ETHICS Lesson 1

Ethics and Morality
 Both deal with the goodness or badness, rightness or

wrongness of the human act or human conduct
 In Ethics we study specifically morality
 Morality gives Ethics a particular perspective of what
to study about
 Morality provides with a quality that determines and
distinguishes right conduct from wrong conduct
(Sambajon 2007:7)
Ethics: a Philosophy of Action
 The learning of Ethics does not actually guarantee
morality on the part of the person’s concrete and
practical conduct of behaviour
 Ethics is the theory that provides certain principles
and guidelines as to what is good and bad, right and
wrong in human conduct, it is morality which
actualizes the theory.
 Hence both Ethics and Morality complement each
other – as Ethics outlines theories of right and wrong,
morality translates these theories into real actions.
Ethics: A Practical Discipline
 Should be shown as a discipline which has an intimate
connection with the daily lives of man
 It must be something more than the presentation of
exacting moral theories, a proper interaction between
knowledge and practice.
 It could become the most basic and fundamental
motive behind one’s day to day conduct (Christian
ethics)
Importance of Studying Ethics
 It is indispensable in the living of life which is “truly
human” for without moral perception, man is only an
animal – “without morality man as a rational being is
a failure” (Agapay 1991:3)
 Human faces several ethical choices in the course of
their lives – big or small choices and decisions made
affect the kind of life to a considerable extent
 Making moral decisions is oftentimes difficult – Ethics
can provide us with certain moral paradigms or
perspective that will guide us in determining what is
right and what is wrong under such condition.
 Enables us to reason out our moral beliefs and why we
hold them. – by critically examining the ground and
foundation of our moral beliefs and claims, whether
they are valid or not.
 Aids us to widen our horizon as to what is good and
bad – allow us to broaden our understanding and make
us appreciate the richness and diversity of ethical views
held by various thinkers
 Not only of instrumental value but also valuable in its
own right – knowing the good is good in itself though
doing the good is even much better than “just
knowing” the good.
 Deepens our reflection on the ultimate questions of
life. (What is life and what it means to be truly
human?)
 “ An unexamined life is not worth living”- Socrates

Ethics and Law
 Ethical rules are necessary even if we have the laws

since legality is not identical with morality –
(sometimes what is legal is not always moral; what is
moral is not always legal)
 Laws are only concerned with actions that are usually
“public” ( actions that often harmed those around us)
It goes beyond the concern and parameters of law – it
include human motivations in its investigation.
(thoughts and feelings are included and subject them
to moral analysis and evaluation)
Laws are the product of a collective agreement
decided by a majority vote (What is right is right
although no one is doing it. Wrong is wrong even if
everyone is doing it)
Ethics serves as the very foundation of our laws
Ethics and Religion
Ethics solely relies on natural
reason, logic and experience
Religion relies primarily and mainly
on supernatural reason (divine
revelation or divine authority)
What is Ethics
Practical science of the morality of human act or
conduct and of the good life.
Body of knowledge systematically arranged and
presented in a manner that it arrives at its conclusions
coherently and logically
A branch of Philosophy known as Moral Philosophy
that deals with how we ought to live .
A Philosophical discipline that deals with the ultimate
principles and truth concerning the morality of
human conduct using human reason and experience
Material Objects of Ethics
Human Act or Human conduct –
refers to the act that is done by a
human person which he/she is
conscious of, which proceeds from
one’s deliberation and freewill, and
thus which one is held morally
responsible.
Formal Object of Ethics
Morality of the moral rectitude of
human act or human conduct –
deals with the human person’s right
conduct whether his/her actions
conform to right reason which is the
immediate norm of morality
Division of Ethics
General Ethics – considered as the basic course which
mainly deals with the morality of human acts and the
specific determinants of morality
Special or Applied Ethics – essentially applies the
specific and fundamental norms and principles of
General Ethics in various specific areas of human life
and activity
Kinds of Valuation and types of Norms
Technical norm – refers to man’s needs which come
from his bodily space-time limitations
Societal norm – something to do with the need for
group cohesion and for strengthening the bonds that
keep the community together.
Aesthetic norm – refers to typical perceptual forms
regarding colour, shape space, movement etc.
Ethical or Moral norm – refers to
some ideal vision of a human
person which serves as the
ultimate goal and norm.
Characteristics of Moral Principles
1. Reasonability
2. Impartiality
3. Prescriptivity
4. Overridingness
5. Autonomous from arbitrary authority
6. Publicity
7. Practicability
8. Universalizability

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Ethics and Morality

 Both deal with the goodness or badness, rightness or

 “ An unexamined life is not worth living”- Socrates

 Ethical rules are necessary even if we have the laws

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