LESSON 1 BASIC CONCEPTS IN PHILOSOPHY AND ETHICS

Learning Outcomes

1. Define philosophy, moral philosophy and ethics; and

2. Analyze the importance of philosophy and ethics.

Time Frame

One Week

Introduction

Are you ready for our lesson? Good! Today, you will get to know the basic concepts
in philosophy. In this lesson, you will get to know the definition of philosophy, moral
philosophy and ethics, moral and non-moral standards and analyze the importance of
philosophy and ethics. This lesson will help you gain insight on the nature or the general
notion about what philosophy is. So, let’s get started!

Activity

React in the following statements:

a. It is wrong to kill one person to save another.

 Thousands of lives are at stake and the only way to save them is to kill one person.
Taking that person’s life may be justifiable, but it is never ethical. No matter what the
situation is, who the person is, or who is being saved, it is still murder. In the end,
killing that one person is still taking a life and that is never right.

b. Goodness and badness are not perceived by the senses.

 The argument is valid, the senses do not interpret Goodness and Badness. Hearing,
sight, scent, touch and taste, or in short perception, cannot describe the goodness and
badness of another human. Person's interpretation has its own weakness and can end
up with a wrong justification.
c. There is no objective truth in ethics. Right and wrong are only opinions.
 According to the relativists, all points of view are true except for those that teach
absolutes absolute truth or an absolute right or wrong. Right and wrong are now
defined by socialization. Society changes and morality becomes a moving target. In
truth, if the standard of right and wrong is based on relativism, then society has no
standards at all. Take the statement relativists make that “All truth is relative. “Truth
is not contradictory by nature, but if “All truths are relative,” is true, then the
statement that relativism is false is also true. So then not all things are relative is also
true, so the whole theory can be proven false.
Analysis

Were you able to give your reactions on the above-mentioned statements? Which of
the following statement do you find most challenging? Why?
 The first question above is the most challenging since, If you kill one person to save
another, life is lost. If you choose to allow one to live, but thousands of people would
be killed by that one hand, life would be lost. The utilitarian view is to choose the
path of less destruction. There is no way to determine the importance of one human
compared to another. To say it is better to save one life rather than save thousands is
not only outrageous but hypothetically speaking, also unethical.

ABSTRACTION

Philosophy may be defined in two ways:

1. Nominal (etymological)
2. Real

Nominal (Etymological definition:

The term philosophy is derived from two Greek words “philos” or “philien” (to love,
to desire) and “Sophia” (wisdom). Putting them together, we have “philo” + “sophia” (love
of wisdom). Thus, a philosopher is a “lover of wisdom”.

Wisdom is not the wisdom of book learning, fact acquiring and being a dean’s lister
or a topnotcher in the licensure examinations or a technical skill of professional people.
Wisdom is all-encompassing. It understands on how we ought to live. It is how you
systematically organize, structure and relate all available data and experiences. The wisdom
in philosophy is in how you help yourself think more clearly, precisely, and systematically.

Today, however, the study of philosophy has been expanded from its traditional
meaning to include the study of man, matter and the universe.

Real definition

Since philosophy is too comprehensive and too various, authors define philosophy according
to what they think, what they believe, and what they ought to be done in the subject. Here are
some of the definitions of various authors:
 1. Philosophy is a rational critical thinking of a more or less systematic kind about the
conduct of life, the general nature of the world, and the justification of belief
(Encyclopedia Americana, 2003).

2. Philosophy is the sum of all man’s beliefs and views about the world which guide his
actions (Ariola, 1989).
3. Philosophy is the never-ending search for the total human meaning of our
experiences. It is a discipline that attempts to look for answers to man’s inquisitive
mind that begins in wonder and ends in awe (Bauzon, 2002).

Importance of Philosophy to Students

We all become philosophers at any crucial moment in life. The general framework of
beliefs and values we profess the world view that fill our experience with meaning, are
expressions of our essential human capabilities that make us distinctly human. Our
philosophical reflection is an important part of our self-fulfillment, happiness and our
professional growth.

1. Philosophy is an activity enables the student to think, conceptualize, analyze,

compare, evaluate, and understand things. Students philosophize and become wise.
2. Philosophy helps the student to develop the ability to form opinions and beliefs. He
thinks, evaluates and decides what could be “better” or “best” for him.
3. Philosophy helps the student to be resilient and philosophically calm in the face of
disorder and doubts, uncertainty, indefiniteness and chaos.
4. Philosophy deepens the student’s self-awareness.
5. In relation to deepening self-awareness, philosophy also increases the student’s self-
awareness and awareness of the world.
6. Philosophy helps student to be creative.
7. Philosophy helps the student to be imaginative.
8. Philosophy provides the student with better intellectual perspective and outlook.
9. Philosophy gives the student personal freedom – the freedom from biases, prejudices
and conviction, and tyranny of customs that have grown up in his mind.
10. Philosophy helps the student to refine his power of analysis – the power to think
critically, reason, evaluate, theorize and justify.

Top Five (5) Reasons to Study Philosophy

1. Philosophy is a fascinating subject matter

2. A wide variety of interesting courses to be taught by outstanding professors
3. Skill development of students
4. Great preparation for any career or graduate study
5. For Personal Development

5 Main Branches of Philosophy

Division Focus Questions

1. Metaphysics study of existence: the Why am I here?
fundamental questions of
Where will I go later in
life?
 reality
2. Epistemology study of knowledge: how How do I know that I
we know about reality and know?
existence
Why do I know about it?
3. Logic study of reasoning and Why is it valid?
argument
How do you argue
correctly?
4. Ethics/Moral study of action How should you act?
Philosophy
Is it morally right?
5. Aesthetics/Axiology study of art and beauty What is beauty?
Is it an art or pornography?

Sub-fields of Philosophy

Philosophy can be sub-divided into several sub-fields; each has its own particular doctrine in
answering key questions.

 Philosophy of Art – deals on art, aesthetic value, expression, and other concepts that
the critic employs.
 Philosophy of Education – deals with speculation and application of philosophical
method in the study of educational issues and problems.
 Philosophy of History – deals with the description of events and actions of man’s past
happenings and those that are to happen in man.
 Philosophy of Language – deals with languages, their meanings and how to use and
manage the language to man’s existence.
 Philosophy of Law – deals with the formulation of theories and concepts to help man,
understand the nature of law, its sources of authority and role in society.
 Philosophy of Logic – deals with the laws of thought, rules of right reasoning,
principles of valid argumentation and truth based solely on the meaning of the term
they contain.
 Philosophy of Mathematics – is concerned on the critical examination of basic
mathematical entities, mathematical theories and number system.
 Philosophy of Mind – deals with the nature of the mind, desire, emotion, pleasure and
pain and how they enter into the explanation of human action.
 Philosophy of Nature – deals with whatever issues regarding the actual features of
nature as reality. It is divided into philosophy of physics and philosophy of biology.
 Philosophy of Politics – deals with the question of the origin of the state and authority
and the law of the land.
 Philosophy of Psychology – deals on the actual theories and research efforts of
contemporary psychologists.
 Philosophy of Reading – deals on set of beliefs on how reading should be taught
based on research and current thinking about reading.
  Philosophy of Religion – deals on situations, experiences, issues and problems
relating to religion and its methodology.
 Philosophy of Science – provides intellectually and accurately satisfying explanations
of a broad range of natural phenomena.
 Philosophy of Society – deals with questions about personal morality in relation to
man’s existence as member of society.

Moral Philosophy

Moral Philosophy is the branch of philosophy that contemplates what is right and
wrong. It explores the nature of morality and examines how people should live their lives in
relation to others.
Branches of Moral Philosophy (Areas of Study in Ethics)

1. Meta-ethics – answers the questions: What is morality? What is justice? Is there

truth? How can I justify my belief as better than the beliefs held by others?
2. Normative Ethics – answers the question: What we ought to do?
3. Applied Ethics – answers the question: should we lie to help a friend or co-worker?

Meaning of Ethics

Ethics or Moral Philosophy is a branch of philosophy that involves the systematizing,

defending, and recommending the concepts of right and wrong conduct. Ethics seeks to
resolve questions of human morality, by defining the concepts such good and evil, right and
wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.

Importance of Ethics

Primarily it is the individual, the consumer, the employee or the human social unit of society
who benefits from ethics. In addition, ethics is important because of the following:

1. It satisfies basic human needs: Being fair, honest and ethical is one of the basic
human needs.
2. It creates credibility: An organization that is believed to be driven by moral values is
respected in the society.
3. It unites people and leaders: An organization driven by values is revered by its
employees also.
4. It improves decision-making: A man’s destiny is the sum total of all the decisions that
he takes in the course of his life.
5. It brings long term gains: Organizations guided by ethics and values are profitable in
the long run.
6. It secures the society: Often, ethics succeeds because there is law in safeguarding the
society.

Why Should Students Study Ethics?

Christopher Panza and Adam Potthast gave six (6) reasons why students should study Ethics.
 1. Ethics allows you to live an authentic and meaningful life.
2. Ethics makes you more successful.
3. Ethics allows you to cultivate inner peace.
4. Ethics provides for a stable society.
5. Ethics may help out in the afterlife.

Application

Write an essay consisting of 200-300 words in your own handwriting.

The topic is: “Ethics Has a Prominent Importance in My Life”

Ethics is a requirement for human life. It is our means of deciding a course of action. Without it, our
actions would be random and aimless. There would be no way to work towards a goal because there
would be no way to pick between a limitless numbers of goals. Even with an ethical standard, we
may be unable to pursue our goals with the possibility of success. To the degree to which a rational
ethical standard is taken, we are able to correctly organize our goals and actions to accomplish our
most important values. Any flaw in our ethics will reduce our ability to be successful in our
endeavors. It leads us to a life worth living as it dictates to us what we should do usually in terms of
rights, obligations, societal advantages, justice, or special qualities.

The importance of ethical behavior is seen at the fundamental establishments of mankind. It is the
establishment of a human advance. We as people are guided by our ethical benchmarks in the social
orders we make. In my life, ethical practices are being carried out daily. I make sure to include ethics
in where I go, what I do, and who I’m with. Since I was born, there have been ethical standards and
principles that served as my guide. The way how I act, the way how I think and the way how I
perceive certain things depend on my personal beliefs but are not limited to demeaning what’s right
and wrong which I am grateful enough that I can distinguish.