ETHICS
ETHICS
ETHICS
Etymological meaning
Derived from the Greek word ethikos which is derived from the
Greek word ethos, meaning custom, or character.
The field of ethics or moral philosophy involves developing,
defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong
behavior. These concepts do not change as one’s desires and
motivation change.
Functional Definition
Is a practical and normative science, based on reason, which studies
human acts and provides norms for their goodness and badness.
Ethics is a branch of philosophy that explores the nature of moral
virtue and evaluates human actions.
Takes up the meanings of our moral concepts such as right action,
obligation and justice – and formulates principles to guide moral
decisions.
The ‘general inquiry into what is good’ poses some questions
concerning what sort of actions can bind humans.
The Material Object of Ethics
The Human Act/Action
Things we can moralize or judge if they are good or bad – custom,
cultures, traditions, and other practices of a certain community or
society.
The Formal Object of Ethics
The goodness or badness of the human act.
It is based on thinking, reflecting, and reasoning on the different
moral standards to be used.
Society’s morality calls for a standard which serves as a ‘guiding
principle’ of all actions which answers the question of what is good
and right or bad and unacceptable.
Actions are good or acceptable when they satisfy the standards or
ethical codes of a society while they are unacceptable when they
fail to follow its principles. We call these principles, codes, or
standards as moral standards.
Standards of Behavior
Ethics must be based on accepted standards of behavior.
These standards have developed over time and come from a variety
of sources including:
1. The influence of religious writing and interpretations.
2. The influence of philosophical thought.
3. The influence of community (society) values.
Norms, Values, and the Law
Ethics deals with well-based standards of how people ought to act.
But it does not describe the way people do act. It deals with the way
people should act.
Ethical people always strive to make the right decision in all
circumstances. They do not rationalize their action based on their
own perceived self-interests.
Ethical decision-making entails following certain well-established
norms of behavior.
Values are basic and fundamental beliefs that guide or motivate
attitudes or actions. It is concerned with how a person will behave
in certain situations whereas ethics is concerned with how a moral
person should behave.
Derived from the Greek word ethikos which is derived from the Greek
word ethos, meaning custom, or character.
The field of ethics or moral philosophy involves developing, defending, and
recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior.
FUNCTIONAL DEFINITION
Ethics is the branch of philosophy that explores the nature of moral virtue
and evaluates human actions
It studies on the morality of human actions
It explores the nature of moral virtue and evaluates human actions.
Morality
Are actions that are proper to humans, thus the crucial element of willful
consent and knowledge of the action must be present.
One must freely use his/her intellect and freewill when acting.
It reveals the value of responsibility or accountability.
Human Acts and Acts of Man
Human acts, are acts that we do with the use of free will and intellect. They
are done freely, deliberate and voluntary.
These actions are proper to humans; thus, the crucial element of willful
consent and knowledge of the actions must be present.
Acts of Man, are acts that we do without free will and intellect; some are
done by instinct.
The actions performed without conscious deliberation or knowledge and
with the absence of freewill. Acts of man constitute unconscious and
involuntary actions.
Human actions are qualified as good or right (moral), bad or wrong
(immoral) or indifferent (non-moral). The quality and standard of a human
act depends on the relationship of the act with the norms of morality (Law:
Eternal; Natural; and Positive Law (divine or human)).
Both divide and human positive laws are specific application of the Eternal
Law or the Natural Law. If a Positive Law does not adhere or respect the
Natural Law, then it ruins or damages the development of the human
person.
An act is good when it agrees with the dictates of right reason.
An act is bad when it disagrees with the dictates of right reason.
An act is indifferent when it stands no relation to the dictates of the right
reason.