ETHICS REVIEWER (CRDTS TO: ALVINCARL_NALDOZA POGI)x

Reviewer for Ethics Quiz

1. Etymological Meaning of Ethics
• Terms: Ethics, Morality
• Etymology:
o Ethics: Derived from the Greek word "ethos," meaning "custom" or "a particular way and manner of acting and behaving."
o Morality: Derived from the Latin word "mos" or "mores," meaning "custom."
• Reference: Agapay, 2008, p. 1
• Concept: Ethics and morality are often used interchangeably, with ethics sometimes called morality. They both originally mean the
same thing.
2. Ethics and Morality Distinguished
• Definition:
o Ethics: The study of morality, specifically the rectitude of actions—whether they are good or bad, right or wrong.
o Morality: Provides a quality that distinguishes right conduct from wrong conduct.
• Reference: Sambajon, 2007, p. 7
• Concept: While ethics and morality share similar meanings, ethics specifically involves the study of moral principles and their
application.
3. Ethics: A Philosophy of Action
• Concept: Ethics provides theoretical knowledge about what is good or bad, right or wrong, but does not guarantee that knowledge
will lead to action.
• Quote: "Ethics is the word, while morality is the flesh." Morality actualizes the theory of ethics.
• Reference: Babor, 1999, p. 8-9
• Concept: Ethics and morality complement each other; ethics outlines theories, and morality applies them in practice.
4. Ethics: A Practical Discipline
• Concept: Teaching ethics should not be confined to theoretical knowledge but should also connect with daily life and practical
behavior.
• Quotes:
o "Ethics should be regarded not just as an academic study but as fundamentally a 'way of life.'"
o "Knowing what is right without actually changing the way we behave morally is nothing but useless knowledge."
• Reference: Baldemeca et al., 1984, p. 85
• Additional Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/christian_ethics
• Concept: Effective ethical education involves both understanding and practical application; otherwise, knowledge remains abstract
and disconnected from real life.
5. The Importance of Studying Ethics
• Concepts:
o Indispensable Knowledge: Ethics is crucial for living a truly human life. Without moral perception and morality, humanity fails
to realize its rational and free potential.
o Historical Pursuit: The quest for the good life has been a central goal throughout history, evident in literature, art, philosophy,
and religious studies.
o Ethical Foundations: Ethics and morality form the foundation of human society and influence how individuals and societies
behave.
o Moral Deterioration: Without ethics, society deteriorates, and the moral foundation of nations is threatened.
o Ethical Decision-Making: Studying ethics is vital for making informed choices and understanding the impact of our decisions
on our lives.
o Moral Dilemmas: Ethics helps navigate complex moral dilemmas and provides frameworks for evaluating right and wrong.
o Critical Examination: Ethics allows for the critical examination and justification of moral beliefs.
o Broadened Horizons: Studying various ethical paradigms broadens understanding and counters rigidity in moral
perspectives.
o Intrinsic Value: Ethics is valuable not only for its practical applications but also for the satisfaction derived from
understanding important matters.
• Quotes:
o Agapay: "Without moral perception, man is only an animal. Without morality, man as a rational [and free] being is a failure."
(Agapay, 1991, p. 3).
o Ellin: "If you do not have good [and defensible] reasons for your moral opinions, why should anyone pay attention to them?
More importantly, why should you yourself pay attention to them if you do not have good reasons for holding them?" (Ellin,
1995, p. 6).
o Pojman & Fieser: "[A]n appreciation of the complexity of ethics is valuable in counteracting our natural tendency toward
inflexibility and tribalism where we stubbornly adhere to the values of our [own] specific peer groups." (Pojman & Fieser, 2017,
p. 3).
o Pojman & Fieser: "[T]he study of ethics is not only of instrumental value but also valuable in its own right. [For] it is satisfying
to have knowledge of important matters for its own sake." (Pojman & Fieser, 2017, p. 3).
o Gensler: "Ethics can [also] deepen our reflection on the ultimate questions of life. This is of value in itself ..." (Gensler, 2011, p.
4).
o Socrates: "An unexamined life is not worth living."
6. The Difference Between Ethics and Law
• Concepts:
o Ethics vs. Law: Ethics is distinct from legality. Laws might not cover all aspects of morality, and ethical behavior may go
beyond what is legally required.
o Scope of Law: Laws address public actions that harm others or society. They are concerned with external conduct and are
enforced by civil authorities.
o Scope of Ethics: Ethics encompasses both public and private actions, including personal motivations and intentions.
o Moral vs. Legal: Morality involves deeper principles and is not solely determined by collective agreement or majority vote.
What is right or wrong is not based on popularity.
o Foundation of Law: Ethics underpins legal systems. Laws are based on ethical principles and require ongoing ethical
reflection and refinement.
• Quotes:
 o Ruggiero: "[I]t is because of ethics ... that we have laws in the first place, and we continue to need ethics in order to refine and
perfect our legal system." (Ruggiero, 2001, p. 9).
7. The Distinction Between Ethics and Religion
• Concepts:
o Ethics vs. Religion: While both deal with right and wrong behavior, ethics and religion are not synonymous.
o Nature of Ethics: Ethics relies on natural reason, logic, and experience for justification and validation of moral principles.
o Nature of Religion: Religion often relies on supernatural reason, including divine revelation or authority.
o Morality Without Religion: Morality does not require religious motivation or grounding. Ethical principles can be examined
through reason, reflection, and common sense.
o Religious Believers and Ethics: Even religious individuals often use reason and common sense in moral judgments and
engage in dialogue with nonbelievers to evaluate moral claims.
• Quotes:
o Mackinnon & Fiala: "[I]n fact ... most religions have a long history of internal arguments and interpretations about the nature
and content of the moral law." (Mackinnon & Fiala, 2015, p. 26).
o Pojman & Fieser: "[T]he practice of morality need not be motivated by religious considerations and moral principles need not
be grounded in revelation [or the word of God or gods/goddesses] ... as religious teachings invariably are." (Pojman & Fieser,
2017, p. 3).
o Mackinnon & Fiala: "[M]ost contemporary philosophers ... believe that ethics does not necessarily require a religious
grounding .... [It is commonly observed that] even those people for whom morality is religiously based may [also] want to
examine some of their views using reason ... reflection and common sense .... [Also, a lot of] religious believers ... want to be
able to engage in constructive dialogue with nonbelievers and evaluate their [moral] claims." (Mackinnon & Fiala, 2015, p. 26).
8. Ethics: A Definition
• Concepts:
o Philosophical Definition: Ethics is the practical science of morality and the good life, systematically arranged to reach
coherent and logical conclusions.
o Branch of Philosophy: Also known as Moral Philosophy, ethics explores how we ought to live, the concept of the Good, and
the notions of right and wrong.
o Investigative Focus: Ethics investigates principles of right and wrong through natural reason, addressing questions about the
good life and human conduct.
o Principles: Ethics seeks to establish standards for human behavior and determine the morality of actions without relying on
supernatural authority.
• Quotes:
o Pojman & Fieser: "[It] is that branch of philosophy that deals with how we ought to live, with the idea [and the pursuit] of the
Good and with concepts as 'right' and 'wrong'." (Pojman & Fieser, 2017, p. 1).
9. Material Object of Ethics
• Concepts:
o Material Object: The subject matter of ethics is human conduct or human acts.
o Definition of Human Conduct: Refers to actions performed by individuals that are conscious, deliberate, and subject to
moral responsibility.
10. Formal Object of Ethics
• Concepts:
o Formal Object: The special viewpoint of ethics is the morality or moral rectitude of human conduct.
o Ethics vs. Other Sciences: Unlike fields such as Psychology or Sociology, which describe human behavior, ethics assesses
the morality of actions, determining whether they align with right reason and are worth doing.
11. Divisions of Ethics
• Concepts:
o General Ethics: Basic study of ethics, focusing on human acts, moral norms (law and conscience), and determinants of
morality. It addresses fundamental elements and principles of morality.
o Special (Applied) Ethics: Applies principles from General Ethics to specific areas of life and societal issues. Includes:
▪ Individual Ethics: Personal ethical issues.
▪ Social Ethics: Ethical concerns in social institutions, including family, state, church, and societal issues like rights,
environment, labor, sex, marriage, bioethics, and politics.
• Definitions:
o General Ethics: Focuses on foundational moral principles and norms.
o Special (Applied) Ethics: Examines how these principles apply to specific contexts and issues.
12. Kinds of Valuation and Types of Norms
• Concepts:
o Norms: Rules or standards used to judge the morality of human actions. They help determine what is considered good or bad,
right or wrong.
o Richard Gula's Definition: Norms are criteria for judgment about the type of person we should be and the actions we should
perform (Gula, cited in Agapay, 2008, p. 77).
o Types of Norms:
1. Technical Norm: Concerns practical needs and efficiency related to survival, health, and well-being. It deals with the
effectiveness of actions and techniques.
▪ Examples: Proper methods for washing dishes, fixing things, or performing tasks efficiently.
2. Societal Norm: Focuses on group cohesion and maintaining social bonds. It includes etiquette and social behavior
that strengthens community relations.
▪ Examples: Manners like knocking before entering a room, or appropriate behavior in social settings.
3. Aesthetic Norm: Relates to perceptions of beauty and artistic value, celebrating human creativity and expression.
▪ Examples: Opinions on music, art, and design.
4. Ethical or Moral Norm: Concerns the ideal vision of human conduct and perfection. It is the ultimate standard for
judging actions as right or wrong.
▪ Examples: Moral principles that guide discussions on life and death issues, such as war, corruption, and
poverty.
• Quotes:
o Agapay: "The norms of morality therefore are the 'standards that indicate the rightfulness or wrongfulness, the goodness or
evilness, the value or disvalue of [human conduct].'" (Agapay, 1991, p. 53).
 o Reyes: Differentiates norms into technical, societal, aesthetic, and ethical categories, each serving distinct roles in assessing
human conduct (Reyes, 1989, p. 1-3).
o Bulaong Jr. et al.: Highlights the importance of recognizing different norms for meaningful ethical assessments and
acknowledges the challenge of distinguishing between ethical and non-ethical matters (Bulaong Jr. et al., 2018, p. 2-3).
• Key Issues:
o Distinguishing Norms: Identifying and differentiating types of norms helps in understanding and evaluating moral issues
accurately.
o Challenges: Debates may arise about whether certain issues, such as manners or cultural practices, fall under ethical
judgments or are simply questions of taste or etiquette.
13. The Moral Dimension of Human Existence
• Concepts:
o Moral Experience: Michael Moga describes morality as an inherent part of human life, evident in obligations and actions that
should be performed or avoided (Moga, 1993, p. 1).
o Scope of Morality:
▪ A-Morality Position: Morality is confined to specific areas of human life, with other areas being independent and free
from moral evaluation.
▪ Permeating Morality Position: Morality is present in all facets of life, with clear-cut moral rules guiding every situation.
▪ Middle Ground Position: Morality is found in every situation but can be more implicit or backgrounded. It guides
actions subtly without always providing explicit rules (Moga, 1993, p. 2-3).
• Conclusion: Moga advocates for a balanced approach, recognizing morality in various aspects of life while acknowledging the
complexity of human experience. Morality should inform all areas of life, maintaining a mature moral sensitivity without neglecting
other dimensions.
14. Characteristics of Moral Principles
• Concepts:
1. Reasonability: Moral judgments should be backed by sound arguments and reason. They should be distinguishable from
personal tastes and emotions (Rachels & Rachels, 2015, p. 10-11).
2. Impartiality: Moral rules should apply equally to everyone, regardless of status or situation. They should avoid favoritism and
discrimination (Rachels & Rachels, 2015, p. 12-13).
3. Prescriptivity: Morality provides practical guidance and commands for action. It aims to direct behavior according to certain
principles (e.g., "Do not kill," "Tell the truth").
4. Overridingness: Moral standards should take precedence over other norms and standards. They must have supreme
authority in case of conflicts with other principles (e.g., morality over legality).
5. Autonomous from Arbitrary Authority: Moral principles must be based on reason and logic, independent of majority opinion
or public pressure.
6. Publicity: Moral rules should be public to ensure accountability and guidance. Keeping principles secret undermines their
purpose (e.g., people must know the rules to be held accountable).
7. Practicability: Moral rules must be achievable by ordinary people, not overly idealistic or burdensome.
8. Universalizability: Moral principles should be applicable to all relevantly similar situations and individuals. This is aligned
with Kant's categorical imperative and the Golden Rule (e.g., "Do unto others what you want others to do unto you").
• References:
o Pojman & Fieser: Discusses general traits of moral principles (2017, p. 6-7).
o Rachels & Rachels: Lists characteristics essential for moral principles (2015, p. 10-13).
o Pojman: Provides insights into the features of moral principles (2005, p. 10-11).
o Harris: Offers perspectives on moral characteristics (1997, p. 9-10).
o Ellin: Describes the distinctiveness of moral principles (1995, p. 5-6).