ETHICS

GE8
 INTRODUCTION
ETHICS
Ethics is a rational reflection on what is right, what is wrong, what
is just, what is unjust, what is good and what is bad in terms of
human behavior.

Some Ethical principles are:

Truthfulness
Honesty
Loyalty
Respect
Fairness
Integrity
ETHICS
Derive from the Greek word “Ethos” which means custom or
habits.
Ethics is also often called moral philosophy.
The word moral is from a latin “Mores” which also means
custom or habits.
Thus, ethics means the science of custom or habits of society.
While morals are morality refers to custom ethics, extend to
means habitual conduct or character.
Morality deals with our reasoning and ethics with our doing.
Ethics can also mean the science of rightness and wrongness
of character and conduct.
Ethics is the study of what is right or good in human conduct
or character.
IMPORTANCE
OF ETHICS
Ethics plays a crucial role in fostering
trust and accountability in personal
and professional interactions. It
serves as the foundation for decision-
making, guiding behavior in complex
situations and ensuring fairness and
integrity in society.
IMPORTANCE OF ETHICS
It assists in availing legal representation to all in the
society.
It sets out the minimum duties of a legal practitioner
towards his client, the court and to his counter parts in
the profession
It spells out the minimum standards of practice.
Enhances public confidence in the legal profession
It builds loyalty between the advocate and his client
It gives the lawyer a guide line on how to act in cases of
conflicts of interest
It Assists in the protection of fundamental human
interests like life, liberty and property
 NATURE OF ETHICS
Ethics aims at systematic knowledge. So, ethics is a science. Every
science is concerned with a particular sphere of nature. As a
science ethics has its own particular sphere; it deals with certain
judgments that we make about human conduct. It deals with
systematic explanation of rightness or wrongness in the light of the
highest Good of man.

Ethics is not an art. Ethics does not teach us an art as to how to lead
a moral life. Rather it helps us to justify rightness or goodness
which can lead to the supreme goal of human life that is to realize
the summum bonum of human life. So, ethics is not a means to the
highest ideal of human life.
 PURPOSE OF ETHICS
Ethics provides us with the tools to determine whether or not we should
do a certain action and the extent to which a past action should have been
done.
Ethics is a good philosophy to use for decision making. The study of ethics
can help improve knowing the difference between right and wrong.
In a business ethics has become very valuable to organizational behavior.
when communicating with other individuals ethics can help individuals to
use better more positive behavior with one another.
Study of ethics can teach a person about themselves and help an
individual to relate to other who are different in a positive manner.
In education Ethics decides what impulses and dispositions in children
should be strengthened and what should be suppressed.
Ethics teaches how one should conduct themselves in order to achieve the
ultimate good in life, not only for themselves but also for others.
 SCOPE OF ETHICS
Ethics is not concerned with the nature, origin or development of human
conduct, it is concerned with the ideal or standard to which our conduct
should conform.
Ethics discusses the nature of human freedom. It investigates what
constitutes good or bad, just or unjust.
Range of ethics includes sense of duty or moral obligation and responsibility
for actions.
Ethics is not a guidebook of moral values it seeks clarification of terms used
in moral language.
Ethics deals with political, sociological, cultural, economic, environmental,
religious problems in pursuit of highest good.
Our right actions have merit; our wrong actions have demerit. Ethics
enquires into the criterion of merit and demerit. It tries to find out what
makes an action meritorious.
 KINDS OF
ETHICS
Understanding the different branches of ethics reveals how moral principles
can vary in application and interpretation. Philosopher nowadays divide
ethical theories mainly into three areas; Normative Ethics, Meta-Ethics and
Applied Ethics.
.
NORMATIVE
ETHICS
Normative ethics focuses on establishing
standards or norms for behavior. It addresses
questions like what actions are right and
wrong, providing frameworks for ethical
reasoning, such as consequentialism and
deontology.
Normative ethics aims to find general
principles that govern how people should act.
It is concerned with the content of moral
judgements and the criteria for what is right
and what is wrong course of action.
APPLIED
ETHICS
Applied ethics involves the practical application
of moral principles to real-world issues. It
addresses specific areas such as medical ethics,
environmental ethics, and business ethics,
focusing on dilemmas and case studies.
Applied ethics examines concrete ethical
problems in real-life situations, such as abortion,
treatment of animals, and business practices.
It looks at what a person is obligated or
permitted to do in a specific situation or a
particular domain of action.
META-ETHICS
Meta-ethics explores the nature, meaning,
and foundation of ethical concepts. It
investigates questions about moral
language, truth values, and the objectivity of
moral judgments, contributing to deeper
philosophical discussions.
Explores the underlying assumptions and
concepts of ethics. It asks whether there are
objective moral facts, how moral knowledge
is possible, and how moral judgments
motivate people.
It deals with the nature of moral judgment.
It looks at the origins and meaning of ethical
principle.
 ETHICAL
THEORIES
Ethical theories provide frameworks for understanding moral principles and
guide decision-making processes in various situations
UTILITARIANISM
Utilitarianism posits that the best action
is the one that maximizes overall
happiness or utility. This theory
evaluates actions based on their
consequences, urging individuals to
consider the greatest good for the
greatest number.
It is an ethical theory that asserts that
right and wrong are best determined by
focusing on outcomes of actions and
choices.
DEONTOLOGY
Deontology asserts that actions are
morally right based on rules and duties
rather than their consequences.
Founded by Immanuel Kant, this
approach emphasizes adherence to
moral laws and principles, asserting that
some actions are inherently right or
wrong regardless of their outcomes.
Deontology is an ethical theory that says
actions are good or bad according to
clear set of rules.
VIRTUE ETHICS
Virtue Ethics emphasizes the
importance of moral character and
virtues in ethical decision-making.
Rooted in the philosophies of Aristotle,
it advocates for the development of
good character traits, suggesting that
ethical behavior arises from being a
good person rather than merely
following rules or assessing outcomes.
SOCIAL CONTRACT
THEORY
Social Contract Theory posits that
individuals consent, either explicitly or
implicitly, to form a society and accept
certain moral and political obligations in
exchange for social order. Thinkers like
Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-
Jacques Rousseau contributed to this
theory, which underscores the link
between individual rights and collective
governance.
RIGHTS THEORY
Rights theories can refer to moral rights or
legal rights. Moral rights are generally
conceived of as rights that a being is born
with or possesses by virtue of their nature.
Legal rights — independent of moral rights —
are government-recognized laws established
and upheld to protect some interests. For
someone with a moral rights view, moral
rights are independent of, and precede, legal
rights. According to this view, an individual
can have moral rights even if those rights
aren’t recognized by broader society or
enshrined in law.
 ETHICAL
DECISION-
MAKING
Understanding the processes and challenges involved in making ethical
choices is crucial for effective leadership and personal integrity.
ETHICAL
DILEMMAS
Ethical dilemmas arise when competing
moral principles conflict, creating
challenging situations where a clear right
or wrong is not evident. Examples
include dilemmas in healthcare, business
practices, and personal relationships,
where choices can significantly impact
stakeholders.
FRAMEWORKS
FOR DECISION-
MAKING
Frameworks for ethical decision-making,
such as the Consequentialist,
Deontological, and Virtue Ethics
approaches, provide structured methods
for evaluating choices. These frameworks
help analyze choices based on
consequences, duties, and character,
guiding individuals towards responsible
decisions.
 CODE OF
ETHICS
The code of ethics refers to a written set of
guidelines issued by an organization to its
workers and management to help them
conduct their action in accordance with
its primary values and ethical standard.
CONDITION FOR MAKING CODES
EFFECTIVE

There are six condition for effective code of ethics

There should be a valid motivation for introduction of
ethics.
Broad acceptance within the company.
Continuous feedback is important
Verification and control new guidelines should be drawn
up if the rules prove inadequate in any way
Integration is abroad company philosophy.
sanction and control
DIFFICULTIES IN IMPLEMENTING
CODE OF ETHICS

The main difficulty with code of ethics is that they do not

establish priority between norms and beliefs there are
three main areas that can create an obstacle to put
codes and practice;

• Culture
• Design
• Enforcement
INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS
AFFECTIN ETHICAL BEHAVIORS

Values
Basic convictions about what is right or wrong on a
broad range of issues

Stage of Moral Development

- A measure of an individual's independence from

outside influences
 ETHICAL LEADERSHIP

Managers must provide a good role model by:

-Being ethical and honest at all times.
-Telling the truth; don't hide or manipulate information.
-Admitting failure and not trying to cover it up
-Communicating shared ethical values to employees through
symbols, stories, and slogans.
-Rewarding employees who behave ethically and punish
those who do not.
-Protecting employees (whistleblowers) who bring to light
unethical behaviors or raise ethical issues.
INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS

Personality Variables
- Ego strength
A personality measure of the strength of a person's
convictions

- Locus of Control
A personality attribute that measures the degree to which people
believe they control their own life.
Internal locus: the belief that you control your destiny.
External locus: the belief that what happens to you is due to luck
or chance.
 STRUCTURAL VARIABLES

Organizational characteristics and mechanisms that guide and

influence individual ethics:
-Performance appraisal systems
-Reward allocation systems
-Behaviors (ethical) of managers
-An organization's culture
-Intensity of the ethical issue

Good structural design minimizes ambiguity and uncertainty and

fosters ethical behavior.
RATIONALIZING UNETHICAL
BEHAVIOR

Four reasons:

1. "What I'm doing is not really illegal."

2. "My behavior is in everyone's best interests."
3. "Nobody will ever find out what I've done."
4. "The organization will protect me."
ORGANIZATIONAL ETHICS

Personal and contextual factors influence ethical

conduct
Training in ethical decision making may improve
ethical conduct
Protection of whistleblowers may encourage
ethical conduct
Managers acting as positive role models may
motivate others toward ethical conduct
Formal codes of ethics set standards for ethical
conduct
 ETHICS TRAINING

Ethics Training
-Seeks to help people understand the ethical aspects of decision
making and to incorporate high ethical standards into their daily behavior.

Code of Ethics
-A formal statement of values and ethical standards

Spotlight Questions
-Highlight the risk of public exposure of one's
actions:
-"How would I feel if my family found out about my decision?"
-How would I feel if the local newspaper printed my decision?
 WHISTLEBLOWERS
Whistleblowers
- Persons who expose organizational misdeeds in order to preserve
ethical standards and protect against wasteful, harmful, or illegal acts.
-Many whistleblowers were / are fired for their actions.
-State and federal laws now offer some protection.
➤Whistleblowers
-Expose misdeeds of others to:
• Preserve ethical standards
• Protect against wasteful, harmful, or illegal acts.
➤ Barriers to whistleblowing include:
-Strict chain of command.
-Strong work group identities.
-Ambiguous priorities
➤Organizational methods for overcoming whistleblowing barriers:
-Ethics staff units who serve as ethics advocates
-Moral quality circles
 FOUR VIEWS OF ETHICAL
BEHAVIOR.

Individualism view Moral-rights view

Does a decision or behavior Does a decision or behavior
promote one's long term self- maintain the fundamental rights of
interests? all human beings?

Justice view Utilitarian view

Does a decision or behavior show Does a decision or behavior do the
faimess and impartiality? greatest good for the most people?
➤ Cultural issues in ethical behavior:

Cultural relativism
-Ethical behavior is always determined by cultural
context.
Cultural universalism
-Behavior unacceptable in one's home environment
should not be acceptable anywhere else.
-Considered by some to be ethical imperialism
How international businesses can respect core or universal values:

Respect for human dignity

Create culture that values employees, customers, and suppliers.
Keep a safe workplace.
Produce safe products and services.
Respect for basic rights
Protect rights of employees, customers, and communities.
Avoid anything that threatening safety, health, education, and living
standards.
Be good citizens
Support social institutions, including economic and educational
systems.
Work with local government and institutions to protect
environment.
 SOME REF FLAGS
If you hear someone say any of these, you can expect something
unethical is about to happen!

"Well, maybe just this once."

"No one will ever know."
"It doesn't matter how it gets done as long as it gets done."
"It sounds too good to be true."
"Everyone does it."
"Don't worry, it's part of the culture."
"Shred that document.
"We can hide it."
"No one will get hurt."
"What's in it for me?"
"There are already enough competitors in this market."
"This will destroy the competition.
"We didn't have this conversation."
"I don't want to know."
ETHICS AND THE
FILIPINO
Filipino believe in moral
integrity as essential to life.
They also believe and a just
society.
 ETHICS AND RELIGION

Both concerned with moral education but differ from each

other. Ethics is a science and relies on reason for its conclusion
while religion is a system of beliefs and practices based on faith
and revelation, or truth revealed to man by God.
Ethics teaches the value of religion presenting it as a duty of a
man towards the supreme being religion and the other hand as
an organized church or institution, contributes to the
development of ethical thoughts.
Thus, religion and ethics compliment each other.
ETHICAL NORMS AND LAWS

The law of society sometimes legalized immoral acts.

Hence, what is legal is not necessary moral. Also
human laws regulate external actions, but not
thoughts and feelings.
Ethical norms, cover thoughts and feelings so that a
person can seen because of what he thinks or desires.
 ETHICAL
APPROACHES
There are two approaches:
1. The Atheistic Ethics
2. The Theistic Ethics
01. THE ATHEISTIC
ETHICS TENETS

Assume that only matters exist Matter is only reality.

and man is responsible only to Man is matter and does not
the state since there is no god how spiritual soul.
who rules the universe. Man is free and must exercises
morality is an invention of man to freedom to promote the
suit his requirements and to welfare of society.
preserve society. There is no life after death.
moral truths are temporary and Man is accountable or need to
changeable depending on the the state.
situation.
02. THE THEISTIC TENETS
ETHICS
Which we adhere, assumes that God is the supreme creator and
God is a supreme lawgiver. lawgiver.
Everything must confirm to God Man is free and must use his
eternal plan of creation. freedom to promote his
Man must exercises freedom and personal interest along with
accordance with God's will. There that of others.
are absolute principles of Man has an immortal souls.
morality which are not Man is accountable for his
changeable actions, both good and evil.
ONE FRAMEWORK
BY: SHAPIRO AND
STEFKOVICH
Ethic of Justice
Ethic of Care
Ethic of Critique
Ethic of Profession
ETHIC OF JUSTICE ETHIC OF CARING

Promotes the premise of Embraces traits of caring and

rights rules and law and nurturance.
making ethical decisions.
How can the needs of family
Are the laws adequate in best be met?
providing public school
student healthy food and
beverage choices?
ETHIC OF CRITIQUE ETHIC OF
PROFESSION

Based on critical theory and This perspective is defined by

encourages analysis of social the principles for professional
class iniquities practice by one's chosen
profession.
What are the social and
economic iniquities of the What action best reflects the
current minimum wage? code and mission of the my
profession?
THANK YOU
MEMBERS:
Michaella Torres
Marjorie Sadia
Angelica Saltorio
Rica Mae Remodo
Marjorie Santos
Jaira Sanorjo
Maria Carren Verdejo