Lesson 1

Moral and Non-Moral Standards

Introduction

This topic introduces the students to the correct and reasonable standards which morally right
actions are based. Further, this makes a distinction between action that has moral and non-moral
implications.

Objectives:

 Differentiate between moral and non-moral standards

 Judge soundly a moral action
 Create a situation showing their sound moral action

Lesson Proper

What is morality?

“The quality in human acts by which we call them right or wrong, good or evil. It is a common
term concerning the goodness or badness of a human act.” (A. Fagothey)

Preliminaries:

i.) To call something “right” in the abstract tells us little.

ii.) To tell what the criteria are for making that assessment, we need a context.

Thus, otherwise we simply don’t know what it means.

iii.) Moral: Those standards that either benefits or harm someone, either give happiness or
unhappiness to someone etc, comes under the concern of moral standards.

Example: a drug company does not tell its clients the side effects of some of its
medications. Murdering people, raping people

iv.) Non-Moral: What falls outside the sphere of moral concern

When do you say that an action is a moral experience?

Reading: Rachels, James. “The Elements of Moral Philosophy”, Chapter 1. McGraw Hill,
NY, USA.(To be provided)

Activity:

1. State when does an act have moral implication?

2. Comment on the following statements:
a. “Wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it.”
 b. “Right is right even if no one is doing it.”

Feedback:

No/Limited
Quality Criteria Proficiency Some Proficiency Proficiency High Proficiency
Evaluates Fails to identify Identifies some of Identifies and Not only identifies
Assumptions and evaluate any the most evaluates all the and evaluates all
of the important important important the important
assumptions assumptions, but assumptions, but assumptions, but
behind the claims does not evaluate not the ones also some of the
and them for deeper in the more hidden,
recommendations plausibility or background – the more abstract
made. clarity. more abstract ones.
ones.

Rolando R. Cruzada, Jr.

Instructor