Chapter 1: Fundamentals of Ethics

Ethics is a personal and a lifelong The terms ethics and morality are closely
commitment. To be ethical does not only related. It is now common to refer to ethical
require knowledge of ethics but also the judgments or to ethical principles where it
willingness to live ethically. The willingness once would have been more accurate to
and the moral conviction to live the virtuous speak of moral judgments or moral principles.
life is something this module cannot provide. These applications are an extension of the
We alone cultivate our moral sense as we meaning of ethics.
alone make the decision to do what is good
or to refuse to do the right thing. In earlier usage, the term referred not to
morality itself but to the field of study, or
Lesson I. The Origin and Nature of Ethics branch of inquiry, that has morality as its
subject matter. In this sense, ethics is
When man began to wonder about the right equivalent to moral philosophy.
thing to do or about how he should live his
existence, another exciting field of Philosophy Nature of Ethics
came to life. Philosophers called it "ethics, or
moral philosophy." Ethics comes from the 1. Scientific Nature:
Greek word ethos, meaning "character." Ethics is a normative science which
determines norms, moral values in a person
Ethics, in ancient Greece, was concerned and an individual's character. It is a
with the development of virtuous and moral systematic explanation of what is right and
character. The Greeks believed that what is wrong.
developing character would lead one not only
to knowing the right thing to do, but to 2. Not Art:
actually doing the right thing or living the right Ethics is not art as art deals with the
way of life. acquisition of skill to produce objects, while
morality deals with motive, intention, purpose
Ethics and choice which are considered
-​ mainly known as the principle of moral right or wrong in the light of goodness.
conduct that makes a distinction
between good and bad/ evil, right and 3. Variable Nature:
wrong, virtue and non-virtue. Ethics is not static. It is not always the same.
-​ It is a branch of knowledge that Human beings change and the morality and
governs right and wrong conducts and ethical perspective in them also changes.
behaviors of an individual, profession,
group or organization. 4. Exclusively for Human Beings:
-​ It is a core of the professional and Ethics can only be applied to human beings
personal lives of people. Different as we are the ones who have the capacity for
scholars have defined ethics moral judgment.
differently.
-​ However different their definitions We cannot expect ethical behavior from
might be, ethics is always concerned animals, as they are not as intelligent as
with morality and right vs wrong and human beings are so ethics is exclusively for
good vs evil. It is applied universally. human beings.
Chapter 1: Fundamentals of Ethics
Lesson II. The Need to Study Ethics ethical standards guiding the medical
practice.
Ours is an age of specialization. This leads
many to believe that what we really need are Similarly, members of the legal profession
the things that can make our knowledge more adhere to a set of standards outlined by the
specialized, knowledge that can earn us a American Bar Association, a
living and secure for ourselves life's non-governmental organization that
necessities and comforts. Many claim that the established a code of ethics guiding the
study of ethics is unproductive and a waste of professional conduct of lawyers.
our valuable time.
This is true to all professions. These codes of
So, why do we need to study ethics in the ethics proscribe activities that undermine the
first place? integrity of the profession and harm the
interests of clients.
We study "ethics" because society cannot
function without a series of commonly - The study of ethics is essential to the stable
accepted moral codes that define boundaries functioning of civilization. Moral quandaries
of acceptable behavior. are inevitable in certain professions.

We also study ethics because there is not Studying the origins of moral standards and
always a consensus on what types of the role they play in society helps to
behavior are acceptable. The essence of understand the lines separating acceptable
civilization can be said to center on the from unacceptable types of behavior.
emergence of a broad consensus regarding
acceptable types of behavior. Ethics makes clear to us why one act is better
than another.
Accepting constraints on our freedoms for the
benefit of the greater society is an essential Ethics contribute an orderly social life by
condition of a functioning society. Often, providing humanity basis for agreement,
types of conduct or actions that are perceived understanding some principles of rules of
as threatening to the well-being of society are procedure.
proscribed by law.
Moral conduct and ethical systems both the
Certain types of professions, however, adopt past and the present must be intelligently
codes of ethics precisely for the purpose of appraised and criticized.
clarifying and educating, for the benefit of
practitioners and customers alike, the Ethics seeks to point out to men the true
boundaries outside of which certain activities values of life.
are considered immoral and damaging to the
integrity of the profession and to the Lesson Ill. Assumption of Ethics (opinion,
well-being of the customer. theories, conclusions, or ideas)

Physicians and nurses, for example, adhere Like any other discipline, ethics proceeds
to the Code of Medical Ethics of the American from some basic assumptions. Assumptions
Medical Association, a non-governmental are fundamental beliefs or statements that
professional association that establishes are accepted to be true without the burden of
proving or of proof.
Chapter 1: Fundamentals of Ethics
person who has gone insane to be unethical,
Assumption of Ethics even if their acts harm or injure other people.

1. First, that man is a rational being. Moral responsibility is, thus, basically
This means that man is rational and acts with defined based on these two assumptions.
a purpose, unlike brutes who merely act out
of instinct and reflex. Chapter Summary

Man is capable of knowing both the intentions Ethics

and the consequences of his actions, and is -​ comes from the Greek word ethos,
capable of judging them as right or wrong, or meaning character.
as good or bad. -​ is mainly known as the principle of
moral conduct that makes a distinction
The assumption implies the moral awareness between good and bad/ evil, right and
or the capability of man to know and wrong, virtue and non-virtue.
distinguish right from wrong and good from -​ referred not to morality itself but to the
bad. field of study, or branch of inquiry, that
has morality as its subject matter. In
2. Second, that man is free. this sense, ethics is equivalent to
Ethics assumes that man is free to act moral philosophy.
according to his will and he has the power to -​ is Scientific in nature, Not an art,
act, speak or think if he chooses to without Variable in nature and Exclusively for
restraints. Human Beings.
-​ helps us understand why one act is
In general this assumption tells us that man better than another. It is basis for
has the capacity to exercise choice in his agreement, understanding some
actions. principles of rules of procedure. It also
seeks to point out to men the true
It implies that man has the capability to values of life.
choose what to do and what is good. If we
look closely, these two assumptions are not The assumptions of ethics are man is a
simple presuppositions but necessary rational being and man is free.
conditions for moral judgments to be
possible.

Without assuming the existence of rationality

and freedom in man, it is impossible to judge
acts as ethical or unethical, and as moral or
immoral. Because he thinks and is free, man
is thus responsible for his actions.

These two elements could mitigate or

aggravate the degree of people's moral
responsibility.

This is the reason why we cannot rightly

judge the action of a five-year-old child, or a