ETHICS

 matters such as the good thing that we should pursue and the bad thing that we should avoid
 the right ways
 wrong way of acting
 acceptable and unacceptable in human behavior
 involves obligation
 prohibitions that we are required to respect
 ideals that we are encouraged to meet

PRIMARY CONCERN OF ETHICS

 good and bad, and right and wrong

KINDDS OF VALUATION

 our first point of clarification is to recognize that there are instances when we make value
judgements that are not considered to be part of ethics

AESTHETIC

 greek word aisthesis ("sense" or "feeling")

 refers to the judgements of personal approval or disapproval that we make about what we see,
hear, smell or taste.

ETIQUETTE

 concerned with right and wrong actions

 considered not quite grave enough to belong to a discussion on ethics

TECHNIQUE

 Greek word teche

 Refer to a proper way (or right way) of doing things

TECHNICAL VALUATION

 right and wrong technique of doing things

ETHICS AND MORALS

 second point of clarification is on the use of the words “ethics” and “morals”

MORALS

 refer to the specific beliefs or attitude that people have or to describe acts that people perform.
 Individual’s personal conduct

IMMORAL

 falling short of behaving properly

ETHICS
  the discipline of studying and understanding ideal human behavior and ideal ways of thinking
 intellectual discipline belonging to philosophy

PROFESSIONAL ETHICS

 legal ethics
 for people in legal profession

MEDICAL ETHICS

 for doctors and nurses

MEDIA ETHICS

 writers and reporters

PHILOSOPHY

 rooted in the Greek words that translate to “love of wisdom”

 first used by thinkers to refer to their striving to better understand reality in a maintained and
systematic manner
 remains as the unique discipline that asks significant questions that other fields are unable to
address

PHILIA

 “friendship or love”

SOPHIA

 “wisdom”

BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY

1. METHAPHYSICS - wonders as to what constitutes the whole reality

2. EPISTEMOLOGY- asks what is our basis for determining what we know
3. AXIOLOGY- refers broadly to the study of value and is divided into 2 parts.

 AESTHETICS – which concerns itself with the value of beauty

 ETHICS – which concerns itself with the value of human actions

SOURCES OF AUTHORITY
LAW

 One’s guide to ethical behavior

POSITIVE LAW

 refers to the different rules and regulations that are posited or put forward by an authority
figure that require compliance
 is enforced by way of a system of sanctions administered through persons and institutions,
which all help in compelling us to obey.
 It cannot tell us what to pursue, only what to avoid

RELIGION

 “Love the Lord, Your God, therefore, and always heed his charge: his statutes, decrees, and
commandements.” (New American Bible) this is the first line of Chapter 11 of the Book of
Deuteronomy

DIVINE COMMAND THEORY

 foundation for ethical values

 the divinity called God, Allah, or Supreme Being commands and one is obliged to obey her
Creator.
 many of us had been brought up with one form of religious upbringing or another, so it is very
possible that there is a strong inclination in us to refer to our religious background to back up
our moral valuations.
 there is an advance here over the law because religion is not simply prohibitive, but it also
provides ideals to pursue.

“ETHICS? IT IS SIMPLE. JUST FOLLOW WHATEVER YOUR RELIGION SAYS”

- there are some problems with this. First, on the practical level, each faith demands differently
from its adherents, which would apparently result in conflicting ethical standards.
- on a more conceptual level, we can see a further problem where one requires the believer to
clarify her understanding of the connection between ethics and the Divine. This problem was
first elucidated in the history of thought by Plato in his dialogue titled Euthyphro

Our calling into question of the divine command theory is not a calling into question of one’s belief in
God; it is not intended to be a challenge to one’s faith. Instead, it is an invitation to consider whether
there may be more creative and less problematic ways of seeing the connection between faith and
ethics, rather than simply equating what is ethical with whatever one takes to be commanded by God.