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Background of Business
Ethics
Objective:
At the end of this chapter, the students are
expected to:
1. Compare and contrast ethics and
philosophy
2. Evaluate the nature of the human act from
the ethical perspective
3. Analyze critically the various approaches
of evaluating the morality of human
conduct
4. Understand a mans nature as a moral
being
5.
Differentiate ethics from morality
2. DIVISIONS OF
PHILOSOPHY
1. Theoretical or Speculative Philosophy:
studies the truth to be known
e.g,. God, immortality of the soul, origin of
the universe, among others
2. Practical Philosophy: studies truths to
be acted upon
e.g,. Ethics, axiology, semantics, and the like.
Theoretical or Speculative
Philosophy
Cosmology:
Is a subject that studies the origin and destiny
of the universe, evolution and the ultimate fate
of the entire universe. The word universe
comes from the Greek word kosmos.
Ontology:
Deals with the nature of existence of things
and the status of reality. The word onta is a
Greek word which means being. It is also
referred as the theory of being.
Metaphysics:
Metaphysics came from the Greek words
meta(beyond) and physikon(nature). As a
branch of philosophy, metaphysics studies the
nature of mind, the self and consciousness.
Psychology:
Psychology for the Greek was basically a study
about the nature of the soul of the person and
other entities. Today, Psychology is define as a
science that studies human and animal
behavior.
Practical Philosophy
Semantics:
Semantics came from the Greek words
sema meaning sign or mark and
semantikos meaning significant. This
practical branch of philosophy studies the
meaning of words and its linguistic forms,
their functions and their relationship to other
words.
Axiology:
The word Axiology is from the Greek words
axios meaning worthy, and logos,
meaning discourse or study. Axiology is thus
the discourse or study of the philosophy or
system of value or judgments or worthiness.
Axiology studies values, its origin, types and
characteristics.
Aesthetics:
Aesthetics is the branch of philosophy that
aims to establish the general principles of art
and beauty.
Logic:
Logic deals with the nature of thinking and reasoning
using empirical support to establish the truth.
Deductive Reasoning: reasoning from universal truth
to particular.
Inductive Reasoning: reasoning from particular to
universal or general principles.
Ethics:
Ethics is a philosophical science that studies the
morality of human acts.
3. Definition of Ethics
Ethics is the practical science of the
morality of human acts.
Ethics is the study of human conduct from
the standpoint of morality.
Ethics is a normative science based on
reason which studies human conduct and
provide norms for its natural integrity and
honesty.
5. Ethics as a Normative
Science
Ethics is considered a normative science
because:
1. It is concerned with the systematic study
of the norms of human conduct.
2. It involves a systematic search for moral
principles and norms that are used to
justify our moral judgments.
Descriptiv
e Ethics
Normative
Ethics
Meta
Ethics
Descriptive Ethics:
Consists of studying and describing the morality of a
people, culture, or society.
It also makes comparisons and contrast on the
different values, principles, code of ethics, beliefs,
and practices of people.
Examples:
Psychological Egoism: a concrete example of
descriptive ethics is the study of human motivation. It
says nothing about what is good or bad or right or
wrong, rather it simply declares
Meta Ethics:
Ethical
Relativism
emphasizes
the
differences of moral beliefs and practices
from the point of view of the culture.
Situational Ethics (Moral Subjectivism)
emphasizes moral differences based on
personal beliefs and convictions.
Approaches to Moral
Differences
Approaches to Moral
Differences
There is No Moral Truth
There is No Universal Moral
Truth
Deep Down. We Can Find Basic Moral
Truth
There Is One Universal Moral
Truth
7. Deontological vs.
Teleological Approaches to
Ethical Evaluation of the
Human Conduct
Figure 5. Elements of an
Action
A
C
T
I
O
N
Motives/Intention
s,
End of the Actor
Means/Action in
Itself, End of the
Act
Consequences/Resul
t,
Probable and Actual
Non
Consequentialist
Consequentialis
t
Deontological Ethics
Deontological
Ethics
or
non
Psychoanalysis Theory
Is an approach that understand human
behavior which views men and women as
constantly torn between internal unconscious
forces and external social forces. The key
points of psychoanalytic theory are the ff:
Man
must learn to control his inborn
desires.
Man must achieve fulfillment in ways that
are harmonious with others.
Superego:
In Freuds theory is the spirited or the will
in Platos theory. For Freud, the Superego
basically reflects social rules and values of
the society that govern our behavior.
Ego:
Is the rational self or the conscious self. In
the Freuds theory it is also known as the
reality principle. It is part reason(intellect)
but also part willpower.
Id:
Is the irrational part in us or the
unconscious instincts. According to Freud, we
are born with the Id which is also known as
the pleasure principle.
The id, being irrational does not know the
meaning of postponement. When the id
wants something, it craves for instant
satisfaction.
Lawrence Kohlberg
Theory of Moral Development
Kohlbergs Classification of the Persons
Moral Development
Pre conventional
Conventional
Post - conventional
Pre-convenional
Generally found in young children and older
children
(Stage 1) Reaction to punishment
(Stage 2) The desire for the right behavior
that will satisfy the persons self interest.
Conventional
Generally found in an ideal civilized society,
hence, the name conventional.
(Stage 3) Stage of Mutual Interpersonal
Expectations, Relationships and Conformity.
(Stage 4) Stage of Social System and
Conscience Maintenance.
Post-Conventional
The 3rd level of moral thinking that Kohlberg
felt is not reached by the majority of adults.
(Stage 5) Stage of Prior Rights and Social
Contract or Utility.
(Stage
6) Stage of Universal Ethical
Principles
(Stage 7) Transcendental Morality
Atheistic Ethics
Theistic Ethics
Atheistic Ethics
Matter is the only reality.
Man is matter and does not have spiritual
dimension.
Man is free and must exercise his freedom
to promote the welfare of the society.
There is no life after death.
Man is accountable only to the State.
Theistic Ethics
God is the Supreme Creator and Lawgiver.
Man is free and must use his freedom to
promote his personal and social interests
along with his fellowmen.
Man has an immoral soul which cannot die.
Man is accountable for his actions, both
good and evil.