ETHICS

LESSON 3
PRETEST
PRETEST-QUIZ
1. It is a theory based on norms relative to a
particular culture or society.
A. Ethical utilitarianism
B. Ethical relativism
C. Ethical pragmatism

2. It is more of a theory on knowledge, truth,

and meaning rather than morality.
A. Ethical utilitarianism
B. Ethical relativism
C. Ethical pragmatism
3. States that the rightness or wrongness of
actions is determined by their consequences.
A. Ethical utilitarianism
B. Ethical relativism
C. Ethical pragmatism

4. According to him, Morality can be viewed in

different perspectives - as a law, as an inner
conviction, as love, as personal growth, and
as social transformation
A. Donal Harrington
B. Charles Sanders Pierce
C. Jeremy Bentham
5. He coined the term Ethical pragmatism
A. Donal Harrington
B. Charles Sanders Pierce
C. Jeremy Bentham
Intended Learning Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, the students should
able to:

1. Discuss human existence in relation to ethics

2. Identify schools of ethics

3. Explain the concept of professional ethics

 HUMAN
EXISTENCE
AND ETHICS
Human
Existence and
Ethics
• Ethics is the moral code that
guides how an individual should
behave.

• It deals with moral principles.

• Ethics is also about the

individual’s search for meaning
while dealing with human
problems
 HUMAN PROBLEMS
Epistemologic
Logical al Cosmological
Problems of Problems of the Problems of the
reasoning truth universe

Ethical Aesthetical Science

Problems of Problems of art Problems of
morality and beauty science
Therefore, with the
various definitions of
ethics every individual
should be open in dealing
with ethical problems
 01
SCHOOLS OF
ETHICS
SCHOOLS OF ETHICS
● In many cases ethics can be
connected to morality.

● According to Donal Harrington,

“Morality can be viewed in
different perspectives - as a law,
as an inner conviction, as love,
as personal growth, and as
social transformation.”
 SCHOOLS OF ETHICS
Nuances between ethics and morality
according to James Gustafson (1974)
ETHICS MORALITY
Theoretical prescriptions/ Based on principles
Critiques practiced by a particular
community
• The nature of the good
• The nature of human • Fundamental convictions
person of human agent
• Criteria of judgement • Character of moral agent
• Use of norms
• Situational analysis
 Other definition
● ETHICS
○ formal system or set of rules which explicitly
adopted by a group of people

● MORALITY
○ Are the ethical principles founded on
fundamental principles and right conduct
rather than the legalities.
○ More concerned with practical than legal
issues
○ Is the requirement necessary for people to live
Other definition
■ Moral – means relating to right and wrong

■ Moral Behavior - is the way a person

perceives those requirements and responds
to them.

■ Moral Principle – refers to a fundamental

rule of moral law containing certain truth
from which knowledge of a definite moral
action for performance proceeds along with
the provision of solution to specific moral
 Types of Ethics
● General Ethics – presents truths about human acts, from
which the general principle of morality is deduced

● Special Ethics – involves the application of the principles of

general ethics in different departments of human activity
both in the individual and social level.

● Medical Ethics – set of norms, values, and principles that

serve as guidelines for medical practitioners – such as
physicians, nurses, medical technologists, and other
associated professional in making decisions in clinical
settings.

● Professional Ethics –a branch of moral science that deals

 HUMAN ACTS BASED ON DISTTINCTION
ON MORALITY
● Moral Actions – actions which are in conformity
with the norms of morality

● Immoral Actions - which are not in conformity

with norms of morality

● Amoral Actions – actions which stand neutral in

relation to morality
Other Moral Distinctions

● Intrinsically Evil Actions – actions which are by

its basic nature evil

● Extrinsically Evil Actions - actions considered

evil because of certain factors attached to them by
way of circumstances.
Elements of Determining Morality
● Object – the act itself and is primary and essential
elements

● End – the purpose, intention, motive or the reason

for which the act is performed.

● Circumstances – accidental aspects surrounding

the act, these factors are distinct from the act
itself and from the purpose but may affect the
morality of the act.
Principle of Judging Morality
● An act is morally good if the act itself, the purpose
and the circumstance are substantially good.

● If an act is intrinsically evil (evil by its nature), the

act is not morally allowable regardless of the
purpose or circumstance.

● Circumstances may create, mitigate or aggravate

the immorality of an act.

● If the act itself is good or at least indifferent, its

morality will be judged by the purpose and
 02
ETHICAL
RELATIVISM
ETHICAL RELATIVISM
● Also known as moral relativism

● Is a school of ethics anchored on the principle

that morality is relative to the norms of a
particular culture.

● It is a theory based on norms relative to a

particular culture or society.
⮚ Ex.: Some cultures may accept certain
acts and behaviors that are unacceptable
to other cultures.
ETHICAL RELATIVISM
• Acknowledges societal diversity, that every
society has a unique moral design and culture;
and people’s beliefs are greatly influenced by
culture.

• The challenge to each society is the

preservation of its cultural uniqueness and
acknowledgment of cultural differences.
 03
ETHICAL
PRAGMATISM
ETHICAL PRAGMATISM
• Is a philosophical approach or movement that
began in the 1870s.

• The term was coined by Charles Sanders Pierce

and further developed by William James.

• It is considered as America’s most distinctive and

major contribution to the field of philosophy.

• It is more of a theory on knowledge, truth,

and meaning rather than morality.
ETHICAL PRAGMATISM
• Although the language of moral interest may
appear in many of the writings of Peirce and
James, it is interesting that a pragmatic conception
of good and truth can be applied in the medical
context especially in term of decision making and
moral reasoning.
 04
ETHICAL
UTILITARIANISM
 ETHICAL UTILITARIANISM
• Founded by two English Philosophers Jeremy
Bentham (1748-1832) and John Stuart Mill
(1806-1873), this school of ethics states that the
rightness or wrongness of actions is determined
by their consequences.
MORAL
ISSUES
 ABORTION
• Abortion is considered illegal in the Philippines.
Article II, Section 12 of the 1987 Philippine
Constitution states that:

”The state recognizes the sanctity of life and shall

protect and strengthen the family as a basic
autonomous social institution. It shall equally protect
the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from
conception (Article II, section 12).”
 ABORTION
• Abortion can be direct, induced, or even caused by
natural cases or accidents.

• In some instances, abortion becomes necessary when

the life of the mother is at stake.

• For anti-abortion groups, abortion is the ultimate

violation of life for it is the act of killing an individual that
is not yet able to speak for himself of herself.

• For those who support abortion, they believe that

pregnant women, especially victims of rape, should be
given the chance to decide for themselves.
 EUTHANASIA (MERCY KILLING)
○ Euthanasia is the practice of ending a life intentionally,
usually in situations when the individual is terminally ill,
to relieve him or her of pain and suffering.

○ Also known as mercy killing

○ Is regarded as a merciful release of an individual from an

incurable sickness.
 EUTHANASIA (MERCY KILLING)
○ According to Herbert Hendin (2004), He describes
euthanasia as the process of inducing the painless death
of a person who is severely debilitated for reasons
assumed to be merciful, either through voluntary, non-
voluntary, or involuntary means.

○ Voluntary euthanasia. Is when an individual gives

consent to subject himself or herself to a painless death.

○ Non-voluntary euthanasia. Is conducted when the

permission of the patient to perform the process is
unavailable, like in the case of patient in a deep
comatose, or neonates born with significant and major
 EUTHANASIA (MERCY KILLING)
○ Involuntary euthanasia. Is when the individual does not
give his or her consent.
○ To this day, euthanasia, as an ethical issue, remains to be
controversial because it is the act of taking away a life in
a way that is perceived to be against the society’s
accepted moral standards.
 GENETIC ENGINEERING
○ Is a controversial ethical issue because it
involves genetic manipulations that are
perceived to be against moral standards set by
society.

○ Through genetic engineering, humans are seen

to be acting as their own gods because of
procedures that enable them to manipulate the
genetic make-up of organisms.
 GENETIC ENGINEERING
The following are some procedure involved in genetic
engineering:
○ Genetic Screening is a procedure whose main
purpose is to screen, choose, and select the genes
for proper detection of any genetic disease and
other chromosomal malformations. Genetic
screening is usually done for the early diagnosis of
diseases.

○ Genetic interventions are techniques such as

genetic control, therapy, and surgery. People can
now “intervene” in the biological process and
 GENETIC ENGINEERING
○ Stem-cell therapy is a form of genetic engineering
that makes use of stem cells to treat or prevent
diseases. It has been the subject of controversy
because of how stem cells are sourced.

○ In vitro fertilization (IVF) is popularity known as

laboratory fertilization. In the past, this technology
became the subject of controversies because of
many religious groups opposing the procedure as
they perceive it to be deviation from natural process
of fertilization.
MORAL ISSUES AND ETHICAL
CONSIDERATIONS
● CONTRACEPTION (BIRTH CONTROL)
● ABORTION
● EUTHANASIA
● CLONING
● STEM CELL RESEARCH
● GENETIC ENGINEERING
● PRENATAL DIAGNOSIS
● GENETIC TESTING/SCREENING
● IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION
● SPERM AND ZYGOTE BANKING
● SEX PREDICTION AND SELECTION
● ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION
PROFESSIONA
L ETHICS
 PROFESSIONAL ETHICS
○ Ethics covers the philosophy of doing what is right.
Therefore, Professional ethics covers the morally
accepted behavior of individuals in the workplace.

○ The code of ethics of a particular profession serves as

the guiding principle in the ethical practice of a
profession.

○ Professionalism in the workplace is necessary in

maintaining a healthy and productive work environment.

○ Professional ethics guide individuals in dealing with

issues and conflicts in the workplace in order for them to
remain functional.
THANK YOU
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POST-TEST (10 MINUTES)
1. Divide the class into 6 groups

2. In each group, have one whole sheet of yellow paper.

Write your group members, block, date today and subject
course.

3. As a group, select one (1) Moral Issue as a topic.

4. Brainstorm and write THREE (3) PROS and THREE (3)

CONS of your chosen topic.

5. In THREE-FIVE (3-5) sentences, make a group conclusion

at the bottom of the paper presenting if the group morally
MORAL ISSUES AND ETHICAL
CONSIDERATIONS
● CONTRACEPTION (BIRTH CONTROL)
● ABORTION
● EUTHANASIA
● CLONING
● STEM CELL RESEARCH
● GENETIC ENGINEERING
● PRENATAL DIAGNOSIS
● GENETIC TESTING/SCREENING
● IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION
● SPERM AND ZYGOTE BANKING
● SEX PREDICTION AND SELECTION
● ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION