GED 107: ETHICS .

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE, AND FINE ARTS

3RD SEMESTER A.Y. 2022 – 2023

MODULE 1 ➢ Non-moral standards - apply to laws

➢ Ethics or moral philosophy -described as which are not related to social or legal
the empirical study of moral decisions considerations. Perhaps these criteria are
- a discipline concerned with what is not inherently related to morality or, by their
morally good and evil, right and wrong very definition, lack of ethical sense.
- derived from the Greek word “ethos”
which may mean tradition, habit,
character, or attitude
➢ Ethics is a systematic analysis of the
nature of human actions.
- It is concerned about the correctness
and wrongness of the act.
- An act is deemed to be right or wrong,
based on the intent, circumstances, or
character of the act itself.
➢ Normative ethics - concerns human HOW MORAL STANDARDS ARE FORMED?
behavior in general, addresses our (1) the moral values or principles that we
questions about the essence of human conform with, in our rearing
behavior. (2) the character and manners that imbibed
- examine whether or not a particular with us by means of birthright
act should or should not be carried out (3) the religious values that our forefathers
➢ Two fields of normative ethics: moral taught us
philosophy and applied ethics or practical (4) the values we learned from school;
ethics. (5) the moral conduct, ways and habits of
- Moral philosophy deals with moral those people around us
ideas such as what human beings (6) the direct and implied cultural norms;
"must do or how human beings should (7) our life experiences
be." This also deals with our moral (8) our critical thinking in these experiences.
obligation, the meaning of the act, or
the purpose of the act.
- Applied ethics is a philosophy that
discusses strong and basic moral
issues linked to abortion.
➢ Meta-ethics - discipline that relies on
meaning. It is a science that is seeking to
address non-moral questions about
morality.
- questions about the nature of moral
statements, the purpose and
significance of moral facts, and
concerns about the interpretation and
justification of moral statements

DIFFERENCES OF MORAL AND

NON-MORAL STANDARDS
➢ Moral standards - guidelines we have on
the types of acts that we find to be morally
permissible and morally unacceptable.
- normally promote the common good
GED 107: ETHICS .

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE, AND FINE ARTS

3RD SEMESTER A.Y. 2022 – 2023

MODULE 2 organization of numerous activities

➢ Kvalnes (2019) -Moral dilemma is a generates a classic dilemma.
situation in which a decision maker must - The more complicated a task
give preference to one moral principle over structure, the more difficult it is to
another. sustain a centered, tightly coupled
- Dilemmas occur when, confronted with organization. When complexity grows,
a challenging situation, two or more of the company needs more complicated
that kind of values disagree with the and expensive management
understanding of the decision-maker, techniques. Laws, regulations, and
or when one assesses the moral directives need to be balanced by
option of another. lateral approaches.
➢ Self-inflicted dilemma- a moral dilemma ➢ Gap vs Overlap - When the main tasks are
may arise as a result of a prior personal not explicitly defined, the critical job will slip
mistake through gaps.
➢ Kurie & Albin (2007) - a moral dilemma is - In a similar manner, functions and
a situation in which people assume that activities can overlap, causing conflict,
they should morally do one thing and that wasting time, and unintended
they should morally do another thing, and duplication of responsibilities
occasionally a third thing or even a fourth ➢ Lack of Clarity vs. Lack of Creativity -
thing, but they're not doing any of these When employees are not clear about what
mutually contradictory choices together. they are expected to do, they often adapt
➢ Figar & Dordevic (2016) - situation their tasks to personal interests instead of
whereby a person has to make a decision. system-wide goals that often lead to
Among competing alternatives, which is the problems.
right (ethical) alternative and which is the - Yet when people 's duties are over
best? defined, they comply with their
positions and procedures in a
THREE LEVELS OF MORAL DILEMMAS bureaucratic manner. They specifically
➢ Organizational Ethical or Moral Dilemma follow job requirements as to how
- situation that causes an organization to much the service or product fails.
respond negatively or positively to an ➢ Excessive Autonomy vs. Excessive
ethical issue that affects staff, Interdependence - When individuals or
shareholders, and society, as well as groups are too independent, they are
corporate ethics and customers. always isolated. On the other hand, if the
- It includes also the leaders' ethical units and responsibilities are too closely
actions in preserving financial connected, people are absentminded from
reporting integrity work and waste time or excessive
➢ Individual Moral Dilemma - situation coordination.
where individuals confront a number of
factors such as peer pressure, personal
financial position, an economic and social
status which may influence all individual
ethical standards.
➢ Structural Moral Dilemma - selecting a
proper system of responsibilities and
relationships, which is a continuing
universal challenge.
Five Concepts in Structural
➢ Differentiation vs. Integration - conflict
between the distribution of jobs and the
GED 107: ETHICS .

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE, AND FINE ARTS

3RD SEMESTER A.Y. 2022 – 2023

MODULE 3 - In contrast, for Kant flexibility is

indispensable in imperfect duty. As a
KANT’S PHILOSOPHY ON FREEDOM human being, an individual can help
➢ Individuals have the right to choose one's the needy but still he or she cannot do
conduct based on reason, not desire. it all the time
- can be simplified to the definition of - Therefore, in perfect duty, it is a must
autonomy. to do what is good while imperfect
➢ Autonomy - derives from the Greek term, duty you do good but it is not an
which translates into self-legislator. obligation to do so.
➢ Individuals have to abide by the rules that ➢ Categorical Imperative and Hypothetical
they follow. Imperative - categorical imperative, the
➢ Individuals are independent from being action to be done does not depend on the
limited by the option of others to the extent result or desire or not conditioned by
that they may coexist with each other's desire.
freedom under universal rule. - however, in hypothetical imperative,
➢ Equality is the most among the various the basis of the action to be done is
freedoms and freedom is the only inherent what I want and the means to get it
power. ➢ Universalizability - when someone
- The three concepts of freedom are the commits a crime he or she will be punished
freedom of a human being as a regardless of social and economic
member of a state, the dignity of each standing. The law must be applicable to all.
person as a subject, and the freedom ➢ Humanity as an end itself - Kant pointed
of any member of the commonwealth out that a human intrinsic worth does not
as a resident. depend on something else, it does not
➢ Individuals have an autonomous right to depend on whether a person loves his or
be happy in their own way, and the her life or makes other people's lives better.
intervention of another's freedom means A human being lives so he or she has
forcing others to be happy value.

KANT’S PHILOSOPHY ON MORALITY KANT’S PHILOSOPHY ON JUSTICE &

➢ Goodwill and Duty - he described it as FAIRNESS
one of a kind because it is always good and ➢ Justice involves external acts through
maintains moral values. It is a moral which an individual may directly or
concept that freely seeks to use values for indirectly influence others.
moral reasons. ➢ Justice does not affect the desires,
- Kant added that that good will is more wishes, or needs of others
of a conception rather than obligation. ➢ Justice is concerned primarily with the
- A will that acts out of duty can be nature of interpersonal relationships and
defined as a will that overcomes the not with their substance.
obstacles to the protection of moral
law. It is not to say that actions carried TAXATION IN THE PHILIPPINES THE
out purely in compliance with duty are RULES EMBODIED UNDER THE LAW
pointless (they still merit praise and ➢ Taxation policy in the Philippines is
encouragement), but that extra regard regulated primarily by the Constitution of
is accorded to activities carried out on the Philippines and the three Republic Acts.
duty. ➢ Constitution: Article VI, Section 28 of the
➢ Perfect and Imperfect Duties - Perfect Constitution provides that "the rules of
duties for Kant is always true and it is more taxation shall be uniform and equal" and
important than imperfect duties that "a democratic system of taxation shall
be established by the Congress."
GED 107: ETHICS .

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE, AND FINE ARTS

3RD SEMESTER A.Y. 2022 – 2023

➢ National law National Internal Revenue MODULE 4

Code—enacted as Republic Act No. 8424 ➢ Kohak (1984) - Culture is at the root of
or the Tax Reform Act of 1997 and human alienation from the environment.
subsequent laws amending it; most - It's not just a compilation of artifacts
recently, the Law of the Republic No. 10963 but rather a reflection of people's
or the Law on Tax Reform for Acceleration preferences and appreciation of
and Inclusion was amended beauty.
➢ Local laws: the major sources of revenue - derived from the Latin word, “cultus”,
for local government units ( LGUs) are which means giving respect to the
taxes imposed under the Republic Act No. sacredness of all.
7160 or the Local Government Code of ➢ Cole (2019) - defined culture as a concept
1991 and those imposed on revenues that refers to a broad and diverse collection
levied under state law. of often intangible areas of social life.
➢ Taxes levied at national level are - consists of ideals, beliefs, language
collected by the Office of Internal Revenue systems, communication, and
( BIR), whereas those levied at local level behaviors that people have in common
are collected by the Office of Internal and that can be used to describe them
Revenue ( BIR). as a group.
- encompasses material objects which
are special to that community or
society
➢ Lederach (1995) - introduced culture as
the collective knowledge and schemes
generated by a group of people to perceive,
view, convey, and react to the social
realities around them.
➢ Zimmerman (2017)- culture as the
characteristics and awareness of a specific
community of people, including language,
religion, food, social behavior, etiquette,
fashion, music, and the arts.

INFLUENCES OF CULTURE IN MORAL

DEVELOPMENT
➢ Social and Communal - people
established and develop their relationships
with each other and learned from their
experiences with them in the community
- From that perspective then culture
influences the moral development of
the members of the community.
➢ Normative Principles and Behaviors -
From the relationship and experience of the
members of the community where the
community itself would be able to form
certain normative principles and behaviors
to be relayed and to be taught to the
members of that community.
- This scenario influences the culture of
that community in moral development.
GED 107: ETHICS .

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE, AND FINE ARTS

3RD SEMESTER A.Y. 2022 – 2023

➢ Restrictions and Boundaries - serve as everyone helps each other to make the
the guidelines for the members of the task easier without expecting in return.
community to behave accordingly, and if ➢ Values traditions and culture - They
not then they will be subject to the spent time on celebrations such as birthday
punishment or sanction embedded in their parties, reunions, festivals, etc
culture. ➢ Longest Christmas celebration - In the
- This shows that there will be an Philippines, Christmas songs started to
awareness of the moral development play in the malls, restaurants, respective
of the members of the community. homes from September and lasted until the
➢ Culture shapes the character and identity second week of January the next year.
of the people in the community through the ➢ Love art and architecture - The gigantic
norms, standards, rules, regulations, and tall buildings everywhere signify
and laws. If the community is traditional or Filipinos creativity in art and architecture.
modern in character then that is the way ➢ Hospitable - The visitors whether
the members of the community will learn foreigners or Filipinos are very much
and experience but of course, not all have welcome for the Filipinos during festivities
good implications. and even no occasions that when they
➢ Role of authorities - a system of arrive at the place, the Filipinos entertain
governance that they have the roles and them wholeheartedly
duties to play in the community and their
moral judgment is important in moral issues WEAKNESSES OF FILIPINO CHARACTER
in the community. ➢ Extreme Personalism - always try to give
- In the family, the parents have the an interpretation of the actions or they take
moral authority over their children things personally. They say thank you with
which is also essential for the moral "but"
development of the members of the ➢ Extreme Family Centeredness - T have
family as the parents are the first who very high family protection whether in good
have authority to their children, who or poor condition and circumstance
have taught and learned from them. (consentidor) (overprotected)
➢ Lack of Discipline - have a rather relaxed
CHARACTERISTICS OF FILIPINO CULTURE attitude, but bad time management (famous
➢ Resilient - Despite the negative experience Filipino time).
of the Filipinos particularly during calamities - They are impatient and unable to
and catastrophes, Filipinos able to manage postpone incentives or rewards. They
and handle a difficult situation lightly want to take shortcuts or the 'palusot'
➢ Take pride in their families - , whether scheme and are careless.
you are part of the immediate family or you ➢ Passivity and Lack of Initiative - They are
belong to the third and fourth generation strong at the beginning, but they have no
you are cherished as a family member. sense of consistency (sometimes no
➢ Religious - There are so many religions in direction at all or no strategy at all)
the Philippines, nowadays, different - Besides, they are too patient without
denominations and yet they value their any plan (matiisin) "Bahala na
beliefs. System'' at least we tried (paconsuelo)
➢ Respectful - Filipinos used po and opo, attitude.
words that are usually at the end of the ➢ Colonial Mentality - They appreciate too
sentences when addressing the elders; much other nationality and foreign products
pagmamano. than native ones (local vs imported)
➢ Help one another - Filipinos are known for - They even lack love and appreciation
their bayanihan or community spirit where for what they have.
GED 107: ETHICS .

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE, AND FINE ARTS

3RD SEMESTER A.Y. 2022 – 2023

- they have Open outside but Side-open MODULE 5

or Close inside character (it's ok and ➢ Cultural relativism - we do not judge a
best to receive more than to share) society by our own criteria of what is right
➢ Kanya-kanya Syndrome - have or wrong, odd or natural. Rather, we will
self-serving attitude that generates feeling make an effort to understand the cultural
of envy and competitiveness towards traditions of other communities in their own
others (status vs prestige) cultural context
➢ There is also a crab mentality attitude - tries to promote the understanding of
(Hilahan and Inggitan System) instead of cultural practices that are unfamiliar to
being happy with the accomplishments of other cultures such as eating insects,
others they try to pull them down. genocides or genital cutting.
➢ Lack of Self Analysis and Reflection - - moral theory that claims the idea of no
Filipinos are superficial and dreamy. They objective universal moral rules that
lack self-evaluation and reflection of the would apply to every culture and it
situation. varies depending on the culture of the
society

PROS AND CONS

Pros
➢ It creates learning opportunities that
could make humanity stronger
➢ It eliminates the concept of separate, but
equal.
➢ It creates a system of niche expertise -
There will no longer be a need to
strengthen the points of weakness since
the weakness of one individual is the
strength of another
➢ It encourages respect.
Cons
➢ There will be actions taken that would be
defined by some as “violent,” “unsafe,”
or “wrong.” - . Murder, robbery, child
abuse, all of these will become legally
viable acts if that person's morality
described them as being good.
➢ It is based on the concept that people are
perfect.
➢ It creates a personal bias.
➢ It eliminates the idea that reform or
change can be a good thing.
GED 107: ETHICS .

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE, AND FINE ARTS

3RD SEMESTER A.Y. 2022 – 2023

MODULE 6 UN CHARTER OF UNIVERSAL VALUES

➢ Universal Values - something has ➢ “All states reaffirmed certain fundamental
universal value because everyone finds it values as being essentials to international
important. relations in the twenty-first century”:
- it could have universal value when all freedom, equality, solidarity, tolerance,
people have reason to believe it has respect for nature and shared
value. responsibility.”
- connected with morality or ethics.
- Universal values, however, need to be BASIC UNIVERSAL HUMAN VALUES
socially expressed. ➢ Happiness – it refers to good fortune;
pleasure; contentment; joy
SCHWARTZ CONCEPT ➢ Peace – is a freedom from disturbance;
➢ Schwartz's results from a series of studies tranquility. It is a state or period in which
that included surveys of more than 25,000 there is no war or a war has ended
people in 44 countries with a wide range ➢ Freedom – is the state of being free or at
of different cultural types suggest that there liberty, freedom from control, interference,
are fifty-six specific universal values and obligation, restriction
ten types of universal value. ➢ Safety - is the state of being safe; freedom
Types of Universal Values from the occurrence or risk of injury,
➢ Power: authority; leadership; dominance, danger, or loss.
social power, wealth ➢ Intelligence – is a capacity for learning,
➢ Achievement: success; capability; reasoning, understanding, and similar
ambition; influence; intelligence; forms of mental activity; aptitude in
self-respect. grasping truths, relationships, facts,
➢ Hedonism: pleasure; enjoying life meanings, etc.
➢ Stimulation: daring activities; varied life; ➢ Respect - a formal expression or gesture of
exciting life greeting, esteem, or friendship
➢ Self-direction: creativity; freedom; ➢ Equality – is the state or quality of being
independence; curiosity; choosing your equal
own goals ➢ Justice – is the quality of being just;
➢ Universalism: broadmindedness; wisdom; righteousness, equitableness, or moral
social justice; equality; a world at peace; a rightness
world of beauty; unity with nature; ➢ Nature – is the material world, especially
protecting the environment; inner harmony as surrounding humankind and existing
➢ Benevolence: helpfulness; honesty; independently of human activities.
forgiveness; loyalty; responsibility; ➢ Health – is the general condition of the
friendship body or mind with reference to soundness
➢ Tradition: accepting one's portion in life; and vigor
humility; devoutness; respect for tradition;
moderation HUMAN DIGNITY
➢ Conformity: self-discipline; obedience ➢ Dignity - state or quality of being worthy of
➢ Security: cleanliness; family security; honor or respect
national security; stability of social order; ➢ It refers to bearing, conduct, or speech
reciprocation of favours; health; sense of indicative of self respect or appreciation of
belonging the formality or gravity of an occasion or
situation.
➢ Dignity is earned and cannot be taken
away from anyone. It must be preserved so
that the respect of others is maintained.