NAME:_______ DATE:____May 2 2022____________
SUBJECT & SCHEDULE: ETHICS “ETHICS 101” COURSE: __AB – POLSCI III_
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ACTIVITY
Art and Offense
Mideo Cruz's "Politeismo," an installation comprised of a statue of Jesus wearing Mickey Mouse
ears, a crucifix adorned with a bright red phallus, and a picture of Jesus' face with a wooden ash tray with
penis tacked in the middle, was featured in a 2011 exhibit at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).
Many in this primarily Catholic country saw it as a deliberate insult to their faith, despite the fact that it was
apparently intended to foster critical thought and perhaps debate about idolatry. The display was immediately
closed due to public uproar and harsh condemnation from many religious and secular leaders. He has also
been threatened and his art has been vandalized., Cruz was accused of profanity. The courts, however,
cleared him (along with the CCP's managers) of these accusations in 2013.
A scenario like this allows us to address aesthetic questions like "Is the aim of a piece of art to be
appealing or to provoke thought?" It also allows us to address political issues such as "Who gets to pick
which artists and projects receive state financing and which do not?" "Our interest here is ethical, and we can
acknowledge that a number of very important ethical problems can be raised: Does the artist have an ethical
commitment to his audience's sensibilities? Is his only moral obligation to be true to his vision and his art?
What constitutes a violation? and at what point does an offense become significant enough to warrant control
or retaliation? Is it true that a religious majority has a monopoly on what is right and wrong? Is an artist's
freedom of expression unrestricted, or does it come with some limitations? What do you think?
I. Imagine a scenario in which an image of someone who is the object of religious devotion (such as
Jesus Christ or Mary, the Mother of Jesus) is placed side by side with a phallic image.
1. Is this an ethical issue? Why or why not?
It depends on the person. How he/she view it. For those religious people it will be an
ethical issue, since it shows disrespect to what they believe in. But since we are now at
21st century there are some people who do not believe in these stuffs anymore so
therefore they don’t see it as an ethical issue at all.
2. Does the question of the rightness or wrongness of this depend on which religion you belong
to? Explain your answer.
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For me yes, because given that there are a lot of different religion that are existing
these days. Some things may be okay with others but there are also some who aren’t
okay with such things. Every religion has their own basis on what is right and what is
wrong. And when we are making decisions to what is right and what is wrong we tend
to consider the things we believe in.
II. Look for another example of an artistic creation – a painting, poem, or song – that is a source of
either actual or potential conflict between the expression of the artist and a sensibility that finds
this offensive. Present the significant details and the reasons that the conflicting sides might have
on this issue.
Manuel Ocampo’s painting “Untitled (Burnt-out Europe)” for in his painting, Jesus
Christ head is on the hawk’s body at the center of two large swastikas, and floating
over a courtyard of honored demons. It was offensive in the part of Catholic people
and for other religion who believes in Christ since it is a disrespect to his holiness.
However, according to Ocampo, his work only symbolizes political and social
problems and that it is not to advocate facism. It focuses on the design of times and
what these symbols mean to us in this present day.
III. Look for and list down other sources wherein we find a dialogue between ethics and the various
domain of aesthetics, culture and religion.
Books, Journals and internet.
Think Ahead!
QUIZ
Answer the following question:
1. Identify a list of: (a) obligations we are expected to fulfill, (b) prohibitions we are required to
respect, and (c) ideals we are encouraged to meet. Discuss whether these are ethical in nature
or not.
- Obligations we are expected to fulfil: 1) The need to study, be informed and be
transformed through mental training.
- Prohibitions we are required to respect: 1) Avoid Smoking in publics places.
- Ideals we are encouraged to meet: 1) Live without regrets.
- For me, all of these are ethical in nature, because it all results to the common good of
everybody. It helps making our world livable and peaceful. Also that it is fair for
everybody.
2. Are clothes a matter of pure aesthetic taste, or does it make sense for clothes to become a
subject in a discussion of ethics? Why? How about other forms of adornment, such as tattoos
and piercings?
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Given that we are now at the 21st century, Everything has evolve or change. Even the
beliefs of others. These now includes all the things that we do to our body which are
now being considered as fashion. So for me, clothes are a matter of pure aesthetics,
that we can wear anything what we want as long as we are not harming others. And I
believe that our way of clothing becomes a big part in building our confidence towards
ourselves. There is no wrong in getting a tattoo or piercing too since today these stuffs
are being considered as an art
3. Look for a newspaper article that tackles an ethical issues. Consider the following questions:
(Note: You may research article online if you don’t have a newspaper)
a. What makes this a matter of ethics?
At its simplest, ethics is a system of moral principles. They affect how people make
decisions and lead their lives.Ethics is concerned with what is good for individuals and
society and is also described as moral philosophy.
b. What is your own ethical judgment on this case?
Ethical judgment is reasoning about the possible actions in the situation and judg ing
which action is most ethical. A person making an ethical judgment uses reason to
decide what the best solution or decision is to a problem.
c. What are your reasons for this judgment?
About Judgments. Judgments, also called reasons for judgment or reasons, are the
explanation that the court gives at the conclusion of a hearing, explaining why an order
is being made. When a judgment is reserved, it is usually written though it may be
delivered orally.
4. Brainstorm and come up with a list of common Filipino values. Consider the strengths and
weaknesses of these.
For me the common Filipino values which I consider s a strength are the following:
1) Pakikipag kapwa- tao.
2) Family Oriented.
3) Joyful and Humorous.
4) Flexibility, Adaptability and Creativity.
5) Hardworking.
6) Being Religious.
7) Ability to survive.
The common Filipino values that I consider as a weakness are the following:
1) Extreme Personalism.
2) Extreme Family Centeredness
3) Lack of Descipline
4) Passivity and lack of initiative.
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5) Colonial Mentality
6) Kanya – Kanya Syndrome
7) Lack of self analysis and reflection.
5. Is looking after the benefit of your own family over all other aspects considered as another
form of egoism? Discuss.
Yes it is. Since it is in our nature that we value our family and that we will do anything
to keep them from getting hurt. We can notice that in every life decision we are
making we always asks for the opinion of our family. That makes it as another form of
egoism.
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