Ethics and Civilization in Malaysia: Chapter 1

• Chapter 1 introduces the concept of ethics and civilization in the Malaysia context.
• It covers the definition and ethical concepts of different civilizations.
• Ethics is seen as a crucial component of individual, family, community, society, and state formation.
• Understanding ethics is vital for building a civilized society, community, and nation.
• In the context of Malaysia, the study of ethical and civilization can be divided into precolonial, colonial, and postcolonial eras.
• Ethics undergoes change and evolution in each era, which eventually gave the impression to the formation of ethics and civilization of society.

Early Philosophical Views

• Socrates pioneered the concept of "moral goodness."
• Aristotle originated ethical philosophy regarding "goodness is knowledge," which was pioneered by Socrates.

Etymology of Ethics

• The word "ethics" derives from the Greek term "ethos" or the Latin term "mores," referring to law, customs, moral, tradition, ethics, personality, behavior, and manners.
• Ethics involves philosophical study of morals, determining what should and should not be done.
• It further entails personal reflection on concepts of good, evil, right, wrong, responsibility, and duty.
• Ethics offers comprehensive standards for right and wrong to explain actions required from a human being in a given context.

Philosophers on Ethics and Civilization

• Aristotle introduced logical thinking, zoology (grouping animals by behavior and physiology), and the theory of noble personality.
• Socrates stated that ethical language requires continuous and systematic effort to implement moral concepts based on whether actions are correct, wrong, permissible, or not allowed.
• Thomas Aquinas views ethics as a habit or need to do good, forming behavior to act well and helping people live harmoniously.

Synonymous Terms

• Behaviour is derived from the Arabic word "khuluq," encompassing belief, confidence, attitude, behavior, habits, and customs.
• Morals come from the Latin word "mores," referring to behavior and ethics while describing improving situations.
• Value represents the inherent nature, act, or behavior, considering whether something is good, bad, right, or wrong, which serves as guide and principle for pricing objects.

Popular Theories of Ethics: Personality Virtue Theory

• Began in 4th century BC Greek society with Aristotle as a pioneer (384-322 BC).
• Emphasizes personal qualities (temperament, character traits) to achieve a good life.
• Personality virtue theory is defined as the best or special quality (excellence).
• A person needs to set the desired quality and standard of living to live a life of moral character.
• Determination becomes a standard for an individual to determine his or her circumstances.

Popular Theories of Ethics: Social Morality Theory

• Social morality relates closely to societal rules consisting of law, decency, or discipline.
• Emphasizes each individual's responsibility to comply with the orders of an authority.

Ethical Dimensions

• Include being responsible, trustworthy, keeping promises, being on time, honest, believing, being bold, sincere, and having integrity.

Basic Principles of Ethics

• Human Life Value: Protecting one's own life and the lives of others is an ethical practice regardless of place and time.
• Good and Bad: Doing good and avoiding bad deeds is subjective; goodness includes life, happiness, and truth, while bad includes death and suffering.
• Justice & Fairness: Justice means putting something where it should be. Fairness is the balance that exists.
• Honesty: Being honest requires ethical behavior and genuine intentions, speech, and deeds that align with one another.
• Freedom: This is associated with human rights ethics and defines what humans can and cannot do through rules and regulations.

Ethical Equivalent Terms and Concepts

• Manners - good character, good behavior, good manners.
• Civilized (Beradab) - good manners; polite and have advanced their level of life.
• Civilization (Peradaban) the system and stage of social development of a nation.
• Customs (Adat Istiadat) - Traditions like marriage and funerals
• Traditions (Adat Resam) - Customs that become the habits of a people

Definition of Civilization

• Etymology- derived from the basic word derived from the basic word "adab" or manners which means well mannered and well-behaved – then existence of the words of civilization “peradaban”.
• Refers to progress on physical and spiritual life.
• Is the system and stage of social development of a nation, the social and cultural progress of a nation.

Ethics Across Civilizations

• Ethics varies depending countries and civilizations
• Western Civilization : Ethics comes from 'ethos' and relates to attitude and customs the determines the behaviours
• Is a set of moral principles to determine right from wrong which serve as guides for behaviour

Ethics Across Civilizations: Indian Civilization

• Ethics are Known is Indian society as 'nitisastra' (Sanskrit) which is part of part of 'Rta'
• 'Rta' in the vedic book, is defined as order and truth which considered practicing natural rule in the system of the universe

Ethics Across Civilizations: Chinese Civilization

• For Confucius, ethics closely values of humanity
• Etiquette based on confucius' Values based on 'wuchang' , these include:
  • welfare and humanity
  • truth and justice
  • the right way
  • knowledge
  • intergrity
• Confucius (551-479 BC) a philosopher well know was a runner of Ruism described as rational belief

Ethics Across Civilizations: Arab Civilization

• ethics in found in morality (Arabic is 'khuluqun') is the habit or character
• morality reflects character and is based on the quaran and hadith with three principles
  • natural
  • habits
  • practice

Timeline of Ethics and Civilization

Precolonial Era

• Ethics was embodied in the behavior and daily life associated with manners, customs and traditions.
• Daily life was a system of values of norms of society an example being, respect for elders

Colonial Era

• Society adopted cultures and lifestyle in everydaylife
• system of government had procedures of colonial ryles which impacted -This practice affected the community with the loss of their dress and the occurance of ethnic mixing

Postcolonial Era

• This is the modern era of modernity as it has received all types of ethics and variations through technology
• has colonization introduced the separation of goddernment and society (state) as a base
• applied thought and ethics through administration and education

Analyzing Malaysian Ethics and Civilization

History

• is a collection of events and experiences involved with sociality Historical Perspective and research looks back in objective to look at local communities and determine what we are a part of

Social Structure

• Sociology is defined in society as the building relationships that drive dynamics
• appreciation between individuals differ according to social structures
• struct is also a community where all systems from residence, education employment are involved

Biographical Factors

• Bio narrations are life events that occur in people's lives It characterized historical experience from individuals so society can share share social and structures

Ethics & Civilizations: Individual, Family, Community and Nation

• Individuals are structures of sociality
• Built ethics are what we've learnt from parents and family and how it is brought into the community for us live by
• Ethics is seen through what is bad etiquette and gives color to a society
• Bad and rejected ethics needs to be destroyed because it can affect civilization

Context of Society, County and Market

• The ethics and respect in the country are eventually determined on societal factors
• development will shape the country
• civilisation and success allow strong governments t make a life to stable society and a great life for its citizens

Conclusion:

• Appreciating all ethics is needed to build the norms of society that can withhold complexity and make it great
• Construction has goal to make unification