ETHICS

*Lecture orientation*

 Heuristic Technique- is any approach to problem solving, learning, or discovery that employs
a practical method.
 Logical and Imaginative thinking
 CULTURE RELATIVISM – assumes that beliefs, behaviors and ethical decisions are culture-
specific and that the appropriateness of any choice must be evaluated with regard to the specific
culture.
 Universal values-are principles that apply no mater what the situation.
 Phronesis -means PRACTICAL WISDOM. It is the ability to both figure out what to do in any
given moment while also knowing what is worth doing.

*Inquiry on Philosophical Ethics*

USUAL RULES IN OUR LIVES

 Etiquette – standards by which manners are judged to be good or bad normally dictated by socio
economic elite
 Athletic- standards by which we judge how good or bad a game is played usually formulated by
governing bodies.
 Legal – standards by which legal right or wrong is judged in a democracy; formulated by
representatives of people.
 Language- Standards by which grammatically right or wrong language is judged, evolving
thorough its usage
 Aesthetics- standards by which good or bad art is judged dictated by a small circle of art
specialists

MORAL STANDARDS
 Moral Standards deals with matters that can seriously injure or benefit human beings
 “ are based on impartial considerations
 “ are expressed in universalizable view point from an ideal observer

ETHICS and MORALS

 Ethics : refers to the rules of conduct recognized in respect to a particular class of human
actions or a particular group or culture.
: comes from the Greek word “Ethos” w/c means “Character”
: come from social system [external source]. We do it because society says it is the right
thing to do
: is dependent to others for definition. They tend to be consistent within a certain
context, but can vary between contexts
: is governed by professional and legal guidelines within a particular time and place.
: is codes of conduct that pertain to a community, family, company or a nation.

 Morals : are the principles or habits with respect to right or wrong conduct.
: while morals also prescribe do’s and don’ts, morality is ultimately a personal compass
of right and wrong.
: comes from the Latin word “mores” meaning “custom”
: comes from individual themselves [internal source].
: is usually consistent, although can change if an individual’s beliefs change.
: TRANSCENDS CULTUAL NORMS.
: refers to personal sets of beliefs about what is right and wrong.

ETHICS VS. MORALS

 Ethics is accepted by the entity of the community but morals are not.

*Moral Dilemmas*
 MORAL DILEMMAS

Moral Dilemma : it is a complex situation that often involves an apparent mental conflict
between moral imperatives, in which to obey one would result in transgressing another.

: Sometimes called ethical paradoxes, these dilemmas invoke an attempt to

refute an ethical system or moral code, or to improve it so as to resolve the paradox.

TYPES OF MORAL DILEMMAS

1. Epistemic Conflicts: this type of dilemma involves conflicts between two (or more) moral
requirements and the agent doesn’t know which of the conflicting requirements takes precedence
in the situation.
2. Ontological Conflicts: this type of dilemma involves conflicts between two (or more) moral
requirements, and neither is overridden. This is not simply because the agent does not which
requirement is stronger; neither is. Genuine dilemmas, if there are any, are ontological

Self-imposed moral dilemmas arise because of the agent’s wrong doing.

THREE LEVELS OF MORAL DILEMMAS

1. Individual Dilemma
2. Organizational Dilemma
3. Systematic/ Structural Dilemma

*What is Freedom*

 Human Freedom : is a social concept that recognizes the dignity of individuals and is defined
here as negative liberty or the absence of coercive constraint.

Berlin’s Two Concept of Liberty

-makes distinction between positive and negative freedom

 Negative liberty – is the absence of obstacles, barriers or constraints.

 Positive liberty – is the possibility of acting… in such a way to take control of one’s life.

 Positive Freedom - individuals will want o be their own masters.

- “wish to be a subject, not an object”

Jean- Jacques Rousseau’s Notion of ‘true liberty’

 Individuals should pursue an ideal of true liberty in which they will be able to achieve their full
human potential and live virtuously
 True Liberty is achieved when individuals can let go of amour propre (the love of oneself) and
instead become possessed by amour de soi (desire for self-preservation and self-mastery).
 Positive freedom therefore is less about what individuals are forbidden from doing and more
about what individuals can do to reach their full human potential.

ABSOLUTE FREEDOM
Existence precedes Essence

 Satre rejected the idea that there is a divine meaning to one’s life or that there is a
purpose for which each individual is born
 For Satre, existence precedes essence, freedom is absolute, and existence is
freedom.

SUBJECT RATHER THAN OBJECT

 Humans are not objects to be used by God or government or corporation or society.

NOTION OF CHOICE
 Freedom is the central and unique potentiality which constitutes us as human.
 I am my choices. I cannot not choose.

RESPONSIBILITY
 I am responsible for my very desire of fleeing responsibilities
OUR ACTS DEFINE US
  Each acts contributes to defining us as we are, and at any moment we can begin to act
differently and draw a different portrait of ourselves.

THREE POSITIONS OF FREEDOM

1. Man is absolutely free. (Sartrean)

2. Man is absolutely determined. (Casual, Logical, Psychological, Physical and
Theological)
3. The middle position: Man is situated ( Maurice Meraleau Ponty)

TYPES OF DETERMINISM

 Logical Determinism: Future is already fixed as unaltarbly as the past

 Physical Determinism: Physical laws of nature
 Theological determinism: God is omniscient
 Psychological Determinism: psychological laws

SITUATED FREEDOM [ Maurice Meralau Ponty]

 Never determinism and never absolute choice

FREEDOM [ Gabriel Marcel]

 Freedom is related to person

 Existence grows out as an ego (in the context of having freedom) and grow into
becoming (beingness) a person.
 Two Realms of freedom : (1)having -external to me (2) being- pertains to persons

TWO MEANINGS OF RESPONSIBILITY

 Accountability
 Response-ablity

Freedom conditions Justice, Justice is the condition of Freedom

*Scheler’s hierarchy of values*

Max Scheler’s hierarchy of values

 Sensory Values: (pleasant/ Unpleasant), sensory feelings

 Vital Values: well being
 Spiritual Values: (beauty/ ugly; truth/ lies; justice/ injustices
 Holy and Unholy : (Sacraments/ Biblical Truths/ Faith, Traditions)

TWO KINDS OF CHOICE

 Vertical – choices in relation to values orders
 Horizontal- refers to freedom of choice