GEC 7: General Ethics - Chapter 1

• GEC 7: General Ethics Module covers key ethical terms and concepts
• Chapter 1 focuses on basic concepts in ethics
• Studying Chapter 1 is recommended before proceeding to later chapters
• The goal is to gain useful knowledge about significant terms and concepts

Learning Outcomes for Chapter 1

• Differentiate ethics from morality.
• Distinguish between moral and non-moral standards.
• Detect a moral dilemma.
• Identify the three levels of moral dilemmas.
• Explain freedom as a foundation of morality.

Topics for Chapter 1

• Ethics and Morality
• Moral vs Non-moral Standards
• Moral Dilemmas
• Freedom as a Foundation of Morality

Teaching and Learning Activities

• Activity Sheets involving questions or activities to be submitted for checking and recording.
• Textual Reading of articles or book parts involving analysis of literal meaning, subtext, symbolism, assumptions, and revealed values.
• Discussion to reach decisions or exchange ideas face-to-face, online, or in writing.
• Video Clip/ Power Point Presentation can be downloaded for homework

Recommended Reading

• Ethics: Principles of ethical behavior in modern society by De Guzman, Jens Micah, et al. (2018).

Flexible Teaching Learning Modality (FTLM)

• Modular Distance Learning (MDL)
• Online Distance Learning (ODL)

Flexible Teaching Learning Modality (FTLM) tools

• Module
• VideoCon/Google Classroom,
• Email,
• Messenger,
• Zoom

Assessment Tasks

• Reflection Paper to add thoughts and analysis relating to lived experience
• Reaction Paper where students consider what they have read or seen
• Module Exercises offering quizzes for self-assessment in various test formats
• Home work completed outside the classroom.
• Situation Analysis critically evaluating internal and external conditions, current opportunities, and challenges

MODULE CONTENT: Topic 1: Ethics and Morality

• Nominal Duration: 1.5 hours

Topic 1 Learning Outcomes

• Distinguish Ethics from Morality

• Explain the difference of good from right

• Explain the implications of following rules

• Ethics (ethika, from ethos, meaning "character" and Latin mores, meaning "customs") involves principles or standards of human conduct

• Ethics is sometimes called moral philosophy

• Ethics and morality both relate to character and customary ways of doing good/bad and right/wrong

• Custom refers to tradition or community habit

• Gaffney (1979) notes the basic distinction between the realm of theory and realm of practice

• Ethics relates to ideas, principles, or convictions about what's right and wrong in conduct.

• Morality relates to practical behavior judged against someone's ideas of right and wrong.

• Ethics points to how one thinks about right and wrong, and morality points to actual conduct with respect to its rightness or wrongness.

• Ethics is limited to individual character, whereas morality includes rules concerning good and bad

• Ethics and morality are used interchangeably

• Meacham (2011) states that the primary task of ethics/morality guide actions.

• A problem arises when an individual finds it hard to distinguish between what is good from what is right

• What is right does not necessarily mean it is good, and vice versa

• Ethics guides actions or evaluates

• Guides actions or evaluates in specific cases

• Meacham (2011) describes thinking about ethics in two ways called the good and right

The Good and the Right in Ethics

• The good concerns goal achievement; the right concerns laws and rules
• Goodness recognizes desires and aspirations, framing values based on enablement
• Rightness recognizes group living needing organization & regulations, framing values around duty and conformance
• Goodness & rightness are not complementary portions; they are alternative ways to organize morality.
• Virtue ethics focuses on character qualities and motives
• Virtue Ethics reflects the distinction between the good and the right, either based on goodness or rightness
• Compassion and insight are typical goodness virtues
• Disposition of conscientious obedience are typical rightness virtue.
• Confusing good and right often lead to errors in judgement
• The good has to do with benefits for something or someone else either instrumentally or biologically

Goodness Instrumentality

• Instrumentally, something's good enables purpose
• Products of technologies are good for students, professionals, businessmen for reasons like comfort and utility
• Instrumental usage is expressed in usefulness for achieving intention.
• Gadgets are better than others because they have more effective components.

Goodness Biological

• Biological usage focuses on health and well-being, aiding survival and flourishing

• Whole grains and vegetables are better for health

• Some plants need sunlight while others need shade, which helps each thrive

• Good biologically enables function

• Instrumental usage intersects biological.

• Keeping clothes clean makes them more fit to serve as clothes

• Teleological approach emphasizes goodness from Greek telos, meaning "end", "purpose", or "goal".

• Good is determined in relation to ends, creating a chain of goods and ends stretching in both directions

• This approach is called consequentialist or effect-oriented.

• Grain is good for well-being; cellphones are good for faster and easier communication

• Evaluation uses terms "good," "bad," "helpful," "unhelpful," etc.

• There are degrees of goodness and badness

• Ethics based on goodness applied to choices asks about anticipated benefits

• Ethics based on goodness applied to character asks about effects on one's typical life approach.

The Right

• The right has to do with conformance to rules or regulations.

• The right answer to “9 divided by 3” is 3

• Right thing to do with a found wallet is to return it

• Deontological approach emphasizes rightness meaning duty

• The person acts performing their duty according to moral rules

• Morality identifies and obeys rules judging right/wrong acts via conformance.

• Central concern identifies rules to act accordingly doing one's duty and acting accordingly.

• Associated language use the terms “right” and “wrong”

• Difficulties arise determining moral rules that vary from culture to culture.

• Philosophy provides rational choice grounding

• Philosophers propose divine command, pure reason, or intuitive moral sense.

• Ethical context the primary meaning of “right” is conformance to morality.

• The term “right” has multiple meanings

• The right is correct, truthful, best possible option, fitting, appropriate, and approved.

• Confusing good and right often means that those concepts persuade someone to act a certain way.

• Expressing approval/disapproval leads some to assert moral discourse lacks meaning.

• Separate domains are more effective

• Combining something with good effects does not make it right

• Something in accord with a moral rule does not make it good.

• Rules promote the common welfare of society

• Clarity helps assess oneself why rules should be followed

• Clarity of language is not necessary for clarity of thought

Topic 2: Moral versus Non-Moral Standards

• Nominal Duration: 1.5 hours

Topic 2 Learning Outcomes

• Differentiate moral from non-moral standards.

• Cite metaphors for moral standards

• Explain the characteristics of moral standards

• Moral Standards are principles, norms, or models about what is right/wrong or good/bad

• Moral Standards indicate how human freedom ought to be exercised

• Norms are expressed as general rules about actions/behaviors

• Honesty is good; injustice is bad

• Moral Standards are Norms about actions moral actions, as well as placed values

• Moral standards promote human welfare

• Moral standards promote good (animals, environment, and future generations)

• Moral standards prescribe human obligations to society; and obligations (specific values/virtues).

• Non-Moral or Conventional Standards judge what is good or bad, right or wrong outside a moral framework

• Manners, etiquette, rules, technical and language standards, laws, arts, sports are non-moral standards

• Should not mistake morality with etiquette, law, aesthetics or religion

• Non-moral standards are matter of taste/preference.

• Scrupulous observance of non-moral standards does not make an individual a moral person.

• Violation of non-moral standards does not pose any threat to human well-being.

• "Amoral" means not influenced by right/wrong

• Immoral person acts against their conscience

• Amoral person does not have a conscience.

• Infants lack knowledge of good and wrong, and extreme sociopaths are unable to develop a conscience

• “Unmoral” refers to things without right/wrong application

• Typhoons, animals and forces of nature cause damage to properties and life

• “Moral norms” have different forms

• Expressed as principles, dispositions, character traits

Metaphors for Moral Standards

• Moral norms are like a carpenter's square to measure human freedom, constructs morally good character, and right actions
• Purpose is to provide moral standards, criteria, or measures to making judgements and make conscience moral judgement.
• Moral road signs guide being/doing; indications or directions of actions
• Purpose is to preserve and protect morals
• Focuses attention on what is morally important
• Ideals are models for how concrete values are realized, and prioritize to fit given circumstances
• Provide wisdom or reminders of community.
• Set our expectations for action

Five Characteristics of Moral Standards

• Deal with injuries and benefit on well-being of a person

• The validity of moral standards are adequate by reason supporting them

• They should be preferred not only to self-interest

• Do no evaluate based on an individual

• They include right, wrong, shame, guilt

Topic 3: Moral Dilemmas

• Nominal Duration: 1.5 hours

Topic 3 Learning Outcomes

• Recognize and recall a moral experience

• Detect a moral dilemma

• Give examples of the three levels of moral dilemmas

• A dilemma is a difficult choice between two or more alternatives

• Conflict choosing action

• Individual is presented with 2 choices

• There are considerations or other ways to perform

• Action is chosen, despite choices

• All actions can not be chosen together, therefore choices can not be all followed

Three Levels of Moral Dilemmas

• Involves individual at a personally

• Organization dilemmas

• Dilemma faced when the organization clashes in moral principles

• Examples found in medical field The goal is for individuals must decide between personal choice that challenge working ethics.

• Systemic Moral Dilemma: Involves political pressures, economic factors in the society. Government regulation can clash which forces morality to decide what is right or wrong.

• Affects people, markets, relationships

Topic 4: Freedom as a Foundation of Ethics

• Nominal Duration: 1.5 hours

Topic 4 Learning Outcomes

• Demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the basic concepts in ethics

• Explain the dimensions of freedom

• Foundation of Morality

• A foundation is a right and wrong that needs to be established

• Freedom can be described as an act, think, without restraint to the body and mind to do as wanted

• Freedom is not limited. With the exercise of ethics, freedom can be liberating

• Ethical is to teach what society should do and live and for society.

• To not abuse it and gives limitation to it.

• Freedom to moral actions liberates us from selfish thoughts

• Ethical is what is good in humanity and human acts

• The choices we make can affect other people and pursue our goals

• Humans are coerced with pressure that does not provide any enjoyment

Freedom Dimensions

• Moral is in the region of freedom

• Accountability of doing what we must do

• Goodness and happy life is important

• Limits the freedom of others

• Develop making based on principles

• The goal is for morality to have an attachment for others

• Underlie by virtues, nurturance

• Punish the cruel and serve those in need

• Related to development that produce, justice

• It leads us that will pursue whatever project

• Loyalty from tribal figures

• Are able to form to have shiftions

• Patriotism and sacrificing for the group

• Everyone has a stake in obligation for the setting

• Is shaped by the psychology of disgust

• Humans and bodies are desecrated for moral actions

• Authority has the freedom to desire

• Want authoritative in the community.

• Individuals choice and freedom has basic foundation of individual

• Individual is essential on liberty

Explore key ethical terms and concepts in GEC 7 General Ethics Module, specifically focusing on Chapter 1. This chapter covers basic concepts in ethics, including the differentiation between ethics and morality, moral and non-moral standards, and the identification of moral dilemmas. Learn about freedom as a foundation of morality.