(I) ETHICS

I. Foundation
- Derived from the Greek word ethos which means characteristics way of
acting, habit, or custom,
- The Latin equivalent is mos, mores , from which come the word moral and
morality.
- the study of Ethics started with the Greek philosophers, notably S!"#TES,
$%#T and #"&STT%E.
Socrates 'Greek( )*+,-./0, so kra t s , Skrts1 c. 234 5!6744 5!
89:
, in
En;lish pronounced / s krti z/ < was a !lassical Greek philosopher.
!redited asone of the founders of =estern philosophy, he is an eni;matic
fi;ure known only throu;h the classical accounts of his students. $lato>s
dialo;ues are the most comprehensive accounts of Socrates to survive from
antiquity.
8?
- regarded as the father of moral philosophy
Plato 'pronounced / ple to / , Greek( , Pltn, 1 2?@A2?B 5!
8a:
6
72@A72B 5!<, was a !lassical Greek philosopher, mathematician,
writer of philosophical dialo;ues, and founder of the #cademy in #thens,
the first institution of hi;her learnin; in the =estern world. #lon; with his
mentor, Socrates, and his student, #ristotle, $lato helped to lay the foundations
of natural philosophy, science, and =estern philosophy. $lato was
ori;inally a student of Socrates, and was as much influenced by his thinkin;
as by what he saw as his teacher>s unCust death.
Aristotle 'Greek( ,DE.F.GH/0 , Aristotls< '7@2 5! 6 7?? 5!< was a Greek
philosopher, a student of $lato and teacher of #leIander the Great. Jis
writin;s cover many subCects, includin; physics, metaphysics, poetry,
theater, music, lo;ic, rhetoric, politics, ;overnment, ethics, biolo;y, and
Koolo;y. To;ether with $lato and Socrates '$lato>s teacher<, #ristotle is
one of the most important foundin; fi;ures in =estern philosophy.
#ristotle>s writin;s constitute a first at creatin; a comprehensive system of
=estern philosophy, encompassin; morality and aesthetics, lo;ic and
science, politics and metaphysics.
- he had greatly influenced ethical thinking
II. Deinition o Ethics
Ethics L 'also known as moral !hiloso!h"< is a branch of philosophy that addresses
questions about moralityMthat is, concepts such as ;ood and bad, noble and the
i;noble, ri;ht and wron;, Custice, and virtue.
Ethics # the science o the moralit" o human acts.
N Science 'from the %atin scientia, meanin; Oknowled;eO< is a systematic
enterprise of ;atherin; knowled;e about the world and or;aniKin; and
condensin; that knowled;e into testable laws and theories. &t includes the use
of careful observation, eIperiment, measurement, mathematics, and replication
LL to be considered a science, a body of knowled;e must stand up to repeated
testin; by independent observers.
Human acts 6 actions done intentionally and freely
N Differentiated from acts of man which are instinctive, such as the
physiolo;ical and psycholo;ical movements like breathin;, feelin; happy, or
fallin; in love.
- Ethics is the study of man as moral bein;, one who is rationally able to
distin;uish between ri;ht and wron;. &t eIamines how man is accountable
for his actions and its consequences. &t proposes how man ou;ht to live his
life 6 meanin;fully.
- Ethics is concerned with the norms of human behavior.
$a%or &ranches o ethics include'
metaLethics , about the theoretical meanin; and reference of moral propositions and
how their truthLvalues may be determined1
normative ethics , about the practical means of determinin; a moral course of
action1
applied ethics , about how moral outcomes can be achieved in specific situations1
moral psycholo;y , about how moral capacity or moral a;ency develops and what
its nature is1 and
descriptive ethics , about what moral values people actually abide by.
=ithin each of these branches are many different schools of thou;ht and still further
subL fields of study.
III. Com!arisons
The Art of Correct Liing
- #"T provides for what is orderly and harmonious in an artwork.
- &tPs an art because it teaches how we may put order and harmony in our lives.
!thics and the "ilipino
- Qilipinos believe in moral inte;rity as essential to life. They also believe in a Cust
society.
- !onsider 6 !heatin; on the 5oard EIams of Rurses, corruption in ;overnment
' Sost corrupt country in #sia 'bAw ?TT4L?T9TL nearly U? billion dollars or 97V
was lost yearly from the ;ovPt bud;et<
!thics and #eligion
- Ethics is a science and relies on reasons for its conclusions.
- Ethics teaches the value of reli;ion, presentin; it as a duty of man towards the
Supreme 5ein;. "eli;ion, on the other hand, as an or;aniKed church or
institution, contributes to the development of ethical thou;ht.
- Thus reli;ion and ethics complement each other.
!thical $orms and Law
- The laws of society sometimes le;aliKe immoral acts, like ;amblin; and divorce
6 what is le;al is not necessary moral.
- Juman laws re;ulate eIternal actions, but not thou;hts and feelin;s.
- Ethical norms cover thou;hts and feelin;s.
I(. Ethical A!!roaches
A. Atheistic # assumes that only matter eIists and man is responsible only to
the State since there is no God.
- Sorality is an invention of man to suit his requirement and to
preserve society.
- Soral truths are temporary and chan;eable, dependin; on the
situation.
9. Satter is the only reality.
?. San is matter and does not have spiritual soul.
7. San is free and must eIercise his freedom to promote the welfare
of society.
2. There is no life after death.
W. San is accountable only to the State.
). Theistic 6 assumes that God is the Supreme %aw;iver.
- There are absolute principles of morality which are not
chan;eable.
9. God is the Supreme !reator and %aw;iver
?. San is free and must use his freedom to promote his personal
interest alon; with that of others.
7. San has an immortal soul.
2. San is accountable for his actions, both ;ood and evil.
(. *eneral and S!ecial Ethics
- General Ethics is about the principles of morality.
- Special Ethics is the application of the principles of General Ethics.