Lesson 1: Introduction

Learning Objective:
 Learn the meaning of philosophy, ethics and its branches.

What is Philosophy?
 ETYMOLOGICALLY:
o From the 2 Greek words:
 PHILO – love
 SOPHIA – wisdom / true
o The love of wisdom.
 ACADEMICALLY:
1) Study of the fundamental nature of:
 Knowledge
 Reality
 Existence
2) Unending quest for understanding of truth.
What is Ethics?
- moral principles that govern a person's behavior or the conducting of
an activity.
- the branch of knowledge (Philosophy) that deals with moral
principles/morality.
What is Morality?
- principle concerning the distinction between right and wrong or
good and bad behavior.
- a particular system of values and principles of conduct,
especially one held by a specified person or society.
- the extent to which an action is right or wrong.
What is moral and immoral or ethical and unethical?
- are adjectives 1) describing a human act either right or wrong or
2) qualifying a person, personality or character.
- GOOD = moral or ethical / BAD = immoral or unethical
BRANCHES OF ETHICS:
Normative Ethics (rules/norms) Descriptive Ethics (descriptions)
- analyses how people ought - analyses what people think
to act. is right.
- the study of ethical action. - the study of people’s views
about moral beliefs.
- it analyses how people ought
to act, in terms of morality.
- It is also concerned with the - involves describing people’s
criteria of what is morally right moral values and standards
and wrong. as well as their behavior.
- It is often used by religion, - is a study that incorporates
government and organizations. research from the fields of
psychology, sociology,
anthropology, and history.
Lesson 2: MORAL STANDARDS AND NON-MORAL STANDARDS

INTRODUCTION
 We have to understand that every culture or every group or even individuals
have their own set of beliefs, values or standards.

MOTIVATING ACTIVITY:
1. Classify the following into groups: moral standards and non-moral standards.
1. No talking while your mouth is full.
2. Do not lie.
3. Wear black or white for mourning; never red.
4. The males should be the one to propose marriage not females.
5. Don't steal.
6. Observe correct grammar when writing and speaking English.
7. Submit school requirements on time.
8. If you are a male, stay by the danger side (roadside) when walking with a
female.
9. Go with the fashion or you are not "in"
10. Don't cheat others.
11. Don't kill.
12. When you speak pronounce words correctly.
13. Focus the microscope properly.
14. Maintain a 36-24-36 body figure.

LESSON PROPER:
Moral Standards and Non-Moral Standards

Moral Standards:
 involve the rules people have about the kinds of actions they believe are
morally right and wrong, as well as the values/vices they place on the kinds of
objects they believe are morally good and morally bad.
 Some ethicists equate moral standards with moral values and moral
principles.
In the Activity phase of this Lesson the following can be classified as moral
standards:
 Do not lie.
 Don't steal.
 Don't cheat others.
 Don't kill.

Non-Moral Standards:
 refer to rules that are unrelated to moral or ethical considerations.
 Either these standards are not necessarily linked to morality or by nature
lack ethical sense.
Basic examples of non-moral standards:
 rules of etiquette,
 fashion standards,
 rules in games,
 folkways,
 teachers rules and school, and
 standards of grammar or language, and arts

Characteristics of Non-Moral Standards:

a) They are guides of action which should be followed as expected by the society
only.
b) Sometimes they may not be followed or some people may follow them.
c) From time to time, changes are made regarding good manners or etiquette.
d) In sociology, non-moral standards or rules are called folkways.
e) In short, non-moral actions are those where moral categories cannot be applied
to all.

In the Activity phase of this Lesson, the following are non-moral standards:
 No talking while your mouth is full.
 Wear black or white for mourning; never red.
 The males should be the one to propose marriage not females.
 Observe correct grammar when writing and speaking English.
 Submit school requirements on time.
 If you are a male, stay by the danger side (roadside) when walking with a
female.
  When you speak, pronounce words correctly.
 Focus the microscope properly.
 Maintain a good body figure.

Indicators between Moral and Non-Moral Standards:

 An indicator whether or not a standard is moral or non-moral lies in its
compliance as distinguished from its non-compliance:
a) Non-compliance with moral standards causes a sense of guilt.
b) Non-compliance with a non-moral standard may only cause shame or
embarrassment.

CONCLUSION:
Lesson 3: MORAL DILEMMAS
Intended Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the session, the students will be able to:
1. Explain moral dilemma as a moral experience
2. Distinguish between a moral dilemma and a false dilemma

INTRODUCTION
When you find yourself in a moral dilemma, you are in for a moral
experience. What is a moral dilemma?

MOTIVATING ACTIVITY

ANALYSIS
1. What would you do if you are the man in the situation?
2. Explain why you decided to act that way?
3. The situation or the experience you went through is a moral dilemma.
LESSON PROPER:
Moral Dilemma
 It is also referred to as ethical dilemma.
 A "decision-making problem between two possible moral imperatives, neither
of which is unambiguously acceptable or preferable.
 It is sometimes called an ethical paradox in moral philosophy." - Oxford Dictionary
 Situation where there is tension between moral values and duties that are
more or less on equal footing.
 The decision-maker has to choose between a wrong and another wrong.
 The persons involved in the moral dilemma are in a deadlock.
 They find themselves in a "damn-if-you-do and damn-if you-don't" situation.
 In a state of emergency.
 You have to decide based on your best judgment or choose based on the
principle of lesser evil or greater good or urgency.

False Dilemma
 is a situation where the decision-maker has a moral duty to do one thing right,
but is tempted or under pressure to do something else.
 is a choice between a right and a wrong.

Example of a false dilemma:

The story from the Bible about King Herod. On his birthday, his stepdaughter,
Salome danced so well in front of him and the guests at his party that he promised
to give her anything she wanted. Salome consulted her mother about what she
should wish for, and decided to ask for the head of John the Baptist on a platter.
The king now had a choice between 1) honoring the promise to his stepdaughter,
or 2) honoring the life of John the Baptist. And Herod chose to have John the
Baptist beheaded.

REFERENCE:
Corpuz, R., Corpuz, B. (2020). Ethics. Manila, Philippines. LORIMAR Publishing.
Quiz 1
An ethical person is a bad person. *
False

Philosophy comes from the 2 Greek words "philo" and "sophia." *

False

A branch of philosophy that deals with moral principles to determine whether an action
is right or wrong. *
Ethics

Morality does not deal with the rightness or wrongness of an action. *

False

The term 'ethics' comes from the Latin word 'philo.' *

False

The branch of Philosophy that deals with the Bible. *

Theology

Ethics is dependent on morality. *

True

Actions are judged based on rules or norms. *

Normative Ethics

It uses sociology, history, psychology and anthropology to analyze an action. *

Descriptive Ethics

An immoral person does unethical actions. *

True

Quiz 2
Compliance with moral standards causes a sense of guilt. *
False

An act that is only good for a certain group. *

Non-Moral Standards

Which one is a moral standard? *

Do not lie.

Non-compliance with a non-moral standard may only cause shame or embarrassment.

*
True

These should be followed by everyone all over the world. *

Moral Standard

An act that is moral, that you wish will apply to all human persons. *
Moral Standards

We should not impose these on others. *

Non-moral Standard

Which is connected to moral principles? *

Moral Standard

Using spoon and fork while eating is a---- *

Non-moral Standard

Prescriptions that serve as the frameworks for determining what ought to be done. *
Moral Standards

Quiz 3
In a moral dilemma, the decision-maker has to choose between right and wrong
choices.
False

Which is the "lesser evil" in the story about the "Trolley Problem"?"
to kill that one person on the right rail.

Moral dilemmas are different from ethical dilemma.

False

In a false dilemma, neither of the available choices is acceptable.

No

In a false dilemma, the agent has to choose between wrong and another wrong
choices.
False

In a false dilemma, the agent has the moral obligation to choose the right option.
True

A moral dilemma is a situation where you have a choice which is acceptable morally.
False

In a moral dilemma, the agent has to choose between right and wrong choices.
No

There is no tension between moral values and duties in a moral dilemma.

False

If you are given a choice to choose between two courses: Engineering and Nursing.
False Dilemma