ethics-lesson-1-ppt-have-a-great-day.pdf

**Title: Ethics: The Foundation of Moral Decision-Making in a Complex World**

**Introduction**

Ethics, often considered the cornerstone of human behavior and decision-making, plays a fundamental role in guiding individuals and societies towards actions deemed right or wrong. Rooted in philosophical inquiry and shaped by cultural, religious, and societal norms, ethics provides a framework for evaluating the morality of human conduct across various contexts. In this essay, we delve into the multifaceted nature of ethics, exploring its definition, evolution, relevance in contemporary society, and its practical application in different fields.

**Defining Ethics**

Ethics, derived from the Greek word "ethos" meaning character, encompasses principles that govern the distinction between right and wrong conduct. At its core, ethics involves the study of morality, addressing questions about what constitutes good or bad behavior and how individuals should act in various situations. It is concerned with understanding the principles that guide human behavior and evaluating actions based on these principles.

**Historical Perspectives on Ethics**

The roots of ethical thought can be traced back to ancient civilizations such as Greece, where philosophers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle laid the groundwork for ethical inquiry. Aristotle, for instance, proposed virtue ethics, emphasizing the development of moral character and the importance of virtues such as courage, temperance, and justice in guiding human conduct. Similarly, Confucian ethics in ancient China focused on familial and societal harmony, stressing the importance of roles and relationships in fostering a morally upright society.

Throughout history, ethical theories have evolved, influenced by religious doctrines, cultural norms, and philosophical debates. The Judeo-Christian tradition introduced divine command theory, which posits that moral obligations are derived from God's commands, while Immanuel Kant's deontological ethics emphasized duty and universal moral laws. Utilitarianism, championed by philosophers like Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill, offered a consequentialist approach, where actions are judged based on their outcomes and the principle of maximizing happiness or utility.

**Ethics in Contemporary Society**

In today's interconnected and diverse world, ethical considerations permeate various aspects of human life, including business, medicine, technology, politics, and environmental stewardship. Globalization has intensified ethical dilemmas, as decisions made in one part of the world can have far-reaching consequences elsewhere. Issues such as climate change, human rights abuses, corporate responsibility, and the ethical use of artificial intelligence highlight the importance of ethical frameworks in addressing complex societal challenges.

**Ethical Theories and Approaches**

Ethical theories provide systematic approaches to ethical decision-making, offering guidelines f

1. ETHICS AS A BRANCH
OF PHILOSOPHY
At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:
1. Differentiate between ethics and the other branches of
philosophy;
2. Articulate the importance of studying ethics; and
3. Discuss the different norms or standards pertaining to right and
wrong/ good and evil.

4. ETHICS DEALS WITH THE STUDY OF THE
MORALITY OF HUMAN ACTION
Morality Human Action
GOOD EVIL
oCONSCIOUS
oFREE
oINTENTIONAL
ACT OF MAN
Ethics deals with the study of
the goodness or evilness of an
act that is done consciously,
freely, and intentionally.

5. Three Branches of Ethics
1. Meta-ethics asks
what morality
actually is.
2. Normative ethics
provides a
framework for
deciding what is
right and wrong.
3. Applied ethics
attempts to apply
ethical framework to
real-life situations.
Is it wrong to kill?
Is it wrong to kill one person
to save many lives?
(Utilitarianism)
Is death penalty wrong?

6. Therefore,
Ethics is a branch of
philosophy that
focuses on morality
and the way in which
moral principles are
applied to everyday
life.

7. The Importance of Studying
Ethics
1. Ethics allows you to live an
authentic life.
2. Ethics makes you more
successful.
3. Ethics allows you to cultivate
inner peace.
4. Ethics provides for a stable
society.
5. Ethics may help out in the
afterlife.

8. Why do we need ethics when there are laws and religion to tell
us what is right and wrong?

9. Ethics and Law
Why do we need ethics when there are laws to tell us
what is right and wrong?
oEthical rules are necessary even if we have laws
implemented by authority since legality is not identical
to morality.
oWe can be good in terms of what the law requires but
we may still fall short of becoming a ‘moral’ or ‘ethical’
person. What is legal is not always moral.
oLaws are only concerned with actions that are public,
actions that may harm those around us. Ethics goes
beyond the parameters of law for it includes the
thoughts and feelings of individuals which are subject
for moral analysis and evaluation.

10. Ethics and Religion
Why do we need ethics when there is religion to tell
us what is right and wrong?
oEthics relies solely on natural reason, logic and
experience, especially in the justification and
validation of certain theories and principles
concerning good and bad.
oReligion relies primarily and mainly on supernatural
reason or divine authority.
oThe practice of morality needs not be motivated
by religious considerations and moral principles
concerning good and bad.

11. WE NEED ETHICS
ESPECIALLY WHEN WE
ARE CONFRONTED BY
MORAL DILEMMAS

12. MORAL DILEMMAS

13. What is moral dilemma?
►A dilemma is a situation where a person is
forced to choose between two or more
conflicting options, neither of which is
acceptable.
►If a person is in a difficult situation but is not
forced to choose between two or more
options, then that person is not in a dilemma.
►Moral dilemmas, therefore, are situations
where persons, who are called “moral
agents” in ethics, are forced to choose
between two or more conflicting options,
neither of which resolves the situation in a
morally acceptable manner.

14. Three Levels of Moral Dilemma
1.Individual – happens when a person is faced with a decision that
may press against his personal values or beliefs.
oRunning through a red light while trying to drive someone who is
critically injured to the hospital
2.Organizational – happens when there is inconsistency between
individual needs and aspirations on the one hand, and the collective
purpose of the organization on the other.
oEmployee favoritism: When one employee gets undue chances or
opportunities over others
3.Structural – happens when there are inconsistencies in the structural
arrangement and mechanisms in the system.
oManipulating the drug industry to control the prices of medicines

15. Categories of Ethical Standards
►The Utilitarian
Approach
oThe ethical action
is the one that
provides the most
good or does the
least harm, or, to
put it another way,
produces the
greatest balance
of good over
harm.

16. Categories of Ethical Standards
►The Rights
Approach
oThe ethical
action is the
one that best
protects and
respects the
moral rights of
those
affected.

17. Categories of Ethical Standards
►The Fairness or
Justice Approach
oThe ethical
action treats all
human beings
equally -- or if
unequally, then
fairly, based on
some standard
that is defensible.

18. Categories of Ethical Standards
►The Common
Good
Approach
oThe action is
ethical when
it contributes
to the welfare
of everyone.

19. Categories of Ethical Standards
►The Virtue Approach
oThe ethical actions
ought to be consistent
with certain ideal
virtues (Honesty,
courage, compassion,
generosity, tolerance,
love, fidelity, integrity,
fairness, self- control,
and prudence) that
provide for the full
development of our
humanity.

20. Scenario #1:

21. Scenario #2:

22. Scenario #3:

23. One very important element by
which human conduct is
determined and assessed in
terms of its morality is in
reference to a NORM.

24. According to Ramon Reyes in his book The
Ground and Norm of Morality, ‘what is
proper’, or ‘what is good and right’ and
other similar expressions, ‘we can identify
and differentiate at least four types of norms
or standards within the ethos or mores or a
morality.

25. Four Types of Norms

26. Four Types of Norms

27. To be able to identify and differentiate the
various types of norms allows us to render
critical assessment on certain moral issues
and actions we encounter as well as allows
us to have a “rough guide as to what
belongs to a discussion of ethics.”

28. MORAL STANDARDS

29. Moral Standards
►Moral standards are norms that individuals or
groups have about the kinds of actions believed to
be morally right or wrong, as well as the values
placed on what we believed to be morally good
or morally bad.
►Moral standards normally promote “the good”,
that is, the welfare and well-being of humans as
well as animals and the environment.

30. Moral vs Non-Moral Standards
Moral Standards Non-Moral Standards
These are concerned with the
behaviors that are of serious
consequences to human welfare.
These are concerned with the
behaviors that are not of serious
consequences to human welfare.
Examples:
1. Stealing
2. Lying
3. Murder
4. Helping an injured person
5. Helping a needy person
Examples:
1. Wearing shorts to a formal dinner
party
2. Coming in informal dress to office
3. Attending calls during a meeting
4. Talking while the mouth is full
5. Saying thank you to someone

31. To be able to distinguish moral standards
from non-moral ones, of course, through
the aid of the principles and theories in
ethics, we will be able to identify
fundamental ethical values that may guide
our actions.