GED 107: ETHICS

Ms. Angelica B. Adarlo

 WHAT IS ETHICS?
Also: Moral Philosophy

Empirical study of moral decisions

A discipline concerned with what is morally

good and evil, right and wrong

Etymology: Ethos
 Etymology: ETHOS
The distinguishing character, sentiment,
moral nature, or guiding beliefs of a person,
group, or institution

May mean tradition, habit, character, or

attitude
Is ethics and morality the same?
 ETHICS
Refers to the theoretical and systematic study of principles
governing right and wrong, especially in a professional or
philosophical context.

MORALITY
Concerned with the practical beliefs and norms that guide
individual and societal behavior
BRANCHES OF ETHICS

NORMATIVE ETHICS
Examine whether or not a particular act
should or should not be carried out.

META-ETHICS
Seeks to address non-moral questions
about morality
 FOCUS: creation of theories that provide
general moral rules governing our behavior

1. DEONTOLOGY: morality should be based on

whether that action is right or wrong

NORMATIVE
ETHICS 2. TELEOLOGY: morality should be based on
the outcomes or purposes behind actions

ANALOGY by Andrew Fisher: like a referee

A doctor refuses to lie to a patient about
their terminal illness, adhering to the
principle of honesty.
 DEONTOLOGY

A doctor refuses to lie to a patient about

their terminal illness, adhering to the
principle of honesty.
A doctor chooses to withhold a terminal diagnosis to
avoid causing the patient distress.
 TELEOLOGY

A doctor chooses to withhold a terminal diagnosis to

avoid causing the patient distress.
A public official accepts a 10-million-pesos bribe to
publish her book for the children.
 TELEOLOGY

A public official accepts a 10-million-pesos bribe to

publish her book for the children.
An employee follows company policies
strictly, even when it means missing a
chance to help a friend.
 DEONTOLOGY

An employee follows company policies

strictly, even when it means missing a
chance to help a friend.
A person donates to charity because it is
their duty to help those in need
 DEONTOLOGY

A person donates to charity because it is

their duty to help those in need
An employee works extra hours to complete a project
that will significantly benefit the company.
 TELEOLOGY

An employee works extra hours to complete a project

that will significantly benefit the company.
A student decides not to report a cheating
classmate to prevent stress for her
 DEONTOLOGY

A student decides not to report a cheating

classmate to prevent stress for her
 Explores the nature, origins, and meaning
of ethical concepts and statements.

Unlike normative, metaethics delves into

more foundational questions about ethics.

META-ETHICS
Asks what morality actually is.
Do moral truths exist?
What does "good" mean?

ANALOGY by Andrew Fisher: like a

commentator
 Deals with the practical application of moral
principles and theories to specific, real-world
issues and dilemmas.

Study of how we should act in specific areas

APPLIED
of our lives.

ETHICS BRANCHES: Bioethics, Environmental, Business,

Sexual, and Social

ANALOGY by Andrew Fisher: like the players

 BIOETHICS
Concerns with ethical issues about life, biomedical
researches, medicines, health care, and the medical
profession

ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS

Deals with moral issues concerning nature, ecosystem,

and its nonhuman contents
 BUSINESS ETHICS
Examines moral principles concerning the business
environment like corporate practices, policies, business
behaviors, conducts, and relationships in the org

SEXUAL ETHICS

Studies moral issues about sexuality and human sexual

behavior
 SOCIAL ETHICS

Deals with what is right for a society to do and

how it should act as a whole
Why should other individuals
have a lack of ethics?
Bazerman and Ann Trebrunsel

Good people do bad things without being aware that

they are doing anything wrong.

Motivational blindness is the tendency to not notice

the unethical actions of others when it is against our
own best interests to notice.
Bazerman and Ann Trebrunsel

The "want" self is silent during the planning stage of

a decision but typically emerges and dominates at
the time of the decision.

Organizations can monitor how they are creating

institutions, structures, and incentives that increase the
likelihood of unethical actions, while individuals can
"precommit" to intended ethical choices.
According to Leano Jr. &
Gunta-on (2018)

The study of ethics should consider making

it possible for an individual to fully
understand what his conscience is, how he
has gained it, how far he is willing and able
to respect his outward manifestations with
protection, and how well he can strengthen
it and make it even smarter
Why is it important to study Ethics?
IMPORTANCE 0F ETHICS
Through ethics people can determine the difference
between right from wrong, good and bad;

People can eliminate actions that do not conform to what

is right

People will be very careful to the actions and decisions to

make
IMPORTANCE 0F ETHICS
People will not be disturbed of the internal and external
factors of not doing the right thing

Establish good habits of characters of a person

Come up to rational decisions in facing an ethical

dilemma
IMPORTANCE 0F ETHICS
It makes a person responsible in the family, school and
society

A person becomes sensitive to the needs of others more

than himself or herself

Reminds a person to fully need conscience in decision

making and a person can acknowledge the actions made
DIFFERENCES OF
MORAL AND NON-
MORAL STANDARDS
 MORAL STANDARDS
Principles or rules that govern what is considered right or wrong in a
given context.

NONMORAL STANDARDS
Guidelines that are not related to morality or ethics. They may
involve personal preferences, social customs, or rules governing
specific activities.
MORAL STANDARDS
Refer to the guidelines we have on the types of acts that we
find to be morally permissible and morally unacceptable.

NORMS + VALUES
Moral standards normally promote the common good, that is,
the welfare and well-being of human beings, animals, and the
environment.
CHARACTERISTICS:
Moral standards entail serious harm or benefit

Deal with matters which can seriously impact, injure, or benefit

human beings.

EXAMPLE:
Theft and murder
Respect and feeding program for the poor
CHARACTERISTICS:
Moral standards are not determined by
authority figures

It is not invented, formed, or generated by authoritative

bodies/persons. But it can be considered in making laws.

EXAMPLE:
Cheating during exams
CHARACTERISTICS:
Ought to be preferred to other values

Have overriding character or hegemonic authority.

If a moral standard states that a person has a moral obligation

to do something, then he/she is supposed to do that even if it
conflicts with other non-moral standards.

EXAMPLE:
Despite her financial difficulties, Lisa refuses to accept
a bribe from a client, prioritizing the moral standard of
honesty over the immediate monetary gain.
CHARACTERISTICS:
Focused on objective/impartial considerations

Anyone who commits mistakes and wrongful acts then is

punished accordingly.

EXAMPLE:

In deciding how to handle a case of academic

dishonesty, the university applies the objective standard
of academic integrity, focusing on the facts of the case
rather than the student’s personal circumstances
CHARACTERISTICS:
Have a trait of universalizability

Standards must apply to all who are in relevantly similar

situation.
Believed to be universal as it is applicable anywhere and
anytime
.
EXAMPLE:

The golden rule

CHARACTERISTICS:
Associated with special emotions and
vocabulary
If didnt follow = feel guilty or bad
Generally put forth as injunction or imperatives to advice and
influence to action.

EXAMPLE:

Do not kill
Love your neighbor
How Moral Standards are Influenced

The moral values or principles that we conform with, in our

rearing

The character and manners that imbibed with us by means

of birthright

The religious values that our forefathers taught us

How Moral Standards are Influenced

The values we learned from school

The moral conduct, ways and habits of those people around

us.

The direct and implied cultural norms

How Moral Standards are Influenced

Our life experiences

Our critical thinking in these experiences.

NON-MORAL STANDARDS
Standards by which we judge what is good or bad in a non-
moral way

Focus: practical, aesthetic, or procedural aspects rather

than moral values.

Matters of taste or preference.

Violation: doesn’t pose any threat to human well-being

EXAMPLE: ETIQUITTE
A decorum
modesty and a sense of what is becoming or is fitting for a person of good
breeding

Propriety means reverence for the formal criteria governing

conduct in a civilized society

EXAMPLE:
Dining etiquette
Greeting etiquette
EXAMPLE: STATUTE
A written law passed by a legislative body

A primary source of law and are created to regulate behavior,

establish legal standards, and address issues of public concern.

EXAMPLE:

An Act Establishing Malasakit Centers in all Department

of Health (DOH) Hospitals in the Country and in the
Philippine General Hospital (PGH), Providing Funds
Therefor and for Other Purposes
EXAMPLE: PROFESSIONAL CODE
OF ETHICS
A set of guidelines intended to help practitioners differentiate
between right and wrong to guide their decision-making.

Defines:
the purpose and ideals of the organization,
how staff within the organization are to handle the issues
the expectations to which workers are bound.