Ethics (GE 8)

SOCSCI, MWF 2:00-3:00 pm.

MATH, MWF 3:00-4:00 pm.
ENGLISH, TTH 8:30-10:00 am.
BEED A, TTH 10:00-11:30 am.
BEED B, TTH 1-2:30 pm.
 Course Description:

Ethics deals with principles of ethical behavior in modern society at the level of the
person, society, and in interaction with the environment and other shared resources.
(CMO 20 s 2013)
Morality pertains to the standards of right and wrong that an individual originally picks
up from the community. The course discusses the context and principles of ethical
behavior in modern society at the level of individual, society, and in interaction with the
environment and other shared resources. The course also teaches students to make
moral decisions by using dominant moral frameworks and by applying a seven-step
moral reasoning model to analyze and solve moral dilemmas.
The course is organized according to the three (3) main elements of the moral
experience: (a) agent, including context — cultural, communal, and environmental; (b)
the act; and (c) reason or framework (for the act).
 Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the course, the students must be able to:

1. Differentiate between moral and non-moral problems.
2. Describe what a moral experience is as it happens in different levels of human existence.
3. Explain the influence of Filipino culture on the way students look at moral experiences and
solve moral dilemmas.
4. Describe the elements of moral development and moral experience.
5. Use ethical frameworks or principles to analyze moral experiences.
6. Make sound ethical judgments based on principles, facts, and the stakeholders affected
7. Develop sensitivity to the common good.
8. Understand and internalize the principles of ethical behavior in modern society at the level
of the person, society, and in interaction with the environment and other shared resources.
Instructions: In a short bond paper, answer the following questions. Use Arial as a
font style, size 11. Don’t forget to indicate your name, subject, section, and schedule.
Cite your references at the end part your output. Submit the hardcopy next meeting,
and send a softcopy to [email protected]

Assignment:

• What are moral standards, and how do they differ from other rules of lives?
• What is a moral dilemma?
• Why is freedom crucial in our ability to make moral decisions?
• What is the advantage of owning moral standards (morality and ethics)
over merely abiding by moral standards?
 Basic Concepts
a. Moral vs. non-moral standards
b. What are dilemmas?
c. Three levels of moral dilemmas (individual, organizational, systemic)
d. Foundation of morality: Freedom-responsibility for one's act and to others
e. Minimum requirement for morality: Reason and impartiality
 Course Outline
Unit 1: The Moral Agent
Lesson 1: Culture in moral behavior
Lesson 2: The moral agent: Developing virtue as habit
Unit 2: The Act
Lesson 3: Feelings and moral decision-making
Lesson 4: Reason and Impartiality as Minimum requirements for Morality
Lesson 5: Moral courage
Unit 3: Frameworks and Principles Behind our Moral Disposition
Lesson 6: Virtue ethics
Lesson 7: Kant and rights theorists
Lesson 8: Utilitarianism
Lesson 9: Justice and fairness: Promoting the common good
 Grading System
Attendance (behavior) ----------- 10%
Written Work (assignments, quizzes) ---------- 20%
Performance Tasks (recitation, reports) --------------- 30%
Major Examinations (midterms and finals) --------------- 40%
 References:

❑ Commission on Higher Education. https://ched.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Ethics.pdf

End………..
 Ethics (GE 8)
SOCSCI, MWF 2:00-3:00 pm.
MATH, MWF 3:00-4:00 pm.
ENGLISH, TTH 8:30-10:00 am.
BEED A, TTH 10:00-11:30 am.
BEED B, TTH 1-2:30 pm.
Lesson 1

Introduction: Key Concepts

Learning Objectives:
❑ Recall the rules that students have to follow and explain
why they must follow them.
❑ Differentiate between moral and non-moral standards.
❑ Recognize a moral experience.
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, involves understanding what
makes one's conduct right and what makes it wrong.
Ethics is much bigger than morality, however. While morality deals with
moral codes and the practice of specific acts, ethics not only touches on
all moral behaviors and theories, but also on one's philosophy of life.
Ethics deals with questions such as how a person should act, what
people think is right, how an individual uses and practices his moral
knowledge, and the very meaning of "right.“

Kleinman, P. (2013). Philosophy 101. F+W Media, Inc.

 Applied Ethics

Applied ethics attempts to bring ethical theory into real-life situations and
is often used in creating public policy.
Applied ethics can be used to explore such questions as what human
rights are, whether abortions are immoral, what rights animals have, etc.
There are many different types of applied ethics, including medical ethics
(how moral judgments and values apply to medicine), legal ethics (ethics
related to those who practice law), and media ethics (the ethical issues
that pertain to entertainment, journalism, and marketing).

Kleinman, P. (2013). Philosophy 101. F+W Media, Inc.

 Types of Applied Ethics
❑ Bioethics - It concerns with ethical issues about life, biomedical
research, medicines, health care, and the medical profession.
❑ Business Ethics - It examines moral principles concerning the
business environment, which involves issues about corporate
practices, policies, business behaviors, and the conducts and
relationships of individuals in the organizations.
❑ Environmental Ethics - It deals with moral issues concerning nature,
ecosystem, and its nonhuman contents.
❑ Social Ethics - It deals with what is right for a society to do and how
it should act. Its focus is on what may be deemed as proper behavior
for people.
 Importance of Rules
Rules are a set of guidelines that got created in communities and
countries and get used by all as a standard. It refers to explicit or
understood regulations or principles governing conduct within a specific
activity or sphere. These rules usually differ from one place to the other
and the differences are often determined by factors such as social
interactions, beliefs, policies, and the method of governance in place.
Also, the violators of these rules are often given penalties.

Activity 1: Think, Pair, Share

In a ½ sheet of paper, list down the school and
community rules you experienced.
• What rules do you find constricting? Explain why.
• Why rules are important to social beings?
Moral - It is an adjective describing human act as either
ethical right or wrong.
Moral standards - Are norms that serves as the frameworks
for determining what ought to be done. Non-compliance
causes guilt.
Non-moral Standards: Social rules, etiquette, and
good manners. Non-compliance may only cause
shame and embarrassment.
Freedom
❑ Exercising our capacity to make decisions, choose our life path
and direct the course of our lives through our own steering.
❑ Human has freedom.
❑ Dilemmas presuppose freedom.
❑ Without freedom it is impossible to make a moral choice.
❑ Making moral choice is a necessary consequence for being free, a
consequence of being human person.

Facticity - refers to the “givens” of our situation.

Culture - Total way of life. Ralph Linton (1945) defined the culture
of a society as the “way of life of its members: the collection of
ideas and habits which they learn, share, and transmit from
generation to generation.”
How is culture transmitted?
1. Enculturation –
2. Acculturation –
3. Assimilation –

Cultural Relativism - the idea that a person’s beliefs, values, and

practices should be understood based on that person’s own
culture, rather than be judge against the criteria of another.
https://sites.google.com/a/isb.be/isbglobalpolitics/unit-human-
rights/cultural-relativism-and-universal-human-rights
 Activity 2: Think, Pair, Share
❑ In a ½ sheet of paper, list down the example of Moral
and Non-moral standards you experienced.

Assignment: Iceberg Diagram (Group Activity)

❑ Divide the class into 4 groups.
❑ Create a visual image of an iceberg in a manila paper,
look deeper than the surface as you explain the term
FREEDOM.
 FREEDOM

Iceberg Diagram (Group Activity)

Instructions: In a short bond paper, answer the following questions. Use Arial as a
font style, size 11. Don’t forget to indicate your name, subject, section, and schedule.
Cite your references at the end part your output. Submit the hardcopy next meeting,
and send a softcopy to [email protected]

Assignment:
1. How does culture shape moral behavior?
2. Why should culture not be the ultimate determinant of values?
3. Is there a Filipino understanding of right and wrong? Why this
interpretation? What are its influences?
 References:

❑ Commission on Higher Education. https://ched.gov.ph/wp-

content/uploads/2017/10/Ethics.pdf
❑ Kleinman, P. (2013). Philosophy 101. F+W Media, Inc.
❑ https://sites.google.com/a/isb.be/isbglobalpolitics/unit-human-rights/cultural-
relativism-and-universal-human-rights

End………..
 Ethics (GE 8)
SOCSCI, MWF 2:00-3:00 pm.
MATH, MWF 3:00-4:00 pm.
ENGLISH, TTH 8:30-10:00 am.
BEED A, TTH 10:00-11:30 am.
BEED B, TTH 1-2:30 pm.
Lesson 2

Moral Dilemmas, Stages of Moral

Development, the Filipino Way, and the
Universal Values

Learning Objectives:
❑ Identify the three levels of moral dilemmas.
❑ Identify and articulate each stage of moral development.
❑ Analyze crucial qualities of the Filipino moral identity in their own moral experiences.
❑ Evaluate the elements of the Filipino moral character that need to be changed.
❑ Identify universal values.
 THE TROLLEY DILEMMA
Does Somebody Have to Die?

An ethical test scenario devised in the 1960s by British moral philosopher Philippa Foot.
Imagine that you are the driver of a trolley. It goes around a bend, and you see
five people working hard on the track, repairing it. Immediately after spotting
them, the track dips down into a valley out of sight of the workers, sending your
trolley down too. Once the trolley comes up again out of the valley, it will almost
immediately strike and definitely kill those track workers. However, as the trolley
ascends out of the valley, you spot a track leading off to the right. But there is
one man at work on that track. There isn't time for the five men on track A or the
one man on track B to jump off and get to safety, so it's entirely up to you, the
trolley driver, to decide what to do.

So, what do you do? Do you stay on the track you're on and definitely kill five
men, or do you throw a switch, and move over to the new track where you'll
definitely kill one man?
Activity 1: In a ½ sheet of paper explain your choice.
 Moral Dilemmas: Navigating the Complex
Path of Ethics

Moral dilemmas can be defined as situations in which individuals are confronted with a
choice between two or more actions, each of which has moral implications, and where
choosing one action means forgoing another. At the core of moral dilemmas is the
conflict between ethical principles or values, leaving individuals feeling torn between
doing what they believe is right.
Levels of Moral Dilemmas:
❑ Micro-level Dilemmas (Individual or Personal Dilemmas)
❑ Meso-level Dilemmas (Organizational Dilemmas)
❑ Macro-level Dilemmas (Structural Dilemmas)

Activity 2: In a ½ sheet of paper, provide 2 examples in each level of moral dilemmas.

 HEINZ DILEMMA
A woman was on her deathbed. There was one drug that the doctors thought might
save her. It was a form of radium that a druggist in the same town had recently
discovered. The drug was expensive to make, but the druggist was charging ten
times what the drug cost him to produce. He paid $200 for the radium and charged
$2,000 for a small dose of the drug. The sick woman's husband, Heinz, went to
everyone he knew to borrow the money, but he could only get together about
$1,000 which is half of what it cost. He told the druggist that his wife was dying and
asked him to sell it cheaper or let him pay later. But the druggist said: “No, I
discovered the drug and I'm going to make money from it.” So Heinz got desperate
and broke into the man's laboratory to steal the drug for his wife.
Should Heinz have broken into the laboratory to steal the drug for his wife? Why or
why not?
Activity 3: In a ½ sheet of paper explain your answer.
 The Stages of Moral Development:
Unfolding the Path to Ethical Maturity

Moral development encompasses the gradual evolution of an individual's moral

reasoning and ethical decision-making abilities. Understanding the stages of
moral development, provides insights into how individuals develop their moral
values and principles as they progress from childhood to adulthood.
Six Stages of Moral Development by Lawrence Kohlberg
Kohlberg's theory suggests that moral development is a lifelong process, with
each stage building upon the previous one.
❑ Preconventional Level
Stage 1: Obedience and Punishment Orientation
Stage 2: Individualism and Exchange
 ❑ Conventional Level
Stage 3: Interpersonal Relationships
Stage 4: Maintaining Social Order
❑ Postconventional Level
Stage 5: Social Contract and Individual Rights
Stage 6: Universal Ethical Principles

Activity 3: Lights, Camera, Action

Divide the class into three (3) groups and then each group will present a story
featuring moral agents at different stages of Moral Development.
Identify the stages presented and justify the answer.
 Activity 3: What stage I am?

Recall a defining moment in your life when you are confronted with a
situation where you need to make moral decision and you exercised
your own ability to make moral reasoning. Identify what stage of moral
development you are in and justify your answer. Write this in a ½ sheet
of paper.
Defining Moment - refers to the life changing event or moment that
reverberates throughout your career and personal life and so
changes everything.
Exploring the Positive and Negative Traits
of Filipino Moral Character

The moral character of the Filipino people is shaped by a rich tapestry of

historical, cultural, and social influences. Understanding these traits can provide
valuable insights into the values and behaviors that characterize Filipino society,
shedding light on the complexities that define the diverse and dynamic culture.
 Universal Values: The Bedrock of a
Global Ethical Framework

Universal values are fundamental principles that apply to all human beings, regardless
of their background, beliefs, or geographic location. They provide a common ground
that can bridge cultural, religious, and ideological divides, offering a basis for dialogue
and cooperation. These values are not imposed; rather, they emerge from shared
human experiences and needs, promoting ethical behavior and moral principles that
contribute to a more harmonious world.
Key Universal Values:
❑ Respect for Human Dignity
❑ Justice and Fairness
❑ Compassion and Empathy
❑ Honesty and Integrity
❑ Tolerance and Understanding
❑ Responsibility and Accountability
 Activity 4: Video Presentation

Lawrence Kohlberg's theory suggests that moral development is a

lifelong process, with each stage building upon the previous one.
Divide the class into four (4) groups and then each group will present
a story featuring moral agents at different stages of Moral
Development. Identify the stages presented and justify the answer.
You are to integrate the positive and negative traits of Filipino moral
character and the universal values in your video presentation.
 Video Presentation Rubric
Criteria Excellent (25) Good (20) Fair (15) Needs Improvement (10) Inadequate (5)
Clear, comprehensive,
Information is presented
and well-organized. Content is somewhat Significant gaps or lack of
in a logical order with
Presentation effectively disorganized, with coherence in content. Incoherent and lacks
Content good coverage of the
addresses the topic with noticeable gaps in Fails to address key substance.
topic. Minor gaps in
insightful analysis and information or analysis. aspects of the topic.
detail or analysis.
relevant information.
High-quality visuals
Visuals are somewhat
enhance understanding Visuals are generally Visuals are confusing,
distracting or fail to
and engagement. clear and supportive, irrelevant, or detract Visuals are absent or
enhance the
Visuals Graphics, images, and with some room for from the presentation. completely
presentation. Limited use
text are used effectively improvement in quality Lack of effort in visual inappropriate.
of graphics or poorly
and are aesthetically or design. representation.
designed visuals.
pleasing.
Demonstrates a high Little evidence of
Some attempts at Lack of creativity and
level of creativity, Shows creativity and creativity or innovation.
Creativity and creativity, but ideas are innovation. Presentation
originality, and innovation but with Presentation relies
Innovation not well-developed or is formulaic and
innovative thinking in the limited originality. heavily on conventional
original. uninspired.
presentation. approaches.
Leaves a lasting
Leaves a positive
impression on the The presentation has Presentation is
impression, but some Fails to make a
audience. Effectively moments of impact, but forgettable or confusing.
Overall Impact aspects could be meaningful impact on
communicates the main overall effectiveness is Lacks any noticeable
improved for a stronger the audience.
message and engages the limited. impact.
impact.
audience throughout.
For today please watch and evaluate the output of your
classmates and submit a list of attendance in the faculty room.

Link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PCLARwURe8nRV1kBWJPE_c7Y
mT7xiH_v/view?usp=sharing
Make a reflection on a video presentation about the stages of moral
development (Title: The Sacrifices of a Father) with the help of the
guide questions below. Put this in a short bond paper and use Arial as
a font style, size 11. Don’t forget to indicate your name, subject,
section, and schedule. Submit a hardcopy next meeting (Thursday),
and send a softcopy to [email protected]
1. How well did the video presentation explain the concept of stages of moral
development? Were the stages clearly defined and easy to grasp?
2. Did the presenter provide effective examples to illustrate each stage of moral
development? How did these examples contribute to your understanding of the theory?
3. How was the information organized in the video presentation? Did the structure
contribute to a logical progression of ideas and stages?
4. Were the transitions between different stages of moral development smooth and
well-articulated? Did the presenter effectively connect one stage to the next, fostering a
sense of continuity?
5. Describe the presenter's delivery style. Was it engaging, dynamic, or perhaps more
formal? How did the delivery style contribute to the overall effectiveness of the
presentation?
6. Did the video presentation connect theoretical concepts to real-life scenarios or
examples? How did these connections enhance your understanding of the practical
implications of moral development?
7. Were you prompted to reflect on your own experiences in light of the stages of
moral development discussed? Did the presentation encourage self-awareness and
introspection regarding your moral reasoning?
8. What aspects of the video presentation did you find particularly effective or well-
executed? Were there moments that resonated with you on a personal or intellectual
level?
9. Are there areas where the presentation could have been strengthened or made
more impactful? Were there concepts that could have been explained more
thoroughly or with additional context?
10. What were the main takeaways from the video presentation regarding stages of
moral development? Did the presentation broaden or challenge your existing
understanding of moral development?
11. How might the insights gained from the presentation be applied in practical
settings, whether personally or professionally? Were there actionable steps or
considerations suggested for fostering moral development?
 References:

❑ Commission on Higher Education. https://ched.gov.ph/wp-

content/uploads/2017/10/Ethics.pdf
❑ Boone, B. (2017). Ethics 101. Simon & Schuster, Inc.

End………..
 Ethics (GE 8)
SOCSCI, MWF 2:00-3:00 pm.
MATH, MWF 3:00-4:00 pm.
ENGLISH, TTH 8:30-10:00 am.
BEED A, TTH 10:00-11:30 am.
BEED B, TTH 1-2:30 pm.
Lesson 3

Feelings and Moral Decision Making:

Reason and Impartiality as Minimum
Requirements for Morality

Learning Objectives:
❑ Differentiate responses based on reason and those based on feelings.
❑ Capture and analyze feelings in personal moral experiences.
❑ Compare reasonable and emotional responses.
 Reah Mae Tocmo’s killer said he did it out of jealousy
By: Emmariel Ares - CDN Digital Multimedia Reporter
August 10, 2023 - 07:39 PM

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Simeon Gabutero, the construction worker who confessed
to killing his girlfriend, Reah Mae Tocmo, said he did it out of jealousy and anger about
the money that he has been sending her.
Police Major Angelito Valleser, chief of Labangon Police Station, told reporters on
Thursday, August 10, that Gabutero admitted that on Sunday, July 16, he agreed to
meet Tocmo, for the first time in his boarding house in Guadalupe at around 6:00 a.m.
The suspect claimed that they have been in a long-distance relationship since
December 5 last year.
Valleser said that minutes after Tocmo’s arrival, the suspect snapped at her because he
found out that she had many Facebook accounts and messages from other men.
The two were alone in the house because the suspect had earlier asked his parents and sibling
to leave because he has a visitor.
However, Gabutero told police that Tocmo only laughed at his outburst which made him more
upset.
Valleser said that a teary-eyed Gabutero told him that out of his P400 daily wage as a
construction worker, he has been sending money to Tocmo since the day they became a couple.
Furthermore, during the conversation, Gabutero found drug paraphernalia in Tocmo’s bag which
made him even angrier because he felt that instead of using his hard-earned money for her
studies, the girl was using it for other unnecessary matters.
Gabutero claimed to have suddenly lost control and ended up squeezing Tocmo’s neck.
“Matod pa niya, nasip-itan niya ang liog ni Reah. Wa na siya kahibaw nga niabot diay sa punto
nga namatay ni si Reah,” he said.
Gabutero also said that Tocmo did not scream during their scuffle and only held on to his hand to
resist.
Valleser stated that Tocmo’s friend who goes by the name “Jewel Smith” said that Tocmo was
drinking moments before the incident which could explain why she was not able to fully resist the
attack.
Another reason why Gabutero claimed caused his anger was because Tocmo did not inform him
that she was already in Cebu.
“Pero matod pa niya, wala siyay kalibutan nga si Reah Mae Tocmo, niana sa Cebu. Usa pud na
sa iyang gikasuk-an nga nganong wa siya pahibaw-a nga naa diay siya sa Cebu,” said Valleser.
After learning that the girl was dead, Gabutero said that he wrapped her in a blanket he got from
a hotel he used to work at and tied her up with pieces of garter and shoestring.
After putting her inside a cardboard box, the suspect then transported the body with the help of
another person using his motorcycle.
Confused about what to do next, Gabutero told police he dumped the body in an area in
Barangay Tisa which has overgrown grass, said Valleser.
Gabutero, however, denied burning the face of the victim during the incident.
Police Colonel Ireneo Dalogdog, chief of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), disclosed that after
consulting with the medico-legal officer who did the autopsy on Tocmo’s body, there is a
possibility that the burnt marks were caused by the decomposition as she has been dead for
more than 24 hours.
Distraught over what happened, Gabutero told Valleser that he regretted what he did and is ready
to face the consequences for killing Tocmo.
Dalogdog added that Gabutero will be facing a murder charge.
Processing questions:

1. Identify the factors that triggered Simeon Gabutero's violent reaction. How did
jealousy and anger manifest, and what were the consequences?
2. What ethical considerations should be taken into account in cases involving
interpersonal conflicts and violence?
3. What are the broader social implications of this incident? How might cases of
jealousy-driven violence impact discussions about relationships, trust, and
communication in society?
 Feelings and Moral Decision Making

Feelings - Is an emotional state or reaction. experience of physical sensation like

feeling of joy, feeling of warmth, love affection, tenderness, etc.
Feelings as instinctive response to moral dilemma - Several studies conclude that
up to 90% of the decisions we made are based on emotion. They can be an obstacle,
but they can also help in making right decisions.

Ethical Subjectivism
- Moral statements cannot be objective because it is only people's perception and attitudes
that makes them right or wrong.
- It highlights the subjectivity of morality it is always dependent on feelings.
- It allows us to see convicting intentions behind moral statements.
- People may get involved in an argument by ethical subjectivism to persuade the
opponent to follow their point of view but not to disprove their objective truth.
 Activity: Inside Out
Instructions: Recall personal life experiences when you feel different emotions
illustrated above. Discuss what happen in that moment and explain how you were able
to handle those feelings or how you express and regulate those emotions. Use one
whole sheet of paper.
 References:

❑ Commission on Higher Education. https://ched.gov.ph/wp-

content/uploads/2017/10/Ethics.pdf
❑ https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/521178/reah-mae-tocmos-killer-said-he-did-
it-out-of-jealousy

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