I.
GE 5
II. COURSE TITLE: Ethics
III. COUSE TYPE: Basic
IV. CREDIT UNITS: 3 Units
V. CONTACT HOURS: 54 hours
VI. PRE-REQUISITE: None
VII. CO-REQUISITES: None
VIII. COURSE DESCRIPTION:
• deals with principles of ethical behavior in modern society at
the level of the human person, society, and in interaction with
the environment and other shared resources. (CMO 20 s 2013)
• pertains to the standards of right and wrong that an individual
picks up from the community.
• discusses the context and principles of ethical behavior in
modern society at the level of individual, society, and in
interaction with the environment and other shared resources.
teaches students to make moral decisions by using dominant
moral frameworks and by applying a seven-step moral
reasoning model to analyze and solve moral dilemmas.
• organized according to the three main elements of the moral
experience: (a) agent, including context – cultural, communal,
and environment; (b) the act; (c) reason or framework (for the
act).
IX. COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the end of the term, the would be _________ (course) are
expected to:
a) differentiate between moral and non-moral problems;
b) describe what a moral experience is as it happens in different
levels of human existence;
c) explain the influence of Filipino culture on the way students look
at moral experiences and solve moral dilemmas;
d) describe the elements of moral development and moral
experience;
e) use ethical frameworks or principles to analyze moral
experiences;
f) make sound ethical judgments based on principles, facts, and the
stakeholders affected;
g) develop sensitivity to the common good; and
h) understand and internalize the principles of ethical behavior in
modern society at the level of the person, society, and in interaction
with environment and other shared resources.
I. Introduction: Key Concepts in Ethics.
Ethics – branch of Philosophy that studies morality or the
rightness or wrongness of human conduct.
Morality – speaks of code or system of behavior in
regards to standards of right or wrong behavior.
- A branch of philosophy that deals with human actions
and reasons for action
- It is also concerned with character; Gk. Ethos –
‘character’, or, in plural, ‘manners’.
- Also called ‘moral philosophy’, it evaluates moral
concepts, values, principles, and standards. It is
concerned with norms of human conduct that are
normative.
Ethos – includes cultural mannerisms,
religion, politics, laws and social
aspirations of a group of people
In our study – ethos- refers to those belonging
to man as a rational being.
What is the ethos of man?
1. Distinguish between good and evil
2. He feels an obligation to do what is good
3. He feels accountable for his actions.
Expects reward or punishment.
POST TRUTH
The book of Montemayor (1994) provides the following
definitions of Ethics:
1. practical science of the morality of human actions.
2. science of human acts with reference to right and wrong
3. scientific inquiry into the principles of morality.
4. study of the rectitude of human conduct
5. human conduct from the standpoint of morality.
6. science which lays down the principles of right living
7. practical science that guides us in our actions that we may
live rightly and well.
8. normative and practical science, based on reason, which
studies human conduct and provides norm for its natural
integrity and honesty.
9. Socrates, ethics is the investigation of life.
The definitions are similar. Speak of the field of
study of ethics as human conduct; and of the
investigation of such human conduct in terms of
its morality. The important terms are:
1. Science-systematic study or a system of
scientific conclusions clearly demonstrated,
derived from clearly established principles and
duly coordinated
2. Morality – the quality of human acts as right,
wrong or indifferent, moral immoral or amoral.
3. Human acts –acts done with knowledge,
freedom and free will or consent.
Related questions:
- What is good?
- Who is a moral person?
- What are the virtues of a human being?
- What makes an act right?
- What duties do we have to each other?
Clearly, ethics is identified with the concept of moral
standards/rules related to behavior. As a way of
introducing moral rules, let us discuss why rules are
important.
What is a rule?
Explicit or understood regulations/principles governing conduct
within a specific activity or sphere.
- reveals what is/is not allowed in a particular situation.
- serves as a foundation for any healthy society. Without rules,
society will fail.
1. Importance of Rules to Social Beings.
1. Protects social beings by regulating behavior.
It sets the limits/boundaries of behavior.
People follow them to avoid negative consequences
2. Help guarantee each person certain rights and freedom
Form frameworks for society – basis of laws
ex. Constitution
Governments cannot just suppress freedom
Rules on divisions of power
Checks and balances to protect freedom
3. Produce a sense of justice among social beings
- Needed to protect the weak from being
exploited by the strong. Generates a stable
system that provides justice, in which the
rich and powerful have limitations on what
they can do.
- If they violate rules and exploit the weak –
there are consequences both socially and
criminally.
4. Essential for a healthy economic system
Without it the business world will fail –
it will result to monopolies
Needed to ensure product
safety/quality, employee safety
Copyright and patents protect IPRs
Keeps the banking system stable to
avoid depression and the like
To SUM UP:
Rules are necessary to protect the common and the
greater GOOD.
Even the most free societies need rules to avoid
exploitation and tyranny
HOWEVER,
Not all rules are moral rules. That is not all
standards are moral standards
