Scribd
Upload
465 views

Lesson 5 in Ethics

This document discusses the differences between ethics, morals, and values. It explains that values are fundamental beliefs that guide attitudes and actions. Morals are specific rules that emerge from one's values that govern behavior. Ethics evaluates actions and the underlying values. While animals can exhibit instinctual behavior, only humans are capable of deliberate moral reasoning and conduct based on reflection. The key difference is that ethics, morals, and values originate from deliberate human choices and actions, not instinct.

Uploaded by

Sirr Ben
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
465 views

Lesson 5 in Ethics

This document discusses the differences between ethics, morals, and values. It explains that values are fundamental beliefs that guide attitudes and actions. Morals are specific rules that emerge from one's values that govern behavior. Ethics evaluates actions and the underlying values. While animals can exhibit instinctual behavior, only humans are capable of deliberate moral reasoning and conduct based on reflection. The key difference is that ethics, morals, and values originate from deliberate human choices and actions, not instinct.

Uploaded by

Sirr Ben
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 5

LESSON 5

Value and Choices


This section explains the reason behind the claim that only human beings are

moral. The nature of our value experiences is explained, including the difference between

a value and a moral value as well as the distinction between moral decisions and moral

judgments and between intellectual and practical choices. Values are basic and

fundamental beliefs that guide or motivate attitudes or actions. They help us to determine

what is important to us. ... Values are essential to ethics. Ethics is concerned with human

actions, and the choice of those actions. Ethics evaluates those actions, and the values

that underlie them.

What's the Difference Between Ethics, Morals and Values?

Have you ever deemed someone’s behavior to be unethical? Have you ever questioned

their moral code or the values upon which they base their decisions? When our minds

wander to these places, the three terms -- ethics, morals and values -- tend to get a bit

murky. As a society, we tend to interchange the three. So, what’s the difference between

ethics, morals, and values? The difference is slight but it’s there. Understanding the

difference between the three will help you delve into your next novel with a greater

understanding of each character.

What is Important or Valuable?

For example, if someone’s value system is founded upon honesty, they would probably

make a proper judgment between cheating on a college entrance exam (wrong) and

studying hard to ace a college entrance exam (right).


Conversely, if someone valued achievement and success over honesty, that person may

opt to cheat on the exam in order to achieve the desired result. This relates to which value

is “worth more” to the individual. These fundamental beliefs are the barometer that go on

to guide a person’s decisions. Values don’t necessarily need to be “system wide” in a

group of people. Rather, they tend to be a personal, individual foundation that influences

a particular Morals

Next, we have morals, which are formed out of values. They’re the actual system

of beliefs that emerge out of a person’s core values. Morals are specific and context-

driven rules that govern a person’s behaviour. Because this system of beliefs is

individually tailored to a person’s life experience, it’s subject to opinion.

ETHICS 1 - Ethics and Moral Reasoning in Everyday Life 2.0 Values and Choices!

This section explains the reason behind the claim that only human beings are moral. The

nature of our value experiences is explained, including the difference between a value

and a moral value as well as the distinction between moral decisions and moral judgments

and between intellectual and practical choices.

Only humans are moral According to Mothers head, conduct refers to deliberate

human action. It is a result of the process of reflection based on the idea that the human

person is endowed with the capacity to think and plan his/her own life using his/her

rationality and to weigh the consequences of his/her actions. In general, we do not ascribe

morality to animals or to natural calamities like typhoons, earthquakes or tsunamis, for

example. Even if typhoon Yolanda claimed around 8,000 lives, it would be nonsensical to

declare that typhoon Yolanda was immoral. Animals are not capable of the act of
deliberation or reflection. If your cat or your dog eats your fried chicken, this is not an

action based on reflection and deliberation but on instinct — for example, the cat or dog

does not think about whether it would be depriving its master of food for dinner. Animal

behaviour is instinctive whereas human behaviour is a matter of conduct. While some

animals have been recognized to have the ability to solve simple problems and the ability

to connect events like cause and effect, they develop these through the process of

conditioning, where positive and negative reinforcement are used for the animal to learn

the behaviour. An example is Skinner’s pigeon which was conditioned or trained to peck

five times for food to be given. Another example is a chimpanzee, shown to have the

capacity to solve simple problems by using simple instruments or devices in order to reach

his food, like using a stick to get the food placed in an area not near enough for his bare

hands or to use a stool to reach and pull the string to turn on the light. Some philosophers

have debated whether some animals have the capacity to be moral because of stories

where pet animals like dogs have been recognized as heroes for saving lives. In the

Philippines, we have our version of a hero dog named ‘Kabang’ whose upper snout was

badly damaged when she went between her master’s daughter and a tricycle to protect

her from being run over. Do you think that what Kabang did is a moral act? Did it entail

deliberation or was it based purely on instinct and conditioning? As a compromise to these

two opposing views, some philosophers have agreed to call this pre-reflective morality in

animals because animals are not capable of the wide range of deliberation, reflection,

concept construction, and rational and critical thinking that humans are able to do. In other

words, this is morality that occurs prior to deliberation and reflection. According to
Mothershead, only humans are moral in so far as they are capable of deliberate human

action

Amoral vs. Immoral

Be careful with the terminology in this category. Sometimes, the words “amoral”

and “immoral” are interchanged. However, they’re quite different. If someone is amoral,

they have no sense of right and wrong. They don’t have the foundation that comes with

a sound set of values. Meanwhile, if someone if immoral, you can be sure they know right

from wrong. They’re just choosing to do the wrong thing son’s behaviour.
Activity 5

1. What do you think is the most valuable thing here in this world? (500 words)

You might also like