INTRODUCTION 1.
Personal Dilemmas - Experienced by
an individual and resolved through
Ethics - branch of Philosophy which studies the personal moral reasoning.
morality of human actions. 2. Organizational Dilemmas -
Philosophy – The science/knowledge of all Experienced by members of a group or
things through their ultimate reasons, causes, organization.
and principles acquired through use of human 3. Structural Dilemmas - Experienced by
reason alone. multiple organizations or institutions.
Morality - is the behavior and beliefs that a Why only human beings can be ethical
society deems acceptable (manner, character, Only human beings…
proper behavior)
A. Are rational, autonomous, and self-
Importance of Rules to Social Beings conscious
- Rules play a vital role in maintaining B. Are part of the moral community
order, resolving conflicts, protecting C. Can act morally or immorally
rights, promoting fairness, and fostering
cooperation within social groups, - While other animals may exhibit
contributing to the overall well-being and behaviors resembling ethics, they are
functioning of society. often driven by instinct rather than moral
considerations.
Moral Standards:
PART I: THE MORAL AGENT
- Ethical principles and societal values.
- religion, law, and culture. Lesson 1: Culture in Moral Behavior
Non-Moral Standards: Cultural Relativism- belief that ethical
standards, values, and beliefs are relative to the
- Efficiency, functionality, or adherence to culture or society in which they originate.
rules.
- Stem from social conventions, practical Moral Relativism - no fixed rules for morality
considerations, or specific domains like and that ideas about right and wrong can differ
sports. from one person or group to another.
Moral – the quality of an action being good or C.S. Lewis - recognized culture's impact on
acceptable, the quality of being subject of moral behavior but advocated for universal
morality moral truths beyond cultural differences. He
promoted Christian ethics of love and virtue,
Non-moral – the quality of not being subject to critiquing moral relativism. Through his literature,
morality, not related to morality. he explored moral themes, emphasizing
conscience and virtue in ethical conduct.
Dilemma -situation in which a person is faced
with two or more conflicting choices, each with James Rachels (1941-2003) -
its own set of consequences or moral
implications. - Rachels contended that cultural relativism fails
to provide a satisfactory basis for moral
Moral Dilemma - a situation or an instance judgment because it implies that we cannot
wherein a person or a group is presented with a criticize practices in other cultures, even those
problem and that a difficult choice has to be that seem objectively harmful or unjust.
made between or among two or more courses of
action. Conflict between moral principles. Cultural Differences Argument
Three Levels of Moral Dilemma -Rachels says there are some moral rules
everyone should follow, no matter what culture
they're from.
-He believes we should respect cultural The Case of Heinzn - used by Lawrence
differences, but there are some moral truths that Kohlberg in his research on moral development,
apply to everyone. presents a moral dilemma where a man named
Heinz must decide whether to steal medicine to
Asian Moral Understanding save his wife's life.
-It includes teachings from traditions like Six Stages of Moral Development (Lawrence
Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, Kohlberg)
and Islamic ethics. These traditions emphasize
concepts like harmony, virtue, duty, compassion, Level 1 Pre conventional morality
and non-violence. Asian ethics stress the
importance of community welfare, cultural 1. Obedience and punishment orientation
context, and continual moral growth. 2. Exchange and individualism
Filipino Moral Character Level 2 conventional morality
1. Pakikisama 3. Good interpersonal relationship
2. Hiya 4. Maintaining the social order
3. Amor propio Level 3. Post conventional morality
4. Utang na loob
5. Filipino hospitality 5. Social contract and individual rights
6. Respect for elders 6. Universal principle
Universal Values – generally shared by PART II: THE ACT
cultures.
Lesson 1: Feelings and Moral Decision Making
Lesson 2: The Moral Agent
Feelings as Instinctive Response to Moral
Aristotle- someone who can make good Dilemma
choices and act with virtue. He believed that
Feelings as Obstacles to Making the Right
being a good moral agent means developing
Decisions
virtues like courage and justice, and making
decisions wisely. Ethical Subjectivism: Moral truths vary based
on individual beliefs or feelings.
Excellences of thought
Logical Positivism: Relies on empirical
Excellences of character
evidence and logical analysis for meaningful
Moral character - overall moral makeup of a statements.
person
Non-Cognitivism: Moral statements express
Virtues are individual qualities that contribute to emotions or attitudes, not beliefs about truth.
and shape that moral character.(integrity,
Emotivism: Moral judgments are expressions of
courage, fortitude, honesty and loyalty)
feelings, not statements of fact.
The Circular Relation of Acts and Character
Charles Stevenson - philosopher known for his
- our actions shape our moral character, and our contributions to metaethics, particularly in the
character influences the actions we take. area of emotivism.
Jean Piaget - Kohlberg's stages of moral
development, which are influenced by Piaget's
cognitive development theory, outline the
progression of moral reasoning from childhood
to adulthood.
Lesson 2: Reason and Impartiality as Minimum
Requirement for Morality
Reason - capacity for logical thought, rationality,
and sound judgment.
Impartiality - quality of being fair, unbiased, and
neutral in judgment or decision-making
Scott Rae - his Christian perspective likely leads
him to critique these theories in favor of a
framework rooted in objective moral truths
derived from religious principles.
The 7-Step Moral Reasoning Model
1. Gather the facts
2. Determine the ethical issue
3. Identify the principles that have a
Bearing on the case
4. List the alternatives
5. Compare the alternatives with the
principles
6. Weigh the consequences
7. Make a decision
Lesson 3: Moral Courage
Moral Courage: The bravery to uphold ethical
beliefs, even in the face of adversity.
Willpower: The determination to stick to one's
goals or moral principles, despite challenges or
temptations.
