Ethics in A Nutshell
Ethics in A Nutshell
PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY
SPECULATIVE PHILOSOPHY
SPECULATIVE PHILOSOPHY
EPISTEMOLOGY THEODICY
METAPHYSICS RATIONAL
COSMOLOGY PHILOSOPHY
ANTHROPOLOGY SOCIAL
PHILOSOPHY
AESTHETICS
POLITICAL
PHILOSOPHY
EPISTEMOLOGY
IT IS A PHILOSOPHICAL INQUIRY
ABOUT BEAUTY IN ALL OF ITS FORMS.
IT ALSO DEALS WITH THE QUESTION OF
WHETHER SUCH QUALITIES ARE
OBJECTIVELY PRESENT IN THE THINGS
THEY APPEAR TO QUALIFY, OR EXIST
ONLY IN THE MIND OF THE INDIVIDUAL.
THEODICY
IT IS A BRANCH OF PHILOSOPHY
THAT DEALS WITH THE STUDY OF THE
NATURE OF SOCIETY, RELATION
BETWEEN THE INDIVIDUAL, AND
SOCIAL INTERACTION THAT TAKES
PLACE IN THE GIVEN COMMUNITY.
POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
IT IS A BRANCH OF PHILOSOPHY
THAT DEALS WITH THE STUDY OF THE
ULTIMATE FOUNDATION OF THE
STATE, THE NATURE OF LEGITIMATE
AUTHORITY, THE FORM OF
GOVERNMENT, AND THE PERFECT
FORM OF SOCIETY.
Branches of Practical Philosophy
Logic
Ethics
LOGIC
IT IS A BRANCH OF PHILOSOPHY
THAT DEALS WITH THE CONCEPTS
AND PRINCIPLES OR MORALITY.
IT IS A NORMATIVE SCIENCE OF
THE CONDUCT OF HUMAN BEING
LIVING IN SOCIETIES; A SCIENCE
WHICH JUDGES THE CONDUCT TO BE
RIGHT OR WRONG, TO BE GOOD OR
BAD.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ETHICS
AND MORALITY
ETYMOLOGICALLY, THERE IS NO
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ETHICS AND
MORALITY, BECAUSE BOTH ETHICS
AND MORALITY COMES FORM THE
LATIN WORD MOS OR MORIS, WHICH
MEANS CUSTOM.
HOWEVER, THERE IS A SLIGHT
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ETHICS AND
MORALITY. ETHICS PROVIDES MAN
WITH THEORETICAL KNOWLEDGE OF
THE MORALITY OF HUMAN ACT
WHILE MORALITY ACTUALIZES THE
THEORY. MORALITY IS NOTHING
ELSE BUT DOING OF ETHICS.
DIVISION OF ETHICS
GENERAL ETHICS
SPECIAL ETHICS
GENERAL ETHICS
CHARACTER
MORAL CHARACTER
MORAL COURAGE
GAWA AND GAWI
REASON
FEELINGS
FREEDOM
GOOD ACTS AND EVIL ACTS
CHARACTER
IT IS AN EVALUATION OF AN
INDIVIDUAL'S
STABLE MORAL QUALITIES. THE
CONCEPT OF CHARACTER CAN
IMPLY A VARIETY OF ATTRIBUTES
INCLUDING THE EXISTENCE OR
LACK OF VIRTUES.
MORAL CHARACTER
IT IS A RESULT OF MORALLY
DEVELOPED WILL. IT IS THE
CAPACITY TO INITIATE AND SUSTAIN
YOUR RESOLVE WHENEVER YOU ARE
CERTAIN OF DOING THE GOOD.
GAWA
CONSEQUENTIALISM
DEONTOLOGY
VIRTUE ETHICS
CONSEQUENTIALISM
AT THE HEART OF
CONSEQUENTIALIST THEORIES IS THE
IDEA THAT THE MORAL ACTION IS
THE ONE THAT PRODUCES THE BEST
CONSEQUENCES.
DEONTOLOGY
ACCORDING TO DEONTOLOGICAL
THEORIES, MORALITY IS PRIMARILY A
FUNCTION OF DUTIES OR
OBLIGATIONS, REGARDLESS OF THE
CONSEQUENCES OF ACTING IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THOSE DUTIES.
VIRTUE ETHICS
IT IS A DECISION-MAKING PROBLEM
BETWEEN TWO POSSIBLE MORAL
IMPERATIVES, NEITHER OF WHICH IS
UNAMBIGUOUSLY ACCEPTABLE OR
PREFERABLE.
IN ETHICAL DILEMMA, THE
COMPLEXITY ARISES OUT OF THE
SITUATIONAL CONFLICT IN WHICH
OBEYING WOULD RESULT IN
TRANSGRESSING ANOTHER.
THERE ARE THREE IDENTIFIED
CONDITIONS THAT MUST BE PRESENT
FOR SITUATIONS TO BE CONSIDERED
MORAL DILEMMAS:
FIRST, THE PERSON OR THE
AGENT OF A MORAL ACTION IS
OBLIGED TO MAKE A DECISION
ABOUT WHICH COURSE OF ACTION
IS BEST. HERE, THE MORAL AGENT
MUST CHOOSE THE BEST OPTION
AND ACT ACCORDINGLY.
SECOND, THERE MUST BE
DIFFERENT COURSES OF ACTION TO
CHOOSE FROM. HENCE, AS ALREADY
POINTED OUT ABOVE, THERE MUST BE
TWO OR MORE CONFLICTING OPTIONS
TO CHOOSE FROM FOR MORAL
DILEMMAS TO OCCUR.
THIRD, NO MATTER WHAT COURSE
OF ACTION IS TAKEN, SOME MORAL
PRINCIPLES ARE ALWAYS
COMPROMISED.
TYPES OF MORAL DILEMMA
THE OBJECT
THE INTENTION OF THE AGENT
THE CIRCUMSTANCES
THE OBJECT
MATERIAL CULTURE
NON-MATERIAL CULTURE
Material Culture
LANGUAGE
BELIEFS
VALUES
NORMS
LANGUAGE
MORES
FOLKWAYS
LAWS
MORES
CULTURE IS LEARNED
CULTURE IS SHARED
CULTURE IS CUMULATIVE
CULTURE IS DYNAMIC
CULTURE IS DIVERSE
FUNCTIONS OF CULTURE
IMITATION
INDOCTRINATION
CONDITIONING
ACCULTURATION
AMALGAMATION
IMITATION
IT IS A PROCESS BY WHICH
SOCIETIES WITH DIFFERENT
CULTURES ARE MODIFIED THROUGH
FAIRLY CLOSE AND LONG CONTINUED
CONTACT.
AMALGAMATION
IT IS THE INTERMARRIAGE OF
PERSONS COMING FROM DIFFERENT
CULTURAL GROUPS RESULTING IN
SOME KIND OF BIOLOGICAL FUSION.
MODULE 2: LESSON 2
IT IS AN EVALUATION OF AN
INDIVIDUAL'S
STABLE MORAL QUALITIES. THE
CONCEPT OF CHARACTER CAN
IMPLY A VARIETY OF ATTRIBUTES.
A MORAL CHARACTER INCLUDES
THE EXISTENCE OR LACK OF
VIRTUES SUCH AS EMPATHY,
COURAGE, FORTITUDE, HONESTY,
AND LOYALTY, OR OF GOOD
BEHAVIORS OR HABITS.
MORAL CHARACTER PRIMARILY
REFERS TO THE ASSEMBLAGE OF
QUALITIES THAT DISTINGUISH ONE
INDIVIDUAL FROM ANOTHER.
ALTHOUGH ON A CULTURAL
LEVEL, THE SET OF MORAL
BEHAVIORS TO WHICH A SOCIAL
GROUP ADHERES CAN BE SAID TO
UNITE AND DEFINE IT CULTURALLY
AS DISTINCT FROM OTHERS.
PSYCHOLOGIST LAWRENCE
PERVIN DEFINES MORAL
CHARACTER AS A DISPOSITION TO
EXPRESS BEHAVIOR IN CONSISTENT
PATTERNS OF FUNCTIONS ACROSS A
RANGE OF SITUATIONS.
NORMATIVE ETHICS INVOLVE
MORAL STANDARDS THAT EXHIBIT
RIGHT AND WRONG CONDUCT. IT IS
A TEST OF PROPER BEHAVIOR AND
DETERMINING WHAT IS RIGHT AND
WRONG.
PLATO BELIEVED THAT
THE SOUL IS DIVIDED INTO THREE
PARTS OF DESIRE, NAMELY:
RATIONAL
APPETITIVE
SPIRITED
IN ORDER TO HAVE MORAL
CHARACTER, WE MUST UNDERSTAND
WHAT CONTRIBUTES TO OUR
OVERALL GOOD AND HAVE OUR
SPIRITED AND APPETITIVE DESIRES
EDUCATED PROPERLY, SO THAT THEY
CAN AGREE WITH THE GUIDANCE
PROVIDED BY THE RATIONAL PART OF
THE SOUL.
ARISTOTLE TELLS US THAT THERE
ARE GOOD PEOPLE IN THE WORLD.
THESE ARE THOSE WHO
EXHIBIT EXCELLENCES –
EXCELLENCES OF THOUGHT AND
EXCELLENCES OF CHARACTER.
EXCELLENCE OF CHARACTER,
THEN, IS A STATE CONCERNED WITH
CHOICE, LYING IN A MEAN RELATIVE
TO US, THIS BEING DETERMINED BY
REASON AND IN THE WAY IN WHICH
THE MAN OF PRACTICAL
WISDOM WOULD DETERMINE IT.
WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT
ETHICS IS A BRANCH OF PHILOSOPHY
CONCERNED ABOUT ACTIONS, THE
ACTION EITHER HUMAN ACT OR ACT
OF MAN. ETHICS AND VALUES HAVE A
COMMON ROLE; THEY EVEN
INTERPLAY WITH EACH OTHER.
ETHICS WITHOUT VALUES IS
HOLLOW AND SHALLOW AND
THEREFORE WEAK. WHILE VALUES
WITHOUT ETHICS IS PARALYTICS.
VALUES
EXOGENOUS PATTERN
INDIGENOUS PATTERN
EXOGENOUS PATTERN
IT IS CONSIDERED TRADITIONAL OR
NON-FORMAL PATTERN OF FILIPINO
VALUES. INDIGENOUS VALUES ARE
ACQUIRED IN THE SUBCONSCIOUS
MIND.
FILIPINO VALUES
BAYANIHAN
FAMILY CLOSENESS
HOSPITALITY
COMPASSION
REGIONALISM
FRIENDLINESS
POLITENESS
BAYANIHAN
HIYA OR SHAME
NINGAS COGON OR
PROCRASTINATION
BAHALA NA OR RESIGNATION
MAÑANA HABIT
UTANG NA LOOB OR
INDEBTEDNESS
HIYA OR SHAME
MORAL DEVELOPMENT
THE NOTIONS OF MORALITY
DEVELOPMENT HAVE BEEN
DEVELOPED OVER CENTURIES, THE
EARLIEST CAME FROM PHILOSOPHERS
LIKE CONFUCIUS, ARISTOTLE,
AND ROUSSEAU, WHO ALL TOOK A
MORE HUMANIST PERSPECTIVE AND
FOCUSED ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF
THE CONSCIENCE AND SENSE OF
VIRTUE.
MORAL DEVELOPMENT
PRE-CONVENTIONAL
CONVENTIONAL
POST-CONVENTIONAL
PRE-CONVENTIONAL LEVEL
STAGE 1
OBEDIENCE/PUNISHMENT
ORIENTATION
STAGE 2
INSTRUMENTAL ORIENTATION
STAGE 1 OBEDIENCE/PUNISHMENT
ORIENTATION
STAGE 1
STAGE 2
STAGE 1
STAGE 2
KNOWLEDGE
FREEDOM
VOLUNTARINESS
KNOWLEDGE
ELICITED ACTS
COMMANDED ACTS
ELICITED ACTS ARE THOSE
ACTIONS WHICH ARE STARTED IN THE
WILL, PERFORMED BY THE WILL, AND
ARE COMPLETED BY THE WILL AS A
SOLE AGENT WITHOUT BODILY
INVOLVEMENT.
CLASSIFICATION OF ELICITED ACTS
WISH
INTENTION
CONSENT
ELECTION
USE
FRUITION
WISH
INTERNAL ACT
EXTERNAL ACT
MIXED ACT
INTERNAL ACTS
GOOD ACTS
EVIL ACTS
INDIFFERENT ACTS
GOOD ACTS
BIOETHICS
AT THE TURN OF THE 20TH CENTURY
PERSONALISTS THEORIST EMERGED AS A
REACTION TO PERCEIVED
DEPERSONALIZATION CAUSED BY THE
ADVENT OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY,
AND TOTALISTIC SYSTEMS IN
PHILOSOPHY. IT POSITS THE VALUE OF
PERSONHOOD AS A CENTER OF LIFE,
EXPERIENCE, DECISIONS, AND ACTIONS.
BIOETHICS
SUICIDE
STERILIZATION
EUTHANASIA
DRUG ADDICTION
ALCOHOLISM
ABORTION
SELLING ORGANS FOR TRANSPLANTS
SUICIDE
PASSIVE EUTHANASIA
ACTIVE EUTHANASIA
PASSIVE EUTHANASIA
SPONTANEOUS ABORTION
INDUCED ABORTION
THERAPEUTIC ABORTION
ELECTIVE OR VOLUNTARY
SPONTANEOUS ABORTION
IT REFERS TO EXCHANGING
ORGANS FOR MONEY OR OTHER
VALUABLE CONSIDERATIONS WHICH
LEADS TO COMMODITIZATION OF THE
HUMAN BODIES AND EXPLOITATION
OF THE POOR FOR THE BENEFIT OF
THE RICH.
MODULE 4: LESSON 1
ARISTOTLE’S THOUGHTS
ARISTOTLE’S SHORT BIOGRAPHY
IT IS A STATE OR CHARACTER
WHICH MAKES A PERSON GOOD AND
CAPABLE OF FULFILLING HIS/HER END
(TELOS) AS A HUMAN PERSON.
FOR ARISTOTLE, VIRTUE IS A STATE
OF ONE’S CHARACTER THAT IS THE
RESULT OF CHOICE. THIS CHOICE IS
GOVERNED BY PRUDENCE OR
PRACTICAL WISDOM (PHRONESIS).
PHRONESIS IS THE HUMAN
PERSON’S INSTRUMENT IN DEALING
WITH MORAL CHOICES. IT IS A KIND
OF KNOWLEDGE THAT DEALS WITH
PRACTICAL MATTERS AND NOT JUST
WITH IDEAS OR CONCEPTS.
PHRONESIS IS THE INTELLECTUAL
VIRTUE RESPONSIBLE FOR BRINGING
THE HUMAN PERSON CLOSER TO
HIS/HER CHIEF GOOD IN THE REALM
OF MORALITY.
ARISTOTLE BELIEVED THAT THERE
ARE TWO KINDS OF VIRTUES – MORAL
AND INTELLECTUAL. MORAL VIRTUES
HAS TO DO WITH EXCELLENCE IN THE
PERFORMANCE OF DECISIONS
RELATING TO MORAL AND PRACTICAL
ACTIVITY.
ON THE OTHER HAND, THE
INTELLECTUAL VIRTUES HAVE
SOMETHING TO DO WITH ONE’S
CAPACITY TO HARNESS REASON’S
CONTEMPLATIVE CAPACITY FOR
ARRIVING AT KNOWLEDGE.
ARISTOTLE EMPHASIZES THE ROLE
OF PRACTICE AND HABIT IN THE
FORMATION OF MORAL VIRTUE. NO
PERSON IS BORN MORALLY
VIRTUOUS . HOWEVER, ALL PERSONS
HAVE THE LATENT POTENTIALITY TO
BE SO, IF ONLY THEY HABITUALLY DO
EXCELLENT DEEDS.
MODULE 4: LESSON 2
HE WAS A SCHOLASTIC
PHILOSOPHER AND THEOLOGIAN,
BORN IN THE CASTLE OF
ROCCASECCA, NEAR AQUINO, ITALY.
HE STUDIED WITH THE
BENEDICTINES OF MONTE CASSINO,
AND AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
NAPLES. AGAINST THE BITTER
OPPOSITION OF HIS FAMILY, HE
ENTERED THE DOMINICAN ORDER
OF MENDICANT FRIARS.
HIS BROTHERS KIDNAPPED HIM
AND KEPT HIM A PRISONER IN THE
PATERNAL CASTLE FOR OVER A
YEAR; IN THE END HE MADE HIS
WAY TO COLOGNE TO BECOME A
PUPIL OF ALBERTUS MAGNUS.
IN 1252 HE WENT TO PARIS, AND
TAUGHT THERE, UNTIL IN 1258 HE WAS
SUMMONED BY THE POPE TO TEACH
SUCCESSIVELY IN ANAGNI, ORVIETO,
ROME, AND VITERBO.
HE DIED AT FOSSANUOVA ON HIS
WAY TO DEFEND THE PAPAL CAUSE AT
THE COUNCIL OF LYON, AND WAS
CANONIZED IN 1323.
HIS PROLIFIC WRITINGS
DISPLAY GREAT INTELLECTUAL
POWER, AND HE CAME TO
EXERCISE ENORMOUS
INTELLECTUAL AUTHORITY
THROUGHOUT THE CHURCH.
IN HIS PHILOSOPHICAL WRITINGS
HE TRIED TO COMBINE AND
RECONCILE ARISTOTLE'S SCIENTIFIC
RATIONALISM WITH CHRISTIAN
DOCTRINES OF FAITH AND
REVELATION.
HIS BEST-KNOWN WORKS ARE TWO
HUGE ENCYCLOPEDIC SYNTHESES.
THE SUMMA CONTRA GENTILES THAT
DEALS CHIEFLY WITH THE
PRINCIPLES OF NATURAL RELIGION.
HIS SUMMA THEOLOGIAE THAT
CONTAINS HIS MATURE THOUGHT IN
SYSTEMATIC FORM, AND INCLUDES
THE FAMOUS FIVE WAYS OR PROOFS
OF THE EXISTENCE OF GOD. THOMISM
NOW REPRESENTS THE GENERAL
TEACHING OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS BEGINS
FROM THE STANDPOINT OF FAITH. HIS
PERSPECTIVE PRESUPPOSES THE
EXISTENCE OF A GOD WHO IS THE
AUTHOR (SOURCE) AND THE GOAL
(END) OF ALL ETERNITY.
FOR AQUINAS, GOD REVEALS HIS
GOODWILL AS THE ETERNAL LAW
REFLECTED IN THE ORDER OF
REALITY. RELATING WITH THE LAW
AS GOVERNING ALL IS RELATING
WITH GOD HIMSELF WHOSE WILL
EMANATES TO GOVERN ALL THAT IS.
HUMAN FREEDOM FOR ST THOMAS
AQUINAS, IS AN IMPRINT OF THE
DIVINE WILL IN THE VERY BEING OF
THE HUMAN PERSON. THIS SHARING
OF HUMAN REASON IN THE ETERNAL
WILL OR DIVINE WILL IS FOR
HIM/HER THE NATURAL LAW.
AQUINAS DESCRIBES LAW AS A
CERTAIN RULE AND MEASURE OF
ACTS WHEREBY MAN IS INDUCED TO
ACT OR IS RESTRAINED FROM
ACTING.
BECAUSE THE RULE AND
MEASURE OF HUMAN ACTIONS IS
REASON, LAW HAS AN ESSENTIAL
RELATION TO REASON; IN THE FIRST
PLACE TO DIVINE REASON; IN THE
SECOND PLACE TO HUMAN REASON,
WHEN IT ACTS CORRECTLY.
LAW IS DIRECTED BY ITS NATURE
TO THE GOOD, AND ESPECIALLY TO
THE UNIVERSAL OR COMMON GOOD.
IT IS ADDRESSED NOT PRIMARILY TO
PRIVATE PERSONS BUT TO THE
WHOLE PEOPLE MEETING IN
COMMON.
THE APPLICATION OF THE LAW TO
THOSE TO WHOM IT IS APPLIED, AND
THE COMMUNICATION OF THIS LAW
TO THEM -IS ESSENTIAL TO THE
NATURE OF THE LAW.
THE FOUR MAIN KINDS OF LAW
NATURAL LAW
ETERNAL LAW
DIVINE LAW
HUMAN LAW
NATURAL LAW
UTILITARIANISM
JEREMY BENTHAM’S SHORT
BIOGRAPHY
BY ESTABLISHMENT OF A SYSTEM
OF CONSTITUTIONAL CHECKS.
THE CONCEPT OF UTILITARIANISM
IT IS DEFINE AS A MAINTENANCE OR
ADMINISTRATION OF WHAT IS JUST
ESPECIALLY BY THE IMPARTIAL
ADJUSTMENT OF CONFLICTING CLAIMS
OR THE ASSIGNMENT OF MERITED
REWARDS OR PUNISHMENTS. IT IS ALSO
AN ACTION IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE
CONDITIONS PRESCRIBED BY LAW.
THE TYPES OF JUSTICE
COMMUTATIVE JUSTICE
DISTRIBUTIVE JUSTICE
LEGAL JUSTICE
SOCIAL JUSTICE
COMMUTATIVE JUSTICE
IN PHILOSOPHY ECONOMICS,
AND POLITICAL SCIENCE, IT REFERS
TO EITHER WHAT IS SHARED AND
BENEFICIAL FOR ALL MEMBERS OF A
GIVEN ENTITY.
ONE UNDERSTANDING OF THE
COMMON GOOD ROOTED IN
ARISTOTLE'S PHILOSOPHY REMAINS IN
COMMON USAGE TODAY, REFERRING TO
WHAT ONE CONTEMPORARY SCHOLAR
CALLS THE GOOD PROPER TO, AND
ATTAINABLE ONLY BY THE
COMMUNITY, YET INDIVIDUALLY
SHARED BY ITS MEMBERS AND THE
STATE.
In contemporary economic
theory, a common good is any good which is
rivalrous yet non-excludable,
while the common good arises in the subfield
of welfare economics refers to the outcome of
a social welfare function.
SOCIAL CHOICE THEORY
IT AIMS TO UNDERSTAND
PROCESSES BY WHICH THE COMMON
GOOD MAY OR MAY NOT BE
REALIZED IN SOCIETIES THROUGH
THE STUDY OF COLLECTIVE
DECISION RULES.
•
PUBLIC CHOICE THEORY
IT APPLIES MICRO-ECONOMIC
METHODOLOGY TO THE STUDY OF
POLITICAL SCIENCE IN ORDER TO
EXPLAIN HOW PRIVATE INTERESTS
AFFECT POLITICAL ACTIVITIES AND
OUTCOMES.
•
JOHN RAWL DEFINES THE COMMON
GOOD AS CERTAIN GENERAL
CONDITIONS THAT ARE GIVEN
EQUALLY TO EVERYONE'S
ADVANTAGE.
JOHN RAWLS THEORY OF JUSTICE
IT IS A TREND OF THOUGHT IN
POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY. AN
EGALITARIAN FAVORS EQUALITY OF
SOME SORT: PEOPLE SHOULD GET
THE SAME, OR BE TREATED THE
SAME, OR BE TREATED AS EQUALS,
IN SOME RESPECT.
EGALITARIAN DOCTRINES TEND
TO REST ON A BACKGROUND IDEA
THAT ALL HUMAN PERSONS ARE
EQUAL IN FUNDAMENTAL WORTH OR
MORAL STATUS.
SO FAR AS THE WESTERN
EUROPEAN AND ANGLO-AMERICAN
PHILOSOPHICAL TRADITION IS
CONCERNED, ONE SIGNIFICANT
SOURCE OF THIS THOUGHT IS THE
CHRISTIAN NOTION THAT GOD
LOVES ALL HUMAN SOULS EQUALLY.
IN MODERN DEMOCRATIC
SOCIETIES, THE TERM EGALITARIAN
IS OFTEN USED TO REFER TO A
POSITION THAT FAVORS, FOR ANY OF
A WIDE ARRAY OF REASONS, A
GREATER DEGREE OF EQUALITY OF
INCOME AND WEALTH ACROSS
PERSONS THAT CURRENTLY EXISTS.
MODULE 4: LESSON 3
Alienable Rights
NATURAL RIGHTS
Inalienable Rights
ACQUIRED RIGHTS
Perfect Rights
PUBLIC RIGHTS
Imperfect Rights
PRIVATE RIGHTS
POSITIVE RIGHTS
NEGATIVE RIGHTS
NATURAL RIGHTS
THE CORRECTEDNESS OF
PERSONAL CULTIVATION AND SOCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY.
FOURTH THEME
RIGHT VIEWS
RIGHT SPEECH
RIGHT ACTION
RIGHT LIVELIHOOD
RIGHT LIVELIHOOD
RIGHT EFFORT
RIGHT MINDFULNESS
RIGHT CONCENTRATION
EXPERIENCE IS ANALYZED INTO
FIVE AGGREGATES, NAMELY: THE
FIRST, FORM (RUPA), REFERS TO
MATERIAL EXISTENCE; THE
FOLLOWING FOUR, SENSATIONS
(VEDANA), PERCEPTIONS (SAMJNA),
PSYCHIC CONSTRUCTS (SAMKARA),
AND CONSCIOUSNESS (VIJNANA).
THE CENTRAL BUDDHIST
TEACHING OF NON-SELF (ANATMAN)
ASSERTS THAT IN THE FIVE
AGGREGATES NO INDEPENDENTLY
EXISTENT, IMMUTABLE SELF, OR
SOUL, CAN BE FOUND.
BUDDHISM ACCEPTS THE PAN-
INDIAN PRESUPPOSITION OF
SAMSARA, OR REBIRTH PROVIDED BY
ONE'S PREVIOUS PHYSICAL AND
MENTAL ACTIONS. THE RELEASE
FROM THIS CYCLE OF REBIRTH AND
SUFFERING IS THE TOTAL
TRANSCENDENCE CALLED NIRVANA.
HINDUISM IS THE WORLD’S
OLDEST EXISTING RELIGION. IT
EMBRACES MANY RELIGIOUS IDEAS.
FOR THIS REASON, IT’S SOMETIMES
REFERRED TO AS A WAY OF LIFE OR A
FAMILY OF RELIGIONS, AS OPPOSED
TO A SINGLE, ORGANIZED RELIGION.
MOST FORMS OF HINDUISM ARE
HENOTHEISTIC, WHICH MEANS THEY
WORSHIP A SINGLE DEITY, KNOWN AS
BRAHMAN, BUT STILL RECOGNIZE
OTHER GODS AND GODDESSES.
FOLLOWERS BELIEVE THERE ARE
MULTIPLE PATHS TO REACHING THEIR
GOD.
HINDUS BELIEVE IN THE
DOCTRINES OF SAMSARA - THE
CONTINUOUS CYCLE OF LIFE, DEATH,
AND REINCARNATION, AND KARMA -
THE UNIVERSAL LAW OF CAUSE AND
EFFECT.
ONE OF THE KEY THOUGHTS OF
HINDUISM IS ATMAN, OR THE BELIEF
IN SOUL. THIS PHILOSOPHY HOLDS
THAT LIVING CREATURES HAVE A
SOUL, AND THEY’RE ALL PART OF THE
SUPREME SOUL.
THE GOAL IS TO ACHIEVE MOKSHA,
OR SALVATION, WHICH ENDS THE
CYCLE OF REBIRTHS TO BECOME
PART OF THE ABSOLUTE SOUL.
ONE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE OF
THE RELIGION IS THE IDEA THAT
PEOPLE’S ACTIONS AND THOUGHTS
DIRECTLY DETERMINE THEIR
CURRENT LIFE AND FUTURE LIVES.
HINDUS STRIVE TO ACHIEVE
DHARMA, WHICH IS A CODE OF LIVING
THAT EMPHASIZES GOOD CONDUCT
AND MORALITY.
THE PRIMARY SACRED TEXTS,
KNOWN AS THE VEDAS, WERE
COMPOSED AROUND 1500 B.C. THE
VEDAS ARE MADE UP OF:
IT IS OFTEN CHARACTERIZED AS A
SYSTEM OF SOCIAL AND ETHICAL
PHILOSOPHY RATHER THAN A
RELIGION.
IN FACT, IT WAS BUILT ON AN
ANCIENT RELIGIOUS FOUNDATION TO
ESTABLISH THE SOCIAL VALUES,
INSTITUTIONS, AND TRANSCENDENT
IDEALS OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE
SOCIETY
IT IS WAS CALLED A CIVIL
RELIGION BECAUSE OF IT’S SENSE OF
RELIGIOUS IDENTITY AND COMMON
MORAL UNDERSTANDING AT THE
FOUNDATION OF A SOCIETY'S
CENTRAL INSTITUTIONS.
IT IS ALSO CALLED A DIFFUSED
RELIGION BECAUSE ITS
INSTITUTIONS WERE NOT A SEPARATE
CHURCH, BUT THOSE OF SOCIETY,
FAMILY, SCHOOL, AND STATE; ITS
PRIESTS WERE NOT SEPARATE
LITURGICAL SPECIALISTS, BUT
PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND OFFICIALS.
CONFUCIANISM WAS PART OF THE
CHINESE SOCIAL FABRIC AND WAY OF
LIFE; TO CONFUCIANS, EVERYDAY
LIFE WAS THE ARENA OF RELIGION.
ONE SIDE OF CONFUCIANISM WAS
THE AFFIRMATION OF ACCEPTED
VALUES AND NORMS OF BEHAVIOR IN
PRIMARY SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND
BASIC HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS. ALL
HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS INVOLVED A
SET OF DEFINED ROLES AND MUTUAL
OBLIGATIONS.
CONFUCIUS NOT ONLY STRESSED
SOCIAL RITUALS, BUT ALSO
HUMANENESS (REN). REN,
SOMETIMES TRANSLATED LOVE OR
KINDNESS, IS NOT ANY ONE VIRTUE,
BUT THE SOURCE OF ALL VIRTUES.
CONFUCIUS TAUGHT THAT
HUMANITY EXISTS IN AN INTER-
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HEAVEN
AND EARTH. HEAVEN IS SEEN AS THE
GUIDING FORCE, GIVING DIRECTION
TO CHANGE AND PROGRESS, WHILE
EARTH PROVIDES THE NATURAL
CONTEXT AND SEASONAL CHANGES.
CHRISTIANITY
IT IS A RELIGION THAT IS
PRIMARILY BASED ON THE BIRTH,
LIFE, DEATH, RESURRECTION AND
TEACHING OF JESUS CHRIST.
THE BEGINNING OF THE CHRISTIAN
RELIGION AND THE CHRISTIAN
CHURCH BEGAN WITH JESUS CHRIST
AND HIS APOSTLES.
CHRISTIANITY BEGAN IN THE 1ST
CENTURY AD AFTER JESUS DIED, AS
A SMALL GROUP OF JEWISH PEOPLE
IN JUDEA, BUT QUICKLY SPREAD
THROUGHOUT THE ROMAN EMPIRE.
DESPITE EARLY PERSECUTION OF
CHRISTIANS, IT BECOME THE
LARGEST OF THE WORLD’S
RELIGIONS AND, GEOGRAPHICALLY,
THE MOST WIDELY DIFFUSED OF ALL
FAITHS.
IT HAS A CONSTITUENCY OF MORE
THAN TWO BILLION BELIEVERS. ITS
LARGEST GROUPS ARE THE ROMAN
CATHOLIC CHURCH, THE EASTERN
ORTHODOX CHURCH, AND
THE PROTESTANT CHURCH.
AT ITS MOST BASIC, CHRISTIANITY
IS THE FAITH TRADITION THAT
FOCUSES ON THE FIGURE OF JESUS
CHRIST. IN THIS CONTEXT, FAITH
REFERS BOTH TO THE BELIEVERS’
ACT OF TRUST AND TO THE CONTENT
OF THEIR FAITH.
AS A TRADITION, CHRISTIANITY IS
MORE THAN A SYSTEM OF RELIGIOUS
BELIEF. IT ALSO HAS GENERATED
A CULTURE, A SET OF IDEAS AND
WAYS OF LIFE, PRACTICES,
AND ARTIFACTS THAT HAVE BEEN
HANDED DOWN FROM GENERATION
TO GENERATION.
GLOBALIZATION