Korbel Foundation College, Inc.
Purok Spring, Brgy. Morales, City of Koronadal
Tel Number 877-2051/0228-1996
CHAPTER 2.2. THE PHILOSOPHICAL
BACKGROUND OF BUSINESS ETHICS
GOOD GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL
RESPONSIBILITIES
GGSR
Learning Objectives
At the end of this lesson
you will be able to:
• Differentiate deontological vs. teleological
approaches
• Define deontological ethics and
teleological ethics
• Understand the comparison of deontological and
teleological theories
• Know the Synderesis of man according to St. Thomas Aquinas
•Know the Freud’s Theory of the Id, Ego, and the Superego
•Know the Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development
•Know the two ethical systems
INTRODUCTION Content
Deontological the theory or study of moral obligation and
teleological it measures the morality of action. Moral sense is
native in all persons regardless of race, religion, culture
education, and creed. This presentation will be discuss
deontological, teleological ethics, moral sense and some
theories and philosopher that is under on moral. The process of
moral reasoning involves the use of metaphysical terminologies
that are best understood only in the light of philosophical
abstractions.
DEONTOLOGICAL VS.Content
TELEOLOGICAL APPROACH
Motives/ intentions, End
of the Actor
Non-
A Consequentialist
C Means/ Action itself, End
of the Act
TI
O
N
Consequences/ Result, Consequentialist
Probable and Actual
• Deontological Ethics
- a body of ethical theories that measures and evaluates the nature of a moral act based on the
validity of the motive of an act. This means that if the motive intention of the act is good, then
regardless of the consequences, the whole action is good.
Example:
Kantian Ethics or Kantianism
Divine Command Theory
• Teleological Ethics
- it measures the morality of an action based on the consequences and not on motive or intention of the
actor. If the consequences is good, regardless what the motives is, the act is always morally good.
Example:
Hedonism
Utilitarianism
Comparison of Deontological and Teleological
Deontological Teleological
Motives/ Principles/ Intentions Results/ Consequences
Non- consequentialist Consequentialist
Examples Examples
Christian Ethics Utilitarianism
Ethics of Kant Hedonism
Content
THE “MORAL SENSE” IN US
THE MORAL SENSE IN US
The main difference between man and animal is that man has a
moral perception. Man has a natural insight to morality, this being a gift
of the creator who gave man a “moral sense” This moral sense is native
in all persons regardless of race, religion, culture, education, and creed.
Man, therefore, is a moral being. He know the fundamental distinction
between what is good and bad, what is moral or immoral. The basic
knowledge of right is what differentiates men from animals.
THE SYNDERESIS OF MAN
ACCORDING TO ST.
THOMAS
•Thomas Aquinas
- Italian philosopher, theologian, and priest is sometimes called the Prince of Scholastics.
- He wrote 25 books including Summa Theologica and Summa Contra Gentiles, and developed a
systematic Christian theology in response to the problem of dichotomy of faith and reason during the Medieval
period.
- He died at young age of 49 years old. And 49 years later, he was canonized as St. Thomas Aquinas, the
Angelic Doctor of the church.
According to Aquinas, the moral sense in man is manifested and expressed in three different ways:
1. Man is able to distinguish or to know what is good and what is bad.
2. Man is always obligated to do good and avoid evil.
3. Man knows that he is accountable for his actions- good or bad.
FREUD’S THEORY OF
THE ID, EGO, AND THE
SUPEREGO
• Sigmund Scholomo Freud
- he was born on May 6, 1856, at Frieberg (now Pribor)
- he was the father of Psychoanalysis, which is a major school of psychology.
- his theory about sexuality being the center of of psychopathology.
• The key points of psychoanalytic theory are the following:
1. Man must learn to control inborn desires.
2. Man must achieve fulfilment in ways that are harmonious with others.
•Freud’s Theory of the Psyche:
Superego
Ego
Id
Content
KOHLBERG’S THEORY
OF MORAL
DEVELOPMENT
• Lawrence Kohlberg
- he was born in Bronxville, New York on October 25, 1927.
- he was an American psychologist well known for his theory on moral development.
- he was able to demonstrate though his research studies conducted at Harvards Center for
Moral Education in the 1950’s.
Theory of moral development
Pre- conventional
Conventional
Post- conventional
Kohlberg’s classification of the person’s moral development:
LEVEL STAGE SOCIAL ORIENTATION
Pre- conventional 1 Obedience and Punishment
2 Individualism, Instrumentalism, and Exchange
Conventional 3 “Good boy/girl image”
4 Law and Order
Post- conventional 5 Social Contract/ Rights
6 Principled Conscience/ Universal
Ethics 7 Transcendental Morality
• Pre-conventional
Stage 1 explains the concept of being good by following commands and authority and avoiding
being punished
Stage 2 is a stage of Individual Instrumental Purpose and Exchange. This means fair deals for
concrete exchanges.
• Conventional
Stage 3 is the stage of Mutual Interpersonal Expectations, Relationships, and Conformity. This is
characterized by an attitude seeks to do what will gain the approval of other.
Stage 4 is the Stage of Social System and Conscience Maintenance wherein one is oriented to
abiding by the law and responding to the obligations of duty.
• Post Conventional
Stage 5 is the of Prior Rights and Social Contract or Utility.
It is the stage understanding of rights and values
Stage 6 is the Universal Ethical Principles. It is based on
respect for universal principles and the demands of
individual.
TWO ETHICAL SYSTEMS
1. Atheistic Ethics
- Assumes that only matter exist and man is responsible only to himself since there is no God who
creates and rules the universe. Atheistic theories propose the following principles:
Matter is the only reality.
Man is matter and does not have spiritual dimension
There is no life after death
Man is accountable only to the State.
2. Theistic ethics
- Assumes that God is the Supreme Lawgiver. Man is accountable for his actions and deserves either
reward or punishment. Theistic theories postulate the following truths:
God is the supreme Creator and Lawgiver.
Man has an immortal soul which cannot die
Man is accountable for his actions, both good and evil.
Highlight Summary
•Deontological Ethics
- a body of ethical theories that measures and evaluates •Pre- conventional- this is generally found in young children and
the nature of a moral act based on the validity of the motive of older children.
an act.
•Teleological Ethics •Post conventional the third level of moral thinking is one
- it measures the morality of an action based on that Kohlberg felt is not reached by the majority of adults
the consequences and not on motive or intention of
the actor. •Conventional this level is generally found in an ideal
civilized society, hence the name “conventional”.
•Sigmund Scholomo Freud
- he was the father of Psychoanalysis, which is a
major school of psychology. •Id is the irrational part in us or the unconscious instincts,
•Lawrence Kohlberg
such as sex and aggression.
- he was an American psychologist well known for his
theory on moral development.
•Ego is to rational self or the conscious self.
•Thomas Aquinas
- Italian philosopher, theologian, and priest
•Superego is the spirited or will part in Plato’s theory.
is sometimes called the Prince of Scholastics .
