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POPULAR NOTIONS
Historical Background

a) Middle Ages
= characterized by manualistic form of morality

- reference to manuals, guidelines, norms

Therefore; STRICT = because they are based on authority/tradition
= obey what was written in the guidelines or what
was imposed by the authorities (blind obedience)
= This epoch is considered as the DARK AGES because it is
characterized by:
* apparent stagnation of knowledge
- people have no freedom to reason out
- they just reason out within the box
= a strict stereotyping = everything is defined as black and white

b) Period of Enlightenment/Age of Reason

= reaction to Middle Ages extreme and strict compliance to Tradition
and Authority
= hence, the rise of different movements (RELATIVE FORMS OF
MORALITY)
a) Liberalism - extreme weight on absolute freedom
b) Individualism banking on the uniqueness of the person, diverse
perspective and point of views (
c) Subjectivism - banking on the uniqueness of the person, diverse
perspective and point of views
d) Relativism disregard objective norms situation ethics

POPULAR NOTIONS OF MORALITY

1. DEONTOLOGICAL ETHICS or ETHICS OF DUTY
- the theory of duty or moral obligation
- What one is compelled to do by reason of duty (what one is compelled to do
by reason of justice and fairness apart from any consequences or goal
of actions)
- The most famous deontological theory was advanced by the German philosopher =
Immanuel Kant
- Kant claimed that various actions are morally wrong if they are inconsistent with
the status of a person as a free and rational being, and that, conversely, acts that
further the status of people as free and rational beings are morally right.
- One of the most important implications of deontology is that a person's behavior
can be wrong even if it results in the best possible outcome. And an act can be
righteous even if it results in a negative outcome.
- Deontological Ethics insists that HOW people accomplish their goals is usually
more important than WHAT people accomplish.
- In contrast to CONSEQUENTIALISM, a philosophy famous for its claim that the
end justify the means
CHARACTERISTICS OF DEONTOLOGICAL ETHICS
a. Universal
- What is right or wrong for one person is the same for any other person, anytime,
anywhere.
b. Rational
- The test for the rightness of an action is reason
- not connected to any consequences or goals and independent of desires
or feelings
c. Categorical
- Absolute unqualified without condition
- imperatives of morality without condition
- not hypothetical because it is binding on the rational mind

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Imperative = any proposition that declares a certain action or inaction to be
necessary.
Categorical Imperative
= Denotes an absolute, unconditional requirement that exerts its authority in all
circumstances It is wrong to commit murder
2. ALTRUISM
- a code of ethics which holds the welfare of others as the standard of "good" and selfsacrifice as the only moral action.
- The unstated premise of the doctrine of altruism is that all relationships among men
involve sacrifice
- This leaves one with the choice between maliciously exploiting the other person or
being "moral" and offering oneself up as the sacrificial victim.
3. INTRINSICISM
- the belief that value is a non-relational characteristic of an object.
- This means that an object can be valuable or not, good or bad, without reference to
who it is good or bad for, and without reference to the reason it is good or bad.
4. SUBJECTIVISM
- The belief that values are subjective.
- This means that values are whatever we choose to pursue and whatever we desire.
- It means there is no such thing as good or evil, except what you think is good or
evil.
- If you believe something is evil, that's just your own personal preference. It is not,
and cannot be, a statement about reality.

5. COLLECTIVISM
- The concept of value requires a purpose and a beneficiary.
- It requires answers to the questions "Value to whom?" and "Value for what?"
- Collectivism says value to the collective, whether that is society, tribe, family,
nation, race, sex, or any other group or category one "belongs" to.
- The standard of good is that which benefits the group
6. PACIFISM
- the moral principle which advocates that the use of force is wrong for any reason.
- This applies to both the initiation of force, as well as defensive or retaliatory force.
- If your life is being threatened, pacifism holds that you should not defend yourself.

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- If someone has stolen from you, pacifism holds that you should not retrieve your
property. If someone has murdered other people, pacifism holds that nothing should
be done about it.
7. HUMANISM
- Expresses renewed confidence in the power of man to respond positively to his own
problems and so discover new things for himself
- It entails a commitment to the search for truth and morality through human means
in support of human interests.
- In focusing on the capacity for self-determination, humanism rejects dependence on
faith, the supernatural or divinely revealed texts.
8. ANARCHISM
- Expresses mans freedom to express himself without repression of any kind.
- Freedom is the highest attainment of humanity
- Prerequisite abolishment of all forms of government
- It is centered on rejection of any form of compulsory government and
supporting its elimination
- The term "anarchism" is derived from the Geek word "without archons"
or "without rulers
- Limitation a warning against attempts to injure another human being
- lawlessness, disorder, chaos, violence
9. EXISTENTIALISM
- Emphasizing action, freedom, and decision as opposed to rationalism and
positivism. i.e., argues against definitions of human beings as primarily rational.
- Existentialists look at where people find meaning.
- They asserted that people actually make decisions based on what has meaning to
them rather than what is rational.
- The highest attainment of man is to find his own unique vocation
- Soren Kierkegaard
- Contention = the highest ethical good is the same for everyone moral
perfection means a semblance to a morally perfect being man is not his
own norm
10. EUDAIMONISM
- Comes from the Greek word eudaimonia which means happiness
- Refers to any conception of ethics that puts human happiness and the complete life
of the individual at the center of ethical concern.

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11. UTILITARIANISM
- The ethical doctrine which believes that the moral worth of an action is solely
determined by its contribution to overall utility.
- Utility, the good to be maximized, whatever brings the greatest happiness to the
greatest number of people has been defined by various thinkers as happiness or
pleasure versus suffering or pain.
12. PRAGMATISM
- The meaning of concepts is to be sought in their practical bearings (All truth,
claims, knowledge, morality, politics, ideas and theories must be tested in
practice)
- refusal to affirm any absolutes = subjective and relative morality
- all claims are to be tested with their corresponding contexts no
absolute idea of goodness or justice, therefore, challenges the foundations
of religion, government and paradigms of thought
- The function of thought is to guide action
- Truth is preeminently to be tested by the practical consequences of belief
13. NIHILISM
- belief in nothing and therefore rejects all positive values and denies the
possibility of orderly and peaceful existence.
14. COMMUNISM
- believes that all major resources and means of production are owned by
the
community rather than by individuals.
- denial of right to private property
(What will be the result of this belief in work, in careers etc?)

CHRISTIAN MORALITY
It has been the constant stand of the CHURCH
TO REAFFIRM THE VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE
- to defend the worlds poor (those threatened and despised; those whose human
rights are violated)
TO APPEAL TO EACH AND EVERY PERSON TO RESPECT, PROTECT, LOVE AND
SERVE LIFE

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- founded on her commitment to support the FAMILY, for amidst so many
difficulties and serious threats, the family will always remain in accordance with
Gods willthe sanctuary of life.
TO APPEAL TO EACH AND EVERY PERSON THAT TOGETHER WE MAY OFFER
THE WORLD NEW SIGNS OF HOPE
- to work as to ensure that justice and solidarity will increase
- to affirm a new culture of life aimed at building an authentic civilization of truth
and love; because the Kingdom of God is present in this civilization
CHALLENGE TO CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP
- calls for the integration of life and faith following Christ as the genuine model
towards working for our ultimate end.
- Christian morality = correlated to human destiny...ETERNAL LIFE; the gift of God
is eternal life in Jesus
CHARACTERISTICS OF CHRISTIAN MORALITY
1. Revelational
- it is based from the deposit of revelation; Scriptures and Tradition
2. Ethics of Freedom
- imbued with the authentic understanding of freedom as doing what is
good.
3. Ethics of Love
- it is not reliant on feelings alone.
4. Ethics of Hope
- explains that our actions are determined by what we hope for.