NAME OF STUDENT:

PROGRAM/YR/SECTION:
INSTRUCTOR:
 Table of Contents

Chapter 1 UNDERSTANDING MORALITY AND MORAL STANDARDS

Lesson 1 Course Orientation and the Importance of Rules
Lesson 2 Moral and Non-Moral Standards
Lesson 3 Moral Dilemmas
Lesson 4 The 3 Levels of Moral Dilemmas
Lesson 5 Freedom as the Foundation for Moral Acts
Lesson 6 Culture: How it Defines Moral Behavior
Lesson 7 Cultural Relativism
Lesson 8 The Filipnos Character
Lesson 9 Universal Values

Chapter 2 THE MORAL AGENT

Lesson 1 Man as a Moral Agent
Lesson 2 The Development of Moral Character of the Moral Agent
Lesson 3 The stages of Moral Development

Chapter 3 THE HUMAN ACT

Lesson 1 The meaning of Human act
Lesson 2 Accountability of Moral Act
Lesson 3 Feeling as a Modifier of Moral Decision-Making
Lesson 4 Reason and Impartiality as Minimum Requirements for Morality
Lesson 5 The Difference Between Reason and Will

Chapter 4 FRAMEWORKS AND PRINCIPLES BEHIND OUR MORAL

FRAMEWORKS
Lesson 1 The meaning of Ethical Framework
Lesson 2 Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics
Lesson 3 St. Thmoas’ Natural Law Ethics
Lesson 4 Kant’s Deontological Ethics: The Duty Framework
Lesson 5 Utilitarianism: The Consequentialist Ethical Framework
Lesson 6 The Love and Justice Framework

Chapter 5 GLOBALIZATION AND ITS CRITICAL CHALLENGES

Lesson 1 Globalization and Pluralism: New Challenges in Ethics
Lesson 2 Millenials and Fillenials: Ethical Challenges and Responses
Lesson 3 The Religious Response: The Role of Religion in Ethics
Chapter 1 UNDERSTANDING MORALITY AND
MORAL STANDARDS

Lesson 1
Course Orientation and the Importance of Rules

Why is Rules is important?

Rules – are important to social beings, Just imagine the chaos that results from the absence of
rules.
- are meant to set order.
- are not meant to restrict your freedom. They are meant to help you grow in freedom, to
grow in your ability to choose and do what is good for you and for others.
Confucius and Lao Tzu – an ideal state w/c the ancient Chinese sages referred to as state of no
more rules, no more laws, because people discern what is right or good and do what is right or
good without thinking or a rule or law; people are no longer in need of a gov’t because they can
govern themselves. It is a state where one owns the moral standard not just abide by the moral
standard.
A moral standard is a rule or guide that helps people know what is right or wrong behavior.
Example:
A common moral standard is: "Do not hurt others."
It helps us decide what is good or bad in our actions.

Lesson 2
Moral and Non-Moral Standards

Ethymology and Meaning of Ethics

The term “ethics” comes from the Greek word “ethos” meaning “custom” used in works of
Aristotle, while the term “moral” is the Latin equivalent.
Custom - means a common way of doing things that people in a group, place, or culture have
followed for a long time.
Example:
In some countries, it's a custom to take off your shoes before entering a house.
Moral- means knowing what is right or wrong and choosing to do what is right.

Ethics or moral philosophy – deals with morality

- is a branch of philosophy w/c deals w/ moral standards, inquires about the rightness or
wrongness of human behavior or the goodness or badness of personality, trait or character.
- Is the study of the morality of human acts and moral agents, what makes an act obligatory
and what makes a person accountable.

Moral
- Is the adjective describing a human act as either ethically right or wrong, or qualifying a
person, personality, character, as either ethically good or bad.
Standards or Moral Frameworks and Non-Moral Standards

Since etchics is a study of moral standards, then the 1st question for the course is, what are
moral standards.
The ff. are supposed to be examples of moral standards:
• Stealing is wrong
• Killing is wrong
• Telling lies is wrong
• Adultery is wrong
• Environment preservation is the right thing to do
• Freedom w/ responsibility is the right way
• Giving what is due to others is justice

Moral Standards
- are norms or prescriptions that serve as the frameworks for determining what ought to be
done or what is right or wrong action, what is good or bad character.
- are either consequences standards (like Stuart Mill’s Utilitarianism) or non-consequences
standards (like aristotle’s virtue, St. Thomas natural law, or Immanuel Kant good will or
sense of duty)

The consequences standards

- depends on the results, outcome. An act that results in the general welfare, in the greatest
good of the greatest number is moral.
The non-consequences standards
- An action is right or wrong based on rules, duties, or moral principles — not based on the
outcome or result.
Type Focus Example
Consequences Standard Result/Outcome • If telling the truth helps
someone, then it's the right
thing to do.
Non-Consequences Standard Rule/Duty • Telling the truth is right
even if it causes trouble
because being honest is a
moral duty.
Many non-consequentialist beliefs are based on:
• Natural Law – a belief that we know right from wrong through reason and conscience
(often seen as God’s law written in our hearts).
• Religious Teachings – like the Ten Commandments in Christianity (e.g., “Do not steal”,
“Do not kill”).

Moral Standard
- To preserve human life in accordance w/ the natural law. This means: It is a moral duty to
protect, value, and respect human life, because natural law teaches us that life is sacred and
must be preserved.
Examples:
Helping someone who is injured (preserves life)
Killing an innocent person (goes against natural law)
Donating blood to save lives (supports this moral standard)

Non-Moral standard
- are social rules, demands of etiquette and good manners. They are guides of action w/c
should be followed as expected by the society.
- also called as folk ways
Examples of non-moral standards:
• good manners and right conduct
• etiquette
• rules of behaviors set by parents or teachers
• standards of grammar or language
• standard of art
• standard of sports set by other authorities
• Do not speak with your mouth is full
• Observe rules of grammar
• Do not wear socks that don’t match
• Wear black or white for mourning; never red.
• The male should be the one to propose marriage not females
• Submit school requirement on time.
• If you are a male, stay by the danger side (roadside) when walking with a female.

Classification of the Theories of Moral Standards

Garner and Rosen (1967) classified the various moral standards formulation by moral
philosophers as follows:
1) Consequence
- (teleological, from tele w/c means end, result, or consequence) standard states that an act is
right or wrong depending on the consequences of the act, that is, the good that is produced
in the world.
- Consequence standard – can also be a basis for determining whether or not a rule is a right
rule. Also states that the rightness or wrongness of a rule depends on the consequences or
the good that is produced in ff. rule.
For instance, if everyone follows the rule of a game, everyone will enjoy the game.

2) Not-only-consequence standard (deontological)

- The rightness or wrongness of an action depends not only on its result (consequence), but
also on other things like: a person's duty or obligation, the natural law, the person’s virtue
or character and the situation or context.
For instance: You tell the truth even if it will upset someone because telling the truth is
your moral duty.
You help someone in need not just to feel good, but because you believe it is right.

Natural Law and virtue ethics- are deontological moral standards because their basis for determining
what is right or wrong does not depend on consequences but on the natural law and virtue.
- An act depends on situation and circumstances requiring or demanding exception to rule.
- Do good and avoid evil.

What makes Standards Moral?

The question means what obliges us to follow a moral standard?
- For theists, believers in God’s existence, moral standards are commandments of God
revealed to man through prophets. According to the Old Testament, the 10 commandments
were revealed by God to Moses. One who believes in God vows to Him and obliges
himself/herself to follow His 10 Commandments. For theists, God is the ultimate source of
what is moral revealed to human persons.
- For non-theists, God is not the source of morality. Moral standards are based on the wisdom
of sages like Confucius or philosophers like Immanuel Kant.
 - In China B.C., Confucius taught the moral standard, “Do unto others what you like others
to do unto you” and persuaded people to follow this rule because it is the right way.
- Focused on how people should behave in society to create harmony and good relationships.
- - For Immanuel Kant moral philosophy focuses on reason and duty, and it’s based on the
idea that moral rules apply to everyone equally, no matter the situation.
- In short, Kant’s moral philosophy is about using reason to figure out what is right, treating
others w/ respect, and acting according to principles that everyone could follow. It’s a way of
thinking about morality that doesn’t depend on religion, but on logic and fairness.

Lesson 3
Moral Dilemmas

Learning Outcomes:
• Explain moral dilemma as a moral dilemma as a moral experience
• Distinguish between a moral dilemma and a false dilemma

Read the Pregnant Lady and the Dynamite, then answer the questions given:
A pregnant woman leading a group of five people out of a cave on a coast is stuck in the mouth of
that cave. In a short time, high tide will be upon them and unless is unstuck, they will all be
drowned except the woman whose head is out of the cave. Fortunately (or unfortunately), someone
has with him a stick of dynamite. There seems no way to get the pregnant woman loose w/out
using the dynamite w/c will inevitably kill her; but if they do not use it everyone else will drown.
What should they do?
Question: What would you do if you were one of them? Explain why you decided to act that way?

Meaning of Moral Dilemma

Moral Dilemma
- A moral dilemma is a situation where a person has to choose between two actions, and
both choices have moral problems. It means that neither option is completely right or
acceptable and choosing one may mean going against another moral value.
Moral value is a belief or principle about what is right and wrong, good and bad behavior, which
helps people live in a good and respectful way.
Example:
1. Telling the truth vs. protecting someone’s feelings
Should you tell your friend the truth, even if it will hurt them?
2. Stealing medicine to save a life
Is it right to steal if it's the only way to save a dying person?

Ethical Dilemma
- An ethical dilemma is a decision-making problem where a person must choose between
two moral actions, but both choices have ethical value and choosing one means violating
the other. It’s also called an "ethical paradox" in moral philosophy, because:
- There’s no clear or easy answer,
- Both sides may seem right, but you can’t do both.
Examples:
• Loyalty vs. Honesty
Your best friend cheats on a test. Do you protect them (loyalty) or report them
(honesty)?
• Doctor with Limited Medicine
Only one dose of medicine is left. Two patients need it. Who should get it?
Based on these definitions, moral dilemmas have the following in the common:
1. The agent is required to do each of two (or more) actions w/c are morally unacceptable.
- A person (called the agent) is told to do two or more things, but all of those things are morally
wrong. So, no matter what the person chooses, they will still be doing something that feels
wrong or unacceptable.
Example: Lie to protect your friend or tell the truth but hurt your friend badly. (Yes, we all know that
lying is wrong but hurting your friend is also wrong. But you have to choose one.)

2. The agent can do each of the actions

- The person (the agent) is able to do each of the actions. In other words, both actions are
possible for them to do but they cannot do both at the same time without causing a moral
problem.
Example: Imagine you're a teacher and you promise to attend your student’s school event but you
also promised your family to be at a special dinner at the same time. (You can do either one or
both actions are possible).

3. The agent cannot do both (or all) of the actions. The agent thus seems condemned the
moral failure; no matter what she does, she will do something wrong (or fail to do
something that she ought do).
- The person (agent) is faced with two or more things they are supposed to do, but they
cannot do all of them at the same time.

Example:
• If the doctor gives it to Patient A, Patient B dies.
• If the doctor gives it to Patient B, Patient A dies.
This means that whatever they choose, they will have to go against (or break) at least one important
moral value. So, even though they choose what they believe is right, they will still feel wrong or guilty
for not choosing the other.
Moral dilemmas present situations where there is tension between moral values and duties that
are more or less on equal footing. The decision-maker has to choose between a wrong and another
wrong. The decision-maker is a deadlock.
In the case of the Pregnant Lady and the Dynamite, there where 2 options- use the dynamite
and kill the pregnant woman but save the other 5 or don’t use the dynamite and all the 5 will get
drowned except the pregnant woman whose head is out. (This means that none of the conflicting
requirements is solved by the other. The persons involved in the dilemma are in a deadlock. They
find themselves in a “damn-if you-do and damn-if-you don’t situation).

Another example of a moral dilemma… (Story from the bible about King Herod)
On his birthday, his stepdaughter, Salome danced so well in front of him and the guests at
his party that he promised to give her anything she wanted. Salome consulted her mother about what
she should wish for, and decided to ask for the head of John the Baptist on a platter. The king now
had a choice between honoring the promise to his stepdaughter, or honoring the life of John the
Baptist and Herod chose to have John the Baptist beheaded. (The King had inadvertently designed
a moral trap for himself, a dilemma where whatever he decided to do would be morally wrong).
False Dilemma
- Is a situation where the decision-maker has a moral duty to do one thing, but is
tempted or under pressure to do something else.
- A choice between a right and a wrong.
For example: A lawyer or an accountant can face an opportunity to prioritize self-interest
over the client’s interest.
Reference Book