Ethics notes.docx

Ethics - branch of philosophy that studies morality (or the rightness or wrongness of human conduct). Morality- code or system of behavior in regards to standards of right or wrong behavior. Ethics - stands to queries about what there is reason to do, concerned with character (moral character). I...

Ethics - branch of philosophy that studies morality (or the rightness or wrongness of human conduct). Morality- code or system of behavior in regards to standards of right or wrong behavior. Ethics - stands to queries about what there is reason to do, concerned with character (moral character). Importance of Rules 1.Rules are important for social beings, without rules there would be disorder and chaos. 2\. Rules are meant to set order. 3\. Rules are not meant to restrict freedom but to grow in freedom. Benefits of rules to social beings. 1\. Rules protect social beings by regulating behavior. 2\. Rules help guarantee each person\'s certain rights and freedom. 3\. Rules produce a sense of justice among social beings. 4\. Rules are essential for a healthy economic system. Ethics- The science of the morality of all humans. Importance of the study of ethics 1\. To sharpen the moral nature of the learners by inculcating the moral norms. 2\. To make learners become aware of the of the moral principles and laws governing an action. 3\. To help the learners be aware of the intimate relation between their moral natures and laws. 4\. To show the learners that acting in accordance with his rational and moral nature could lead them to the supernatural destiny, God. 5\. To develop in the learners a morally upright living. 6.To let the learners realize that people cannot live together harmoniously in society without the ethical norms and laws applied or followed. Morality - May refer to the standards that a person or a group has about what is right and wrong or good and evil. Morality - the quality of human acts by which they are constituted as good, bad or indifferent. Moral Distinction Moral Action- That which are good and permissible actions - in conformity with the norm of morality. Immoral Action- That which are bad and evil and not permissible actions. Amoral Action- That which are indifferent. Moral standards- are those concerned with or relating to human behavior, especially the distinction between good and bad behavior. Characteristics of moral standards 1\. Moral standards involve serious wrongs or significant benefits. 2\. Moral standards ought to be preferred to other values. 3\. Moral standards are not established by authority figures. 4\. Moral standards have the trait of universalizability. 5\. Moral standards are based on impartial consideration. 6\. Moral standards are associated with special emotions and vocabulary. Classification of moral standards 1\. Consequence - depends on an outcome or result 2\. Non-consequence- derived from the natural law or the law of God. 3\. Non-moral standards - refer to rules that are unrelated to moral or ethical considerations. Lesson 3 Dilemma - refers to a situation in which a tough choice has to be made between two or more options. especially more or less equally undesirable ones. Moral Dilemma - is also called ethical dilemma. Situations in which a difficult choice has to be made between two courses of action either of which entails transgressing a moral principle. Features of moral dilemma 1\. The agent is required to do either of the two actions. 2\. The agent can do each of these actions. 3\. The agent cannot do both of the transactions. Levels of moral dilemma 1\. Individual - are those experienced and resolved on the personal level 2\. Organizaational - refers to ethical cases encountered and resolved by social organization. 3\. Structural - refers to cases involving network of institutions and operative theoretical paradigms. Types of Structural level of dilemma 1\. Differential vs Integration - conflict of perspective of sectors, groups and institutions that may be affected by the decision. 2\. Gap vs Overlap - refers to the gap or overlaps in roles and responsibilities especially if key responsibilities are not clearly assigned. 3\. Lack of clarity vs Lack of creativity - conforming to prescribed roles and protocols, there is rigidity in following a set of expectations, work responsibilities of job description. 4\. Flexibility vs Strict adherence to rules - too much autonomy summons isolation whereas too much interdependence summons unnecessary coordination. Unit 2 Lesson 4 Freedom - the foundation of moral acts. Opportunities to which we can choose. Dilemmas only apply to us because we have the freedom to choose. Lesson 5 Definitions of Culture \- the cumulative deposit of knowledge, beliefs, values, attitudes, meanings, hierarchies, religion, notions of time, roles, spatial relations, concepts of the universe and material objects and possessions acquired by a group of people in the course of generations through individual and group striving. -The sum total of the learned behavior of a group of people that are generally considered to be the tradition of the people and are transmitted from generation to generation. -The cultivated behavior, the totality of a person\'s learned, accumulated experience which is socially transmitted. Social Learnings - process by which individuals acquire knowledge from other groups to which they belong. Enculturation or socialization - process by which infants and children socially learn the culture, including morality. Lesson 6. Definitions of Cultural relativism \- most famous form of moral relativism. Theory in ethics which holds that ethical judgements have their origins either in their individual or cultural standards. \- Defines \"moral\" as what is socially approved by the majority in a particular culture. It maintains that an act is ethical in a culture that approves of it but immoral in one that disapproves of it. Moral Relativism - fundamentally believes that no act is good or bad objectively and there is no single objective universal standards through which we can evaluate the truth or moral judgement. Universal values - values generally shared by cultures. Values - enables man to change, to establish self-control and self-direction. Kinds of values 1\. Biological Values - necessary to the physical survival of man as an organism. 2\. Social values - necessary to the sensual needs and fulfillment. 3\. Rational values - necessary to the functions and fulfillment of intellect and will 4\. Moral values - directly pertain to the function of intellect ad will. those choices, decisions and actions by which man\'s rational faculties are involved and perfected. Unit III Moral character- refers to having or lacking moral values. Moral character trait - trait for which the agent is morally responsible. Lesson 7 Moral agent - a being who is capable of those actions that have moral quality and which can be properly denominated good or evil in a moral sense. \- to have a capacity to conform to moral standards. to act for the sake of moral considerations. The development of moral character of the moral agent Moral Character - refers to the existence or lack of virtues such as integrity, courage, fortitude honesty, and loyalty. 1\. Moral character and vitues Character - derived from the Greek word \"character\". It came to mean a distinct mark by which one thing was distinguished from another. Virtue - excellence of moral character. 2\. The circular relations of acts and character 3\. Moral character as disposition The moral character traits that constitute a person's moral character are characteristically understood as behavioral and affective dispositions. Disposition - are particular kinds of properties or characteristics that objects can possess. Lesson 8 stages of moral development Stages of Moral development in accordance to Lawrence Kohlberg 1\. Level 1 - pre- conventional morality, lowest form of moral development, moral code is controlled by the standards set before them and the implications of not following these standards. \*Stage 1. Obedience - punishment orientation - one does good because of avoidance of punishment. \*Stage 2. Instrumental Relativist orientation - right behavior is defined by whatever the individual believes to be in his best interest. 2\. Level 2 - Conventional Morality, sense of morality is tied to personal and societal relationships. \*Stage 3. Good boy or nice girl orientation - seeks the approval of others and act in a way to avoid disapproval. \*Stage 4. Law and order orientation - increased awareness of the wider rules of society. 3\. Level 3 - Post-conventional morality - Level of full internalization, morality is completely internalized and not based on societal standards, judgement based on self-chosen principles, moral reasoning is based on individual rights and justice. \*Stage 5. Social Contract Orientation - awareness that while rules might exist for the good of the greater number, there are times where they will work against a certain individual \*Stage 6. Universal ethical principle orientation - have developed their own set of moral guidelines which may or may not fit the law. Have developed judgment based on universal human rights. Moral development facilitates the growth of conscience. Kohlberg\'s stages of moral development, conscience can be found in the post-conventional stage. Conscience - an act of the practical judgement of reason deciding upon an individual action as good and to be performed as evil and to be avoided.