The
Nature of
Morality
Prepared by:
Ms. Bernadette A. Dacillo
College Instructor
The Importance of Rules
Rules 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.
Any rules or law that prevents human persons
from doing and being good ought to be repealed.
They have no reason to exist.
The Importance of Rules
According to Lao Tzu: when society
is ideal, i.e when all persons are good
and do only what is ideal then there
will be no more need for rules and
laws.
ETHICS
Ethics or moral philosophy, is a branch of
philosophy which deals with moral standards,
inquires about the rightness or wrongness of human
behavior or the goodness or badness of personality,
trait or character.
The term is derived from the Greek
word ethos which can mean custom, habit,
character or disposition.
ETHICS
▪ Ethics is concerned with what is good for
individuals and society and is also described as
moral philosophy.
At its simplest, ethics is a system of moral
principles. They affect how people make
decisions and lead their lives.
Moral vs Non-Moral Standards
Moral is the adjective describing a human act as either
ethnically right or wrong, or qualifying a person,
personality, character, as either ethnically good or bad.
Non- Moral Standards are social rules, demands of
etiquette and good manners. They are guide of action
which should be followed as expected by society.
Moral vs Non-Moral Standards
The consequence standards depend on
results, outcome.
An act that results in the general welfare, in
the greatest number, is moral.
To take part in a project that results in the
improvement of the majority of people is,
therefore, moral.
Moral vs Non-Moral Standards
The non-consequence standards are based on
the natural law.
Natural law is the law of God revealed
through human reason. It is the “law of God
written in the hearts of man.”
To preserve human life is in accordance with
the natural law, therefore it is moral.
Moral vs Non-Moral Standards
Moral Standards:
• Do not lie.
• Don’t steal.
• Don’t cheat on others.
• Don’t kill.
Moral vs Non-Moral Standards
Non-Moral Standards:
• No talking while your mouth is full.
• Wear black or white for mourning; never red.
• The males should be the one to propose marriage not
females.
• Observe correct grammar when writing and speaking
English.
• Submit school requirements on time.
Moral vs Non-Moral Standards
An indicator whether or not a standard is moral or
non-moral lies in its compliance as distinguished
from its non-compliance. Non-compliance with
moral-standards causes a sense of guilt, while non-
compliance with a non-moral standard may only
cause shame or embarrassment.
CLASSIFICATION OF THE THEORIES OF
MORAL STANDARDS
Garner and Rosen (1967) classified the various moral
standards formulated by moral philosophers as follows:
Consequence (teleological from tele which 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.
CLASSIFICATION OF THE THEORIES OF MORAL
STANDARDS
Not-only-consequence standard (deontological),
holds that the rightness or wrongness of an action or
rule depends on sense of duty, natural law, virtue and
the demand of the situation or circumstances. The
rightness and wrongness of an action does not only
depend or rely on the consequence of that action or
following that rule.
CLASSIFICATION OF THE THEORIES OF
MORAL STANDARDS
Deontology is a theory that suggests actions are
good or bad according to a clear set of rules.
Its name comes from the Greek word deon, meaning
duty. Actions that obey these rules are ethical, while
actions that do not, are not.
WHAT MAKES STANDARDS MORAL?
For Theists, believers in God’s existence, moral
standards are commandments of God revealed to man
through prophets.
For Theists, God is the ultimate source of what is
moral revealed to human persons.
WHAT MAKES STANDARDS MORAL?
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.
THE ORIGIN OF MORAL STANDARDS:
THEIST and NON-THEIST
With the Divine source concept, moral standards are
derived from natural law, man’s “participation” in the
Divine law. The moral principle “Do good, avoid evil”
is an expression of natural law. Man’s obliging himself
to respect the life, liberty, and property of his
fellowmen arises from the God-given sacredness,
spirituality, and dignity of his fellow men.
THE ORIGIN OF MORAL STANDARDS:
THEIST and NON-THEIST
With the evolutionary concept, the basics of moral
standards – do good, avoid evil – have been observed
among primates and must have evolved as the process
of evolution followed in course.
ARE THESE THEIST AND NON-THEIST
(EVOLUTIONARY) ORIGIN OF MORAL
STANDARDS RECONCILABLE?
THAT’S ALL FOR TODAY! THANK YOU
FOR WATCHING AND LISTENING! I HOPE
YOU LEARNED SOMETHING IN THIS
LECTURE. SEE YOU NEXT WEEK!
- Ma’am B
