COLLEGE OF

ENGINEERING

The Basic Concept

of Ethics
“A man without Ethics is a wild beast loosed upon this world.”

-Albert Camus
OBJECTIVES

Student will be able to...

1. Define Non-moral standards
and moral standards .
2. Identify moral dilemmas and
its level.
OBJECTIVES
Student will be able to...
1. Understand why only human
beings can be ethical.
2. Explain freedom as
foundation of morality.
 Let’s warm
Analyze: Ifup!
one oy your classmates wear civilian
attire during class days instead of complete
uniform, is his/her action already morally bad or
good?
Not all rules are moral rules. That is, not all standards
are moral standards.

Morality may refer to the standards that a person or

a group has a about what is right and wrong, or good
and evil. Accordingly, moral standards are those
concerned with or relating to human behaviour,
especially the distinction between good and bad (or
right and wrong) behaviour.
 A.) Non-moral Standards

It refer to rules that are unrelated to

moral or ethical considerations. Either
these standards are not necessarily link
to morality or by nature lack ethical
sense. Basic examples are: aesthetics,
etiquette and Technicalities.
 a.1.) AESTHETICS

-is derived from the Greek word “aesthesis” which

means (“sense” or “feeling”). It refers to the
judgments of personal approval or disapproval that
we make about what we see, hear, smell, or taste. In
fact, we often use the word “taste” to refer to the
personal aesthetic preference that we have on these
matters, such as “his taste in music” or “her taste in
clothes”.
For instance, I could say that the movie
that I had watched was a “good” one
because I enjoyed it, or a song I had just
heard on the radio was a “bad” one
because it had an unpleasant tone.
Another one, I may have an opinion as to
what is the “right” dip (sawsawan) for
my chicken barbecue, or I mat maintain
that it is “wrong” to wear a leather vest
over a Barong Tagalog.
 a.2.) ETIQUETTE

It refers to the approval or disapproval about

a certain actions which can be considered
relatively more trivial in nature.
For instance, I may think
that it is “right” to knock
politely on someone‟s door,
while it is “wrong” to
barge into one‟s office.
 a.3.) TECHNICALITIES

-is derived from the Greek word

“techne” the English words “technique”
and “technical” which are often used
to refer to a proper way (or right way) of
doing things.
For instance, this could also when
learning how to bake; I am told
that the right thing to do would be
to mix the dry ingredients first,
such as flour or sugar before
bringing in any liquid, like milk or
cream; this is the right thing to do
in baking.
Another, this could also when learning
basketball. I am instructed that it is
against the rules to walk more than two
steps without dribbling the ball; again
obeying this rule to not travel is
something that makes sense only in
the context of the game and is not an
ethical prohibition.
 B.) Moral Standards

It deals to the matters that can

seriously injure or benefit human
being, particularly, life and death.
(Moral Issue, Decision, Judgment,
and Moral Dilemma)
 b.1.) MORAL ISSUE

It is any issue concerning how one and other ought

to behave or whether a situation is proper or
improper. For instance, I imagine a situation wherein
a person cannot afford a certain item, but then the
possibility presents itself for her to steal it. This is a
matter of ethics (and not just law) insofar as it
involves the question of respect for one‟s property.
 b.2.) MORAL DECISION

It is a decision in which you need to

decide if something is right or wrong. In
other words, when one is placed in a
situation and confronted by the choice
of what act to perform . For, instance
abortion and murder.
 b.3.) MORAL JUDGMENT

It is giving an assesment to a
particular action or behavior. For
instance, a friend of mine chooses
to steal from a store, and I make
an assesment that it is wrong.
 b.4.) MORAL DILEMMA
Moral dilemmas are situations in which
the decision-maker must consider two
or more moral values or duties but can
only honor one of them; thus, the
individual will violate at least one
important moral concern, regardless of
the decision.
For instance, Regina is a deeply
religious person; hence, she considers
killing humans absolutely wrong.
Unfortunately, it is found out that
Regina is having an ectopic pregnancy.
Ectopic pregnancy is coursed outside
the uterus. In other words, the fetus
does not develop in the uterus.
Now, if this happens the development
of the fetus would definitely in danger
Regina. Thus, if Regina continues her
pregnancy there is a big possibility that
she will die. However, according to
experts the best way to save her life is
to abort the fetus which necessarily
killing the fetus. If she will not abort the
fetus, she as well as the fetus will die.
In this example, Regina is faced with
two conflicting option: resort to abortion
which will save her life but the same
time jeopardies his moral integrity or
does not resort to abortion but in
danger his life as well as the fetus.
Indeed, Regina faces two the huge
moral dilemma. There are three
conditions that must be present for
situation to be considered in moral
dilemmas:
1. The person or the agent of a moral
action is obliged to make decision
about which course of action is
best.
2. There must be different courses of
action to choose from.
3. No matter what course of action is
taken, some moral principles are
always compromised.
 C.) Three levels of Moral Dilemmas

Personal Dilemmas are those

experienced and resolved on the
personal levels.
wastong gulang at tamang pagiisip.
Habang tinatahak niya ang iskinita pauwi,
nakita niya ang kaniyang matalik na
kaibigan na si Marco na tila may
tinatakbuhan at mayroong dalang bag sa
kaniyang kamay. Nagtagpo ang kanilang
mga mata at dali-dali namang tinanong ni
Maricel kung bakit siya tumatakbo ngunit
hindi siya nito pinansin. Nang makalagpas
sa kabilang kanto, may nakita siyang mga
pulis, mga tambay at babaeng
humahagulgol sa kadahilanang na-snatch
Nang binabagtas ang kalye patungo sa
kinaroroonan ng mga pulis, tinanong siya ng
mga ito kung nakita o kilala ang kalalakihang
tinutukoy na nag-snatch ng bag, na
namataang pumasok sa iskinita na kaniyang
nilabasan. Ang binata raw ay katangkaran,
kayumangi, may saktong pangangatawan,
kulot ang buhok, nakausot ng pulang damit at
maong na pantalon. Mabilis na sumagi sa isip
ni Maricela si Marco na tumugma sa
deskripsyon
Malakas ang kutob niya na dala-dala ng
kaniyang kaibigan ang bag ng babae. Hindi
makaimik si Maricela dahil siya’y nagaalangan
kung magsasabi ng mga totoo sa kinauukulan.
Kung gagawin niya ito, makukuha ng babae
ang kaniyang bag ngunit madadakip ng mga
pulis si Marco at panigurado magkakaroon ng
lamat ang kanilang pagkakaibigan dahil si
Maricela lamang ang huling nakakita sa kaniya;
o kaya sa kabilang banda, pagtatakpan niya
ang kaniyang kaibigan, subalit hindi maibabalik
ang bag na kinuha sa babae.
naglalaman ng Personal Moral Dilemma
sa kadahilanang ang alalahanin ni
Maricela na dilemma ay kaniya lamang
nararanasan at kaya niya itong personal
na maresolba. Ang kaniyang alalahanin ay
hindi na kailangan pa ng mas malaking
sakop. Sa ibinigay na halimbawa, si
Maricela ay naiiipit sa isang sitwasyon
kung saan kailangan niyang mamili:
matulungan ang babae o balewalain ang
katototohanan para sa kapakanan ng
kaniyang kaibigan
 C.) Three levels of Moral Dilemmas

Organizational Dilemmas refers to

ethical cases encountered and
resolved by social organizations.
pinagtatrabuhan nitong kumpanya.
Malaki ang kumpiyansa sa kaniya ng mga
katrabaho niya na itataas siya bilang
Branch Manager. Siya ay lubos na
nagagalak dahil na rin matagal na niyang
inaasam ang naturang posisyon. Ang
kaniyang boss na si Mr Loreza ay
nagagalak sa matatamo niyang bagong
posisyon. Malaki ang utang na loob ni Leo
sa kaniya. Maliban sa magkalapit sila sa
isa’t isa, naging mentor ni Leo si Mr.
Loreza noong siya ay baguhan pa lamang.
promosyon sa kaniya, balak niyang yayain
si Mr. Loreza upang magkaroon ng
munting inuman. Gabi na sa kanilang
opisina at halos lahat ng mga empleyado
ay nakauwi na. Alam ni Leo na laging nag-
oover time si Mr. Loreza sa kaniyang
opisina kaya sigurado siyang maabutan
niya pa ito. Habang tinutungo ang
opisina, nakita niya ang kaniyang
katrabaho na si Rina na kasama ang
kaniyang boss. Umiiyak at natatakot.
Nakita niyang minomolestya siya ni Mr.
Hindi nagtagal at narinig ni Leo ang
hinagpis ni Rina. Sa sobrang taranta niya
ay natabig niya ang latang basurahan at
nakalikha ng ingay. Dali-daling nagayos si
Leo nang walang saglit ay nahuli siya ng
kaniyang boss. Alam ni Mr. Loreza na
natunghayan ni Leo ang pangmomolestya
niya sa kaniyang katrabaho. Dahil sa
nangyaring sitwasyon, dali-daling kinuha
ni Rina ang kaniyang bag at umalis.
Nakita siya ni Leo at hinabol niya ito.
Pagkalabas, kinausap siya nito at sinabi
niyang paulit-ulit siyang nakakaranas ng
pangmomolestya sa loob ng tatlong
buwan. Hindi niya ito magawang
maisumbong dahil na rin wala siyang
pruweba at walang maniniwala sa kaniya.
Sinubukan pa raw siyang bantaan nito na
tatanggalin sa trabaho kung mangyaring
magsumbong o manlaban. Hindi lamang
plaa si Rina ang una, bagkus may lima pa
silang katrabaho na nakakaranas ng
pangaabuso.
rin may nakababata siyang babaeng
kapatid. Ayaw na rin niya may iba pang
makaranas ng pangaabuso lalo na
makaramdam ng takot sa loob ng opisina.
Kung gagawin niya ito, matatanggal sa
posisyon si Mr. Loreza at wala nang
mangyayaring pangaabuso sa mga biktima.
Sa kagustuhan niyang makatulong na
maging saksi sa kababuyan na ginagawa
ng kaniyang boss, masasaalang-alang ang
kaniyang kinabukasan at ang kaniyang
promosyon. Nahihirapan siyang tumugon
kay Rina dahil gusto niyang makatanggap
RASON: Ang sitwasyon sa taas ay
halimbawa ng Organizational Moral
Dilemma dahil nagpapakita ito ng isang
dilemma kung saan makukompromiso ng
personal na interes ni Leo ang magiging
kahihinatnan ng kanilang opisina. Dito
makikita ang sitwasyon na nakabase sa
corporate settings kung saan naipapakita
ang hirarkiya ng isang organisasyon. Sa
halimbawa, naiipit si Leo kung magiging
saksi siya sa pang-aabusong ginagawa ng
kaniyang boss sa kaniyang mga
kaniyang promosyon. Kung siya ay
patuloy na magbulagbulagan at
manahimik, patuloy ang magiging pang-
aabuso at maaring mas dumami pa ang
maging biktima. Bagamat mahalaga sa
kaniya ang promosyon, siya ay inuusig ng
kaniyang konsensiya dahil siya ay
mayroong nakababatang babaeng
kapatid. Kailangan niyang pumili sa
sitwasyon kung ano sa tingin niya ang
mas matimbang sa kaniya – ito man ay
ang kaniyang personal na interes o ang
 C.) Three levels of Moral Dilemmas

Structural Dilemmas. Structural moral

dilemmas refer to cases involving network of
institutions and operative theoretical
paradigms. As they usually encompass multi-
sectoral institutions and organizations, they
may be larger in scope and extent than
organizational dilemmas.
 Pagsisimula ng konstruksyon ng
Kaliwa Dam at ang kapakanan ng Sierra
Madre. Ito ay mariing pinagiisaipan dahil
parehas ay may magandang dulot. Kung
ang pamahalaan ay patuloy na
pahintulutan ang konstruksyon ng
nasabing dam, magkakaroon ito ng
benepisyo sa mga nakatira sa Metro
Manila dahil na rin tataas ang supply ng
tubig at panigurado bababa ang singil ng
mga kumpanya sa mga konsyumer.
mag konsumers sa Angat at Ipo Dam.
Nakikita na kapag natapos ang
nasabing proyekto ay mararanasan ang
pangmatagalang resulta. Sa kabilang
banda, kung mangyaring hidni ihinto
ang konstruksyon ay maapektuhan ang
Sierra Madre na nagsisilbing tangulan
ng mga nasa hilagang parte ng Luzon
laban sa bagsik ng bagyo upang hindi
tuluyang lumubog ang mga lugar sa
baha.
epekto ng konstruksyon ng nasabing
dam: una) lulubog ang bayan ng Tanay,
Rizal province, General Nakar at Infanta
sa Quezon Province; pangalawa)
magiging sanhi ito upang mamatay ang
mga hayop at mga hamalan sa nasabing
kabundukan tulad ng critically
endangered na Philippines Eagle;
pangatlo) mawawalan rin ng mga
tahanan ang mga katutubo dahil sa
panganib na maidudulot ng dam dahil
mas lalong magiging mapanganib ang
Dilemma dahil ito ay may malaking sakop
kesa sa dalawang naunang dilemma. Ang
isang Structural Dilemma ay
nagkakaroon ng kasangkutan ng iba
pang institusyon at mas malaking
organisasyon. Sa nakasaad na
halimbawa, ang mga nakasangkot na
organisasyon o demograpiya ay ang mga
tao, hayop, at kalikasan. Maapektuhan
ang isang praksyon ng organisasyon
ngunit hindi magiging maganda ang
kahihinatnan ng isa, tulad na lamang sa
 Sa ibinigay na sitwasyon, kung
ipagpapatuloy ang konstruksyon,
magiging mabuti ito sa mga consumer ng
tubig sa Metro Manila dahil bababa ang
singil sa tubig dahil na rin sa dami ng
supply. Sa kabilang banda, magiipit sa
kapahamakan ang mga lugar sa paahan ng
kabunduhan, ang mga uri ng mga halaman
at hayop, at lalo na mawawalan na ng
tahanan ang mga katutubong
nagbabantay sa nasabing kabundukan.
D.) Differences in Ethical, Unethical,
Amoral and Immoral

After discussing the differences

between non-moral and moral
standards, you may probably be
wondering about some of
terminologies concerning ethics.
 d.1.) Ethical

Ethics is a noun that deals to Morality as

the subject of the studies, while ethical
is an adjective that is used to describe
an action whether it is right or wrong,
good or bad.
 d.2.) Unethical

It is an adjective that is used to describe

a morally wrong action.
 d.3.) Amoral

It is an adjective that is used to describe

a person who has no moral principles.
A person has no sense of Morality and
does not care if his actions are right or
wrong.
 d.4.) Immoral

It is an adjective that is used to describe

an action of a person that is violating
moral principles. A person's act does
not conform to the patterns of conduct
usually accepted or established as
consistent with ethical principles..
E.) Only Human Beings can be Ethical

-Capacity to think.
-reason out.
-Free
F.) Freedom as the Foundation of Morality

one of the reasons animals cannot be truly

ethical is that they are not really free.
Likewise, a robot, no matter how beneficial its
function may be, cannot be said to be moral,
for it has no freedom or choice but to work
according to what is commanded based on its
built-in program.
Basically, morality is a question of
choice. Morality, practical, is choosing
ethical codes, values, or standards to
guide us in our daily lives.
Philosophically, choosing is impossible
without freedom.
Morality requires and allows choice, which
means the right to choose even differently
from our fellows. In their daily lives, people
make the choice to give to charities, donate
time and money to school, mentor children,
open businesses, or protest against animal
cruelty.
Everyone who wishes to function morally and
rationally in a society has to make choices virtually
every minute of the day. Practically, the sum of our
choices can be said to define our specific „morality‟
Applicably, using the government or one‟s culture to
coerce people to behave in a certain way is not
morality but the antithesis of morality. This principle in
ethics applies even when the motive is pure.
G.) Minimum Requirement for
Morality: Reason and Impartiality
The late philosophy professor James Rachels (1941-
2003) holds that moral judgments must be backed by
sound reasoning and that morality requires the
impartial consideration of all parties involved
(Rachels, 1999). It is thus submitted that reason and
impartiality compose the “minimum conception” of
morality or, as some put it, the minimum requirement
for morality.
Reason as a requirement for morality
entails that human feelings may be
important in ethical decision, but they
ought to be guided by reason. Sound
reasoning helps us to evaluate whether
our feelings and intuitions about moral
cases are correct and defensible.
Impartiality, on the other hand, involves then idea
that each individual‟s interest and point of view are
equally important. Also called evenhandedness or
fair-mindedness, impartiality is a principle of justice
holding that decisions ought to be based on objective
criteria, rather than on the basis of bias, prejudice, or
preferring the benefit to one person over another for
improper reason. (Detailed discussion on reason
and impartiality will be discussed on the next
topics).
THANK
YOU!