Lesson 1
Ethics – practice of questioning, identifying, and defending our beliefs, principles...
Ontology – philosophy study about existence
Proper cohesion - direction
Martin Heidegger (German Philosopher) – Born: September 26, 1889, Died: May 26, 1976
“What is philosophy? With this question we are touching on a theme which is very broad, that is
widespread, it is indefinite.”
Heidegger’s reflection is an open “path” that is certainly not the only one. A path that
springs from truth which allow us to pose and answer the question.
First way – obviously asking in the way we are obviously taking a stand
above and therefore, outside of philosophy.
Second way – aims to enter into philosophy, to tarry in it, to conduct
ourselves in its manner, that is, to “philosophize”.
Greek word: philosophia goes back to the word philosophos. It is presumably coined by Heraclitus
– “…river twice…not the same man…”
Aner philosophos is not a “philosophical” man; is hos philei to sophon, he who loves the sophon.
Sophon = wisdom
Philein
Philos or Philia = Love
Sophia = Wisdom
Providing justice by ensuring the well-being of all the people; means giving to the other what is due to
him
Harmonia – distinctive feature of philein, “of loving” in the Heraclitean sense.
Roque J. Ferriols, S.J. –
“Padre Roque”, “we shall not begin with a definition of philosophy”…”philosophizing is
something which is easier to do than to define”
Fr. Ferriols, introduces us to the act of philosophizing by discussing insight as seeing with the
mind and the many ways of doing something with the insight.
Different kinds of inquiry
Common sense – shared beliefs and practices
Scientific – consummatory experience
Philosophical - goes beyong; the coherence quality, ‘sense’ of human life itself
“The act of questioning, of wanting to know, is the initiation to philosophy”, says John F. Kavanaugh,
S.J… fundamental question is none other than the self.
Socrates = Ang buhay na hindi sinasaliksik ay hindi buhay tao
Manuel Dy, says that philosophizing is also related to justice; justice requires philosophy
Karl jasper (three source of philosophizing)
Wonder – Socrates believed that knowledge begins in this human experience
Doubt – state of indecision or hesitancy; unsure of its not something outside
Boundary situations – potential for self-realization of existence
Gabriel Marcel adds metaphysical uneasiness
Metaphysical uneasiness is to be distinguished from mere curiosity.
Lesson 2
‘Ethike’ at ‘ethos’
Sa Griyego, ethike, na nakaugat sa ethos: "Ugali" o "nakaugaliang pamamalakad sa
buhay" .Madalas gamitin ang katagang "moral" o "moraliadad", dalawang kataga na katumbas ng
"maka-etika" at "etika". Galing sa Latin mos, moris (ethos) at morale, moralitas (ethike).
Marangal o di marangal
Makahulugan o kabaliwan
Magandang loob o masamang loob
“Man is capable of weigihing things in his/her life and in other people”
Morality – grounded on human rationality and common biological nature; defining what makes us
human.
Uri ng moralidad
Kantiano – etika ng sariling paningin
o “tahasang utos”
Neo-kantiano – sariling likhang kahulugan
o Hindi tinatanggap ang tahasang utos
Ang totaletaryong moralidad ng ilang estado – gobyerno
o Kapangyarihan sa anumang lipunan
Positibismong maka estadistika – Ethics of the majority
o Wasto ng karamihan
Ley Natural
Dito ay nakikita ang using uri ng pagdanas sa kalikasan
Telos [‘telas’] noun – the highest purpose
o Ancient greek term for an end, fulfilment, completion, goal or aim;
o Ang telos ng tao ay lumilitaw at umiiral sa kanyang pagmamalay bilangh
isang palaging nandoon at palaging tumutulak sa kanya na pagnanais
lumigaya.
Kaligayahan = aliw ng laman
Kaligayahan = kwarta at ari-arian
Kaligayahan = puri ng tao
Ang tunay na kaligayahan ng tao ay walang hanggang paghahanap sa kabutihan at katotohanan
kasama ang iba.
When we are in search for what is good and true, we are living an authentic life and meaningful life.
Lesson 3
Moral Dilemma – have difficulty in choosing alternatives
Obligatory moral dilemma – options are all good (ethical options)
Prohibitive moral dilemma – options are all evil
Moral Issue – with moral standard violations
9 checkpoints for Ethical Decision-Making (Rushworth M. Kidder)
1. Recognize that there is a moral issue – need moral issue
2. Determine the actor – who is responsible?
3. Gather relevant facts –understanding the facts
4. Test for right versus wrong issues;
Legal Test – law-breaking test
Stench Test – moral principle based test
Front Page Test – what would be the outcomes?
Mum Test – putting yourself in the shoe of other (Golden Rule)
5. Test for right vs. right paradigms
Truth vs. Loyalty
Individual vs. Community
Short-term vs. Long-term
Justice vs. Mercy
6. Apply the resolution principles
Ends based – “Utilitarianism”; the greatest good for the greatest number
Rules based – “Categorical Imperative”; stick to your principles and let the chips
fall…
Care based – “Golden Rule”; do unto others as you would have them do unto you
7. Investigate the “trilemma” options
8. Make the decision
9. Revisit and reflect on the decision
Tools for Ethical Decision-Making (Antonnette Palma-Angeles)
1. Facts
2. Stakeholders
3. Values
4. Options
5. Consequences
Moral freedom – ability to do good and good only
“You are never free when you do evil”
The two very important faculties;
1. Will – to choose and possess the good
2. Intellect – to know the good as truth
Truth – conformity with the reality
Education
Habit or constant practice
Grace of God
Responsibility – equated with freedom; as rational beings, with the capacity to know and choose
good – is to do good.
1. Role Responsibility – duties
2. Casual Responsibility – cause something to happen
3. Liability Responsibility – liable for
4. Capacity Responsibility – to be held
Freedom and reasons
Human actions do not happen simply by instincts
Human actions do not happen simply by chance or necessity
Jean-Paul Sartre – “man is condemned to be free”
Freedom is existence, and in it existence precedes essence
1. Freedom from = society
2. Freedom to = do what we want
3. Freedom to be = who we were meant
“Everything is a Choice”
Lesson 5
Culture
- way of life of group of people, underpinned by adaptation to a common environment…
(Tangwa,2003)
- The integrated pattern of human knowledge, beliefs and behaviours…(Taylor quoted in
Palipis,2007)
Fundamental Characteristics of Culture
1. Culture is rooted from the collective “Human Experience”.
2. Culture is always transmitted, shared or acquired through learning.
3. Culture satisfies human needs as a social being.
4. Culture tends towards the participation of the members of the society.
“Ethics may be culturally dependent; however. Tangwa (2005), suggest cultures to be ethics
dependent.”
- Human Ego-centrism naturally leads individuals to perceive their own culture as the
culture.
- One culture differs from another meaning it attaches to various kinds of experience, in its
image of the accomplished man…(Harper and Row, 1970)
- No human culture or community is perfect.
- Cultures qua cultures can be said to be equal in the same sense…
- Critical Awareness can lead us to the realization that ‘objective reality’ is multi-colored.
Morality
Based on human rationality, not on any specialized knowledge and it is uncompromising in its
demands…
Moral Reason
Always a good and sufficient justification for changing or abolishing a law…
Garrote (GomBurZa, 1872)
Firing Squad (Rizal, 1896)
Electrocution (1926)
Firing Squad (1970’s under Marcos)
Abolishment of Death penalty (1987 constitution under Aquino)
Reinstatement of Death penalty (1993 R.A. 7659 under Ramos)
Lethal injection (1994 R.A. 8177; Echagaray, 1999 under Estrada)
De facto moratorium on executions (2000 under Estrada)
Lifting of de facto moratorium (2003 under Arroyo)
An Act prohibiting the Imposition of Death penalty in the Philippines (R.A. 9346, 2006 under
Arroyo)
Moral Development
a process through which a human person gains his or her beliefs, skills…(Pekarsky,1998)
Why study culture and morality?
1. Openness – will lead to connectivity
2. Understanding – will lead to mastery of the self
3. Respect – will lead to mutual and harmonious relationship
4. Perspective – will lead to deeper appreciation of what it means to be in a society
