Assignment in Phl/203: Submitted To: Asst. Prof. Emmanuel Domingo M.A

ASSIGNMENT IN PHL/203
Submitted to:
Asst. Prof. Emmanuel Domingo M.A.
Submitted by:
Patricia Ann C. Jose 2A-MT
A. The meaning of moral agency and autonomy
Moral agency is one’s ability to make ethical decisions based on what is right
and what is wrong. It is being capable of choosing to act with reference to right and
wrong. It is seen in many individuals as well as groups of people in business, hospitals,
etc. According to Christen et al., moral agency covers thee major concepts:
 the moral competency of the person or organization in question

 the normative framework on which ethical behavior is based
 the situational constraints that influence decision-making
Autonomy is a person’s ability to make his own decisions as well as speakon

his own behalf, without being interfered by others. It is being in control of his own
thoughts and actions that is developed through reflection. Although one can make his
own decision and promote their individual choices, it doesn’t mean that they are given
the chance to disregard laws.
B. The Levels or Conditions of Autonomy

1. Moral Autonomy – when one acts based on reasons that take everything equally.
They are justifiable on the basis of reciprocally and generally binding norms.
2. Ethical Autonomy – deals with a person’s desires in the search for the good life,
in the person’s values, commitments, relationships and community.
3. Legal Autonomy – the right not to be forced in a set of values, commitments and
is neutral towards them.
4. Political Autonomy – the right to participate in collective self-rule, together with
the other members of the community.
5. Social Autonomy – deals with whether an agent has the means to be an equal
member of the community.
C. Moral reasoning and Kholberg's moral development model

Moral reasoning applies critical analysis using logic and moral theories to
determine what is right or wrong in specific situations.
Kholberg’s moral development model includes the following:
 Level 1. Pre-conventional Morality
This is the earliest stage of moral development. Obedience and
punishment are involved in this stage which is common in children and in
some adults. In this stage, children see the rules as fixed and final. It is
important to follow these rules to avoid being punished.
 Level 2. Conventional Morality

This is focused on abiding and living up to social roles and
expectations. There is a huge emphasis on how decisions can influence social
relationships. At this stage, people consider the entire society in making
judgements.
 Level 3. Post-conventional Morality

This stage involves different values, opinions and beliefs. Rules are
important in maintaining a society but the members must agree on these
standards before allowing it to be followed. At this stage, people follow
internalized principles of justice without considering if they are in conflict
with laws or rules.
D. Moral decision-making and its framework

Moral decision-making is the ability to come up with a reasonable and justifiable
response to an ethical question. In doing so, there are three frameworks that could
guide in ethical decision making.
1. The Consequentialist Framework – deals with the future effects of the possible
courses of action, including the people who may directly or indirectly be affected.
It also deals with what outcomes are desirable in a given situation. This
framework is used to produce the most good decision and action.
2. The Duty Framework – deals on the duties and obligations given a situation.
Ethical conduct is defined by doing one’s duties and doing the right thing and
performing the right action.
3. The Virtue Framework – identifies the character traits that may motivate us in
deciding on a given situation. This is focused more on what kind of persons are
we and how do our actions speak about out character. Ethical behavior is defined
as whatever a virtuous person would do in a particular situation and try to
develop similar virtues.
E. Importance of emotion, situation and conflict in moral decision-making

Emotions influence our moral decision-making by motivating us to do
something for a particular reason. Inner-directed negative emotions such as guild,
embarrassment and shame often push us to do and act ethically. Outer-directed
negative emotions, on the other hand, serves to discipline or punish us. For example,
people direct anger to people who have acted unethically. This will discourage them from
behaving the same way. Positive emotions such as gratitude and admiration push us
to act with compassion and help other people. Emotions evoked by suffering such as
empathy and sympathy motivates us to be generous and cooperative.
Situations are also important in moral decision-making because it is where we
are going to act upon. In deciding what to do, we take into considerations all the
situations taking place and the ones that may result from what we decide to do.
Lastly, conflict lets us view situations in a broader manner. When deciding how
to act, we must consider and deal with different internal, social and environmental
conflicts so that we may arrive to the best response and action.
F. Influence of conscience in moral decision-making

Conscience drives what a person believes is right and how a person decides
what is right. It is well formed by education and experience and well informed by facts
and evidences. It enables us to know ourselves and our world better, allowing us to be
able to act accordingly.
What are the conditions for one to become morally mature person?
To be a morally mature person, one must have moral agency or the sense of self
- the ability to make moral decisions and act on them. Recognizing this moral agency
will help one to value his responsibility to act for the good. With this, the person will
be in search for what good is, improving his sense of moral maturity. It is also important
to be a cognitive thinker so that the person may be able to identify situations that have
a moral component and weigh possibilities. It is also important to use principles as
basis for judgement. The person must know what principles underlie a particular moral
dilemma. Respect for others is also important because morally mature person accepts
that people have different views and perspectives and one cannot work on his own. We
are all interdependent and one cannot act without affecting others. Lastly, having a
defined sense of purpose in life. This sense of purpose will motivate people to act in the
best way they could so they could achieve their life purpose.
What constitutes moral progress ?

Moral progress involves deepening our grasp towards existing moral concepts
and our understanding in the behavior of the people around us. Moral progress uses
failures from the past and carefully scrutinized to develop a new moral idea. An example
of this moral progress is the gradual social acceptance of people to the members of the
LGBTQIA+. A few years back, they are discriminated and looked down to but as time
passes, they are gradually accepted and respected.
Can a person still be considered morally progressive despite his wrong choices, mistakes
and erroneous judgments?
Yes, a person can still be morally progressive despite his failures from the past.
The person can utilize these failures to improve himself and to avoid repeating the
same mistake. In doing so, he will be able to be more careful and derive other ways to
act on specific situations. With this, he has learnt and improved himself morally. From
these mistakes, the moral progress depends on himself because if he is not willing to
accept his mistakes, then he will close himself to improvement. In addition to this,
achieving progress is not a perfect process. It is dynamic and it takes a long process.
List of References:
Brown University. (2019). A Framework for Making Ethical Decisions. [online] Available
at: https://www.brown.edu/academics/science-and-technology-
studies/framework-making-ethical-decisions [Accessed 28 Aug. 2019].
Cherry, K. (2019). Levels of Developing Morality in Kohlberg's Theories. [online] Verywell

Mind. Available at: https://www.verywellmind.com/kohlbergs -theory-
of-moral-developmet-2795071 [Accessed 27 Aug. 2019].
Ethics Unwrapped. (2019). Moral Reasoning. [online] Available at:

https://ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu/glossary/moral-reasoning [Accessed 28
Aug. 2019].
Tanner, C., Christen, M., Van Schalk, C., Fischer, J. and Huppenbauet, M. (2014).
Empirically informed ethics: Morality between facts and norms.. [online]
Physiopedia. Available at: https://www.physio-pedia.com/Moral_Agency
[Accessed 27 Aug. 2019].
White, D. (2018). What is Autonomy?. [online] Study.com. Available at:

https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-autonomy-definition-ethics.html
[Accessed 27 Aug. 2019].

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ASSIGNMENT IN PHL/203

 the moral competency of the person or organization in question

Autonomy is a person’s ability to make his own decisions as well as speakon

B. The Levels or Conditions of Autonomy

C. Moral reasoning and Kholberg's moral development model

 Level 2. Conventional Morality

 Level 3. Post-conventional Morality

D. Moral decision-making and its framework

E. Importance of emotion, situation and conflict in moral decision-making

F. Influence of conscience in moral decision-making

What constitutes moral progress ?

Cherry, K. (2019). Levels of Developing Morality in Kohlberg's Theories. [online] Verywell

Ethics Unwrapped. (2019). Moral Reasoning. [online] Available at:

White, D. (2018). What is Autonomy?. [online] Study.com. Available at:

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