally
division of philosophical or general ethics right, as well as the values they place
that involves the observation of the moral on the kinds of objects they believe are
decision-making process with the goal of morally good.
describing the phenomenon 2. Non-Moral Standards – norms that are
2. Normative Ethics - concerned with criteria of unrelated to moral or ethical considerations
what is morally right and wrong. It includes such as etiquettes, fashion standards, rules in
the formulation of moral rules that have direct the game, etc. A non-moral act or action is not
implications for what human actions, institutions, subject to moral judgment because morality
and ways of life should be like. is not taken into consideration (e.g., clothes
3. Meta Ethics - is the branch of ethics that seeks you wear).
to understand the nature of ethical properties, 3. Immoral Standards – the intent of evilness or
statements, attitudes, and judgments. wrongdoing, a person or behavior that
4. Applied Ethics - devoted to the treatment of conscientiously goes against accepted
moral problems, practices, and policies in morals or the proper ideas and beliefs about
personal life, professions, technology, and how to behave in a way that is considered right
government. and good by most people.
4. Unmoral Standards – no moral perception
FRAMEWORKS/THEORIES: and not influenced or guided by moral
considerations. Nonhuman or inanimate
1. Virtue Ethics - defines good actions as ones
things incapable of understanding right and
that display embody virtuous character
wrong (e.g., rain, river, and trees).
traits, like courage, loyalty, or wisdom. A
5. Amoral Standards – having or showing no
virtue itself is a disposition to act, think and feel
concern about whether behavior is morally right
in certain ways.
or wrong – compendiously, “without morals”
2. Deontological Ethics - an action is considered
(e.g., infant, person with mental illness).
morally good because of some characteristic of
IMPORTANCE OF MORALS/RULES CONTINUOUS PROCESS

a) It regulates unwanted or harmful behavior - every experience demands thinking and

and to encourage wanted or beneficial decision-making and there can be no universal
behavior in society. formula to solve every moral dilemma.
b) Dictated by the values of the culture regarding
what is viewed as acceptable or unacceptable MORAL IDEALS
for individuals in society. - pertain to what are believed to constitute a life
c) A prescribed guide for conduct or action that is worthy of humans which are products of
useful in guiding and monitoring the interactions generations of shaping via our tradition and
of humans in a society. which come to the fore as summoned by
d) Prevent chaos and encourage uniformity. experience
e) Encourages order to make members of society
feel comfortable, secure, and safe. ACTION-ORIENTED

- in the face of a moral situation, we feel

compelled to respond and to respond personally
DAY 2 right away.
MORAL EXPERIENCE - We become good not because we believe in
being good or because our parents are but
- An experience of moral value such that one’s because we choose what is good and to be
moral consciousness comes to work as one is good in thought and in action.
called to make a moral response.
- Whatever affects a person can be called an
‘experience’. It can be an emotion like love or MORAL PRINCIPLES
hatred.
- Any experience leaves behind an impression or - a fixed set of rules that ignores the
memory. The totality of such experiences complexities of the situation and fails to
contributes to the formation of human adapt one’s behavior to changing
personality. circumstances
- general sense of what ought to be done
MORAL CONSCIOUSNESS - can be regarded as statements picking out
- Whether it’s the arousal of moral those factors of situations that can be
appealed to as moral reasons
consciousness that results in the
concurrence of moral experience or the
reverse, is hardly the point at issue here.
- is about a knowledge of right and wrong, of DILEMMAS
good and evil.
- experiences where an agent is confused
MORAL VALUES about the right decision to make because
there are several competing values that are
- the quality of something being good or bad, right seemingly important and urgent
or wrong, and just or unjust
- differs from other types of values because it PERSONAL DILEMMA
demands for a response, it involves moral
- extremely difficult situation for someone to
responsibility, and it defines both the action
handle
and the human agent
- it can be moral or non-moral
- guidelines that assist a person in deciding
between right and wrong MORAL DILEMMA
MORAL DEFINITIONS - difficult moral problems that raise hard moral
questions
- either we are drawn towards an action because
- it occurs when one moral reason conflicts with
of the good that we sense in it, or we sense the
good because of our own value or that another
‘goodness’ that is in us
 FEATURES: - The worse the punishment, the worse the act is
perceived to be.
- agent is required to do each of two or more
actions Stage 2: Instrumentalist-Relativist Orientation
- agent can do each of the actions, but they
cannot do both or all the actions are at the - Right behavior is defined as acts that is
same time acceptable and approved by the self, and that
- agent seems condemned to moral failure satisfies one’s needs or best interest.

MORAL ACTIONS
CONVENTIONAL (9 – 13 YEARS OLD):
- for an action to be morally good, all three
determinates must be complete and a lack in - Continue to follow rules for is it necessary to
any of them, will, at least in a qualified way, ensure positive interpersonal relationships
make the morality of the act to be bad and society order.
a) Object of the act – refers to the objective moral
character of the act (e.g., murder is objectively Stage 3: Interpersonal Concordance (Good boy, Nice
wrong because it messes with reality and social Girl Orientation)
order
- Right behavior is based on actions that are
b) Intention of the act – the purpose or motive of
approved by others/society.
the act, the ends should always justify the
- Emphasis is placed on good behavior and
means. All intentions should be in conformity
to the objective truth. people being nice to others.
c) Circumstance of the act – the Stage 4: Law and Order Orientation
conditions/elements of the act (time and date)
that will modify its morality. The who, what, - Right behavior is defined as acts that conforms
when, and where of actions are bearing on the to the rules set by society or authority figure.
goodness or badness of the action because they - Individual feels duty bound to maintain social
can increase or decrease the degree of order or conscious of what others say.
goodness or evil in the act.
POST-CONVENTIONAL (13 y/o onwards):

- Morality is defined in terms of abstract

MORAL DEVELOPMENT principles and values. People now believe that
some laws are unjust and should be changed.
- An important part of the socialization process
- There is flexibility in accepting rules for an
- It prevents people form acting on unchecked
individual develops their own ethical
urges, instead considering what is right for principles that includes basic human rights as
society and good for others. life, liberty, and justice.
KOHLBERG’S STAGES OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT Stage 5: Social-Contract Orientation
- Developed by Lawrence Kohlberg - It is wrong to violate the rights of other
- To focus on understanding the development of people.
morality throughout life. - Laws are regarded as social contracts that
- He used the idea of moral dilemma to expand should promote the greatest good for the
cognitive development. greatest number of people.
PRE-CONVENTIONAL (BIRTH – 9 YEARS OLD): Stage 6: Universal-Ethics Orientation
- Authority figures give reinforcement - Right behavior is based on universal principles
(punishment or reward) and are obeyed for such as justice and equality.
self-preservation. - Laws are valid if they are grounded on justice.
- Morality is externally controlled. - Trust is the basis of relationship.
Stage 1: Punishment and Obedience Orientation

- Right or wrong is decided based on what action GILIGAN’S THEORY OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT
is punished.
- The child obeys to avoid punishment. - Developed by Carol Giligan

POST-CONVENTIONAL (BIRTH – 9 YEARS OLD):

 - Known as ‘Orientation of Individual Survival morality is bringing moral order to one’s own action and
Transition’ will.
- Concentrates on what is best for self (Self-
Principles: rules about how to act
Preservation)
- Selfish but dependent on others 1. Moral thought is that good should be
pursued, and evil avoided. Golden rule, “Do
Transition 1: Selfishness to Responsibility
unto others as you would have them unto
- Recognizes connection to others. you”
- Makes more responsible choices in terms of 2. Moral thought should aim towards six basic
self and others. human goods:
a) Life
CONVENTIONAL (9– 13 YEARS OLD): b) Knowledge
c) Friendship
- Known as ‘Goodness and Self-Sacrifice d) Marriage
Orientation e) Religion; and
- Puts needs of others ahead of own (self- f) Practical reason
sacrifice)
- Feels responsible for others, and becomes Four Virtues: traits which are taken to be good or moral
more independent. to have

Transition 2: Goodness to Truth 1. Prudence – doing the right thing at the right
time, at the right place, and in the right manner.
- Decisions based on intentions, consequences 2. Temperance – denotes moderation of desires
and needs of self and others and physical pleasures such as eating, drinking,
etc.
POST-CONVENTIONAL (13 y/o onwards):
3. Courage – desire to do actions that are difficult
- Known as ‘Morality of Non-violence’ to attain or avoid, act of restraining fear to do
- Self and others as morally equal (to harm actions rightly.
other people is to harm the self) 4. Justice – disposition to give other what they are
- Right behavior is not dependent on the entitled (rights) which serves as a guide in
perception of other people, but on the interacting with other people and developing
consequence or intention of actions. relationships.

DAY 3 ARISTOTLE’S THEORY OF VIRTUE ETHICS

- Believes that human action is directed towards

VIRTUE ETHICS
the pursuit of the concept of Eudaemonia
- Believes in pursuing virtues or ideal character (supreme happiness) which could be achieve
traits rather than following a set of rules is what through Phronesis (practical wisdom) or Arete
makes us moral. Focusing on being good (virtue).
person will eventually lead to doing the right - Believes that virtues are dispositions that act to
actions. effectively perform one’s proper function in
- Concerned with the whole of a person’s life similar situations creating habits of behaving
in certain ways.

Virtues of Character
THOMAS AQUINA’S THEORY OF VIRTUE ETHICS
a) Generosity; and
- He believes that people need to identify b) Temperance
meaningful goals before they can act.
- He believes that the motive of an action is also Virtues of Thought
crucial, and two apparently identical acts may a) Wisdom
be right and wrong because of their motives. b) Intelligence; and
2 CONCEPTS: PRINCIPLE AND VIRTUE c) Comprehension

Purpose: to direct people towards the goal of human Doctrine of the Mean/Golden Mean
fulfilment or living a worthwhile life which means that
 - Moral behavior is the balance between the vices 2. Imperfect Duties – duties that do not always
of virtues (deficiency and excess), between need to be followed in one way or all the time
pleasure (excess) and pain (deficiency). for this is dependent on the rationality and
autonomy of an individual.
Virtue – is a state of character concerned with
choice, determined by a rational principle which means
that anybody who aspires to live a happy life must
endeavor to live a life of contemplation, reflection,
and search for balance.

Limitations – virtues are susceptible to change, there

is no definitive purpose as to what and where the end
will be and a reason why virtues are being developed.

Day 4
DEONTOLOGY (DUTY ETHICS)

- Concerned with the adherence to certain rules

or duties which means that the morality of an
action should be based on whether that action
is right or wrong under a series of rules.
- It is more concerned with what people do
(intent), not with the consequences of their
actions.

IMMANUEL KANT’S DUTY-BASED ETHICS

- Believed that ethical actions follow universal

moral laws which all human beings must
honor and be obligated to do for it is their duty
as moral agents.
- Believed that there was a supreme principle of
morality referred to as ‘Categorical Imperative’
which determines what moral duties are.

CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVES

- Commands that are intended to be the basis

of all the other rules which you should be doing
regardless of your interest and/or desire.
1. The Universalizability Principle – always act in
such a way that the maxim of your action should
become a universal law.
2. The Formula of Humanity – act so that you
treat humanity, both in your own person and in
that of another, always as an end and never
merely as means.

FUNDAMENTAL DUTIES

- Specific principles (maxims and moral laws) that

emphasizes morality requires the fulfillment
of moral duties and not on self-seeking
desires.
1. Perfect Duties – duties that do not allow
exceptions and are universal which means
that they apply to all rational beings despite
the consequences of the actions.