THE MORAL AGENT:

DEVELOPING VIRTUE
AS HABIT
CHAPTER 5
Values or Good Moral Values
Latin word ‘VALERE’ which means to be worth of
guides you how to live and act
helps you to decide what is right and wrong
values practiced habitually virtues

“Value means primarily, to price, to esteem, to appraise, to estimate. It

means the act of cherishing something holding it clear and also, act of
passing judgment upon the nature and amount of its value as compared
with something else”- John Dewey
A. HUMAN VALUES
A. HUMAN VALUES

A. HUMAN VALUES
virtues that guides us on 04
how we treat other
people
gives the effect of bonding, comforting and
reassuring 05

“Do not do unto others what you

03 would not want others to do unto
you.”- Confucius
A. HUMAN VALUES

1. Types of Human Values

Some important human values includes:

sanctity of human life

peace
human dignity
A. HUMAN VALUES

Moral Values
help us distinguish between what's right and wrong, good or bad for you as
well as society
principles that govern our lives and beliefs that make us realize the
importance of life, the goals that we want to attain or accomplish in life
values are anything that motivates people which they really care about
integrity honesty
determination respect
loyalty
truthfulness
A. HUMAN VALUES

2 Types of Moral Values

(Kathy Slattengren,2018)

a. Acceptance
b. Compassion
c. Courage
d. Equality
e. Fairness
f. Generosity
g. Honesty
A. HUMAN VALUES

2 Types of Moral Values

(Kathy Slattengren,2018)

h. Integrity
i. Kindness
j. Perseverance
k. Politeness
l. Respect
m. Responsibility
n. Self-control
A. HUMAN VALUES

3 Formation of Moral Values

It may derive from society and government, religion and self
One acts relative to the extent significance that he/she may
draw from them
A. HUMAN VALUES

4 Virtue and Its Formation

acquisition of the true knowledge in the mind which is the
"good". Knowing and practicing virtue is knowledge to one's self.
The following are some of the principal virtues that one can
acquire to truly live a good life.

a. Cardinal Virtues b. Theological Virtues

Prudence Faith
Justice Hope
Temperature Charity
Fortitude
A. HUMAN VALUES

5 Moral Character and Its

Formation
An approach counting among its proponents Plato, Aristotle,
Augustine and Aquinas-is the conviction that ethics is fundamentally
related to what kind of persons we are.

On the assumption that what kind of person one is constituted by

one's character, the link between moral character and virtue is clear.
A. HUMAN VALUES

6 Formation of Moral Character

formed by one's actions. Because human beings are body/soul
unities, actions of the body are actions of the self, that is,
human beings are self-possessing, self-governing, and self-
determining.
Character and action are intertwined so intimately that one's
professional duties, or even what is perceived by others as one's
duties, cannot override one's conscience without negatively
affecting (and changing) one's character.
A. HUMAN VALUES

7 Moral Development
occurs as we grow and helps us choose between right and wrong
Theory of Lawrence Kohlberg states that the moral development of
most people begins with a desire to avoid personal punishment and
may evolve over time to a desire to make the world a better and more
just place for all people.
Moral decision is relative to actual experiences that we are confronted
with particularly on moral issues that we encounter in our lives.
B. Stages of Moral
Development
B. Stages of Moral Development
Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development (1958)
a comprehensive stage theory of moral development based on

Statement
Jean Piaget’s theory of moral judgement for children (1932)
Focuses on the thinking process that occurs when one decides
whether a behavior is right or wrong.
Heinz's wife was dying from a particular type of cancer. Doctors said
a new drug might save her. The drug had been discovered by a local
chemist, and Heinz tried desperately to buy some, but the chemist
was charging ten times the money it cost to make the drug, and
this was much more than Heinz could afford.
Statement
Heinz could only raise half the money, even after help from family
and friends. He explained to the chemist that his wife was dying
and asked if he could have the drug cheaper or pay the rest of the
money later.
The chemist refused, saying that he had discovered the drug and was
going to make money from it. The husband was desperate to save his
wife, so later that night he broke into the chemist's and stole the drug.

Questions:
Statement
1. Should Heinz have stolen the drug?
2. Would it change anything if Heinz did not love his wife?
3. What if the person dying was a stranger, would it make any difference?
4. Should the police arrest the chemist for murder if the woman died?
C. Kohlberg's of Moral
Development
C. Kohlberg's of Moral Development

LEVEL 1: PRE-CONVENTIONAL
- child’s sense of morality is based externally

Stage 1: OBEDIENCE AND PUNISHMENT ORIENTATION

- this stage focuses on a child's desire to obey rules and avoid being
punished.

Stage 2: INSTRUMENT ORIENTATION

- this stage shows a limited interest in the needs of others, only to the
point where it might further the individual's own interests
C. Kohlberg's of Moral Development

LEVEL 2: CONVENTIONAL
- this level is where a child's sense of morality is tied to personal and
societal relationships

Stage 3: GOOD BOY, NICE GIRL ORIENTATION

- this stage is when children wants the approval of others to avoid

disapproval.

Stage 4: LAW-AND-ORDER ORIENTATION

- rules are seen as being the same for everyone, and obeying rules by
doing what one is "supposed" to do is seen as valuable and important.
C. Kohlberg's of Moral Development

LEVEL 3: POST-CONVENTIONAL
- a person's sense of morality is defined in terms of more abstract
principles and values.
Stage 5: SOCIAL-CONTRACT ORIENTATION
- The world is viewed as holding different opinions, rights, and values.
Whereas, the laws are regarded as social contracts rather than rigid
edicts and Democratic government is theoretically based on stage five
reasoning.
Stage 6: UNIVERSAL-ETHICAL-PRINCIPLE ORIENTATION
- This is moral reasoning that based on abstract reasoning using
universal ethical principles.
D. Conscience-based
Moral Decision
D. Conscience-Based Moral Decision

D. CONSCIENCE-BASED MORAL DECISION

- conscience dictates our moral decisions
Conscience
- derived from latin word cum alia scientia, which means application of
knowledge
- act of reason to determine if the act is good or evil
- act of practical moral judgement leading to execution of good acts
and avoidance of evil
- not always right
D. Conscience-Based Moral Decision

Moral Conscience
- judgement to an action leading to a man’s ultimate end based on
personal knowledge to an action, its end, and circumstances
E. Circular Relation of
Acts and Character
E. Circular Relation of Acts and Character

Character
- developed through time—through experiences
- what we are, it is inside of us
- qualities and traits of a person such honesty, integrity, and confidence
Human Acts
- what an agent performs
Human Acts
- what an agent performs
E. Circular Relation of Acts and Character

1. Acts that Build Character

- every acts builds who we are
- ex. If you are sticking on time you may be regarded as a punctual
person

2. Acts that Emanate from Character

- acts are manifestation of who we are
- ex. A honest person won’t cheat during exams