Introduction To Ethics PDF

ODUCTION THE MEANING OF ETHICS Ethics is deduced form the Greek word ethos, meaning “custom” or “behavior”. The term “moral” is deduced from Latin word “mos (mores)”, meaning “custom.” Ethics is defined as general study of moral life, which deals with two types of question...

ODUCTION THE MEANING OF ETHICS Ethics is deduced form the Greek word ethos, meaning “custom” or “behavior”. The term “moral” is deduced from Latin word “mos (mores)”, meaning “custom.” Ethics is defined as general study of moral life, which deals with two types of question, one critically normative and the other RMAL ELEMENTS OF ETHICS a. An understanding of the good as the goal of the moral life and the basic reason for being moral. the basic conviction is that God is good. God is the only center of value, the fixed point of reference. RMAL ELEMENTS OF ETHICS b. An understanding of the human person as an agent. Moral character can be distinguished by the perspectives, dispositions, affections, and intentions, which a human person’s beliefs engender. RMAL ELEMENTS OF ETHICS c. The points of reference, which serve as the criteria for a moral judgment. of ethical Judgment and Ethical Reasoni 1. Descriptive Ethics it simply describes the particular value and principles that someone holds. It involves describing, classifying, listing, and summarizing ethical beliefs. of ethical Judgment and Ethical Reasoni 2. Normative Ethics this level of ethical reasoning involves making ethical judgments, suggesting advice, and offering ethical evaluations. This is also called Prescriptive Ethics. Most ethical judgments that include an “ought” or “should” are of ethical Judgment and Ethical Reasoni 3. Philosophical Ethics is also called moral philosophy. It is a higher level of generality and abstraction in which normative judgments and their supporting reasons are analyzed and evaluated. Moral philosophy reflects on the nature of the moral life and what constitutes the right and wrong behavior without any reference whatsoever to God’s revelation and to Christian beliefs. Ethics of being Ethics of being is also called character ethics. It focuses on the interiority of the person, or the person’s character. It focuses on what is happening to the person performing actions rather than on the actions the person performs. It stresses the patterns of actions, or the habits we acquire, the vision we have of life, the values and convictions or beliefs we live by, the intentions we have, the dispositions which ready us to act as well as t the Ethics of doing if the ethics of being focuses on the person, the ethics of doing focuses on the right action. It makes a decision to resolve conflicts of moral values so that we might do the right action. POSTULATES OF ETHICS 1. The Existence of Go The Existence of God – God is the author of our life and is the only center of value. It gives human person a reason for being moral. He is moral because God is good. The goodness of God enables and requires us to be responsible for the goodness of the world. God is the horizon within which the believers sees and values all things. POSTULATES OF ETHICS 2. Human Intellect and fre will Human Intellect and Freewill –by the free will one shapes one’s own life. Human freedom is a force for growth and maturity in truth and goodness. It attains its perfection when directed toward God, our beatitude [CCC 1731]. Freedom is so central to the moral life without it, we cannot properly speak of being moral persons at all. God created man a rational being, conferring on him the dignity of a person who can initiate and control man Intellect and free will a. Basic Freedom or the freedom of self determination – through the use of psychological instruments, we recognize the limiting conditions to which we can become and to what is possible for us to achieve. Our genetic inheritance, or instance, is unalterable. No amount of willing can change or alter the manner of man Intellect and free will b. Freedom of Choice – freedom is the power, rooted in reason and will, to act or not to act, to do this or that, and so to perform deliberate actions on one’s own responsibility. Freedom makes man responsible for his own acts to extend that they are hreats to Freedom the existence of freedom does not imply a right to say or do everything. The economic, social, political and cultural conditions that are needed for a just exercise of freedom are too often disregarded or violated. Such situations of blindness and injustice injure the moral life and involve the strong as well as the weak in the temptation to sin against charity. 3. Immortality of the Soul orality act of doing what is good and avoiding evil) Moral theology or Christian/theological ethics is an articulation of systematic theology. The vortex of its discussion highlights the implication of faith for the way we live. The very soul of moral life is the calling of man for a specific purpose. It delves on his response to the initiative of God’s offer of love. The Elements of Biblical Morality 1. Covenant – faithful praxis (reflection in practice) is concatenated or connected in ancient Israel with the Law (such as 10 Commandments) and with the covenant (the covenant code – Ex 20:22-23:33). The ten words (dabar-word or commandment – Ex 34:28; Dt 4:13; 10:4). The Elements of Biblical Morality 2. Kingdom –the kingdom or Reign of God is central to Jesus’ proclamation and ministry. Christian morality stems for this standpoint. Moral existence is a response to a divine call to conversion, repentance, faith, and discipleship. The Kingdom alludes to a setting and state of being where the Lord rules not with the signs of outward power but rules through and in the hearts of human persons.His power is the power of love. The Elements of Biblical Morality 3. Repentance – is the prerequisite for the kingdom. It is also known as “metanoia” meaning “change of mind.” It is a total reversal of life- style, a turning around of one’s whole being, a personal moral revolution. It is not only repenting but also believing in the Gospel of forgiveness. The Elements of Biblical Morality 4. Discipleship – is the membership in the kingdom. Jesus demands total commitment. It is a call to imitate Christ. The disciple takes on a mission for the sake of the Lord. He is sent or called and must go forth to do his task. The Elements of Biblical Morality 5. Obligation Law – speaks of the rule of the kingdom. The Law Jesus was more demanding than the law of Israel’s history. With the proclamation of the law by Jesus there was a decisive transition to the interior disposition. The interior disposition determines an act’s moral value. It is the quality of one’s heart, the mystery of intention that is truly central. Jesus demolished hypocrisy. The Elements of Biblical Morality 6. Love – is the life of the kingdom. The threshold for the ethics of love is not the golden rule of self-love but faith-truth of God’s love for us. a. The love of koinonia b. The love of diakonia The Elements of Biblical Morality a. The love of koinonia (community, fellowship) -- this theme is developed in the Johannine version. Jesus exemplifies this theme in the powerful symbol of washing his disciple’s feet. It is his own self- sacrifice. It is total love characterizing the Christian community. It is a sacrificial love to the point of death. The Elements of Biblical Morality b. The love of diakonia (service) – it is charity exercising solidarity. It reaches out to all people in need to care for them. It is also the love of fellowship (Rom 13:8ff.). This love is universal in composition. The Elements of Biblical Morality 7. Beatitudes – is the charter of the kingdom. They are good news. In the kingdom, the priority is love and not priorities of man such as money, power, comfort, and so forth. They are an instrument of liberation and exultation. They are Gospel in the fullest and richest aspect. ELEMENTS OF THE MORAL ACT[Nery,Ethics, 7] Etymologically, the word “moral” comes from the Latin word “mos” (pl. mores), which, in the Roman language and culture, expresses the same concept as the Greek word “ethos” which means “custom, habit or character.” From the word “mores” comes the root of the word “moral,” and “morality.” ELEMENTS OF THE MORAL ACT Judgment – judgment of what is morally good or bad. Choice – choosing what is good or what is distinct from the judgment of conscience. Object of the moral act – the object consists of the act itself and those realities which are affected by the act and which should be considered in deciding whether the act is morally The Human Person The human person is a rational being. His or her nature emerges and is fulfilled in one’s various relationships. -he has intellect and free will - Everyone is endowed and blessed with natural capacities and abilities -primary here is the ability to reason and decide freely The Human Person Man has dignity – everyone is bestowed an inherent dignity which demands unconditional respect. The Human Person Man is created in the image and likeness of God – he is both mind and spirit. The person is co- creator, co-worker, and co-savior of God. – everyone is bestowed an inherent dignity which demands unconditional respect. The Human Person Man is ambivalent – man has the capacity for both good and evil. He has the ability to go beyond self-interest and work for justice and goodness. – he is both mind and spirit. The person is co-creator, co-worker, and co-savior of God. – everyone is bestowed an inherent dignity which demands The Human Person Man is limited – man’s life is limited. But we see the significance of death is on how life was lived – whether we opt to do good or not. The person is also limited in his capacity to know and do what is good. The Human Person Man is unique – human persons are sufficiently diverse. We must consider the originality and uniqueness of each person. Everyone shares certain common features of humanity. The Human Person Man is an embodied subject – the person is in charge of his or her own life. The person is a moral agent with a certain degree of autonomy, and self-determination empowered to act according to his or her conscience, in freedom and with knowledge. The Human Person Man is a historical subject – an embodied subject is necessarily a historical subject. To be a historical subject is to be relentlessly temporal and is part of a progressive toward our full human development. HUMAN ACTS and ACTS of MAN  Human act (actus humanus) – is a description of an action performed by a human person in a truly authentic or human manner. They are performed with awareness and free choice. Human acts are actions performed by a human person with human capacities for knowledge and freedom. It is done knowingly, freely (his own volitions and powers) and voluntarily.  Acts of man (actus hominis) – is a description of a behavior emerging through human agency, but without the same knowledge or freedom. They are acts done by man without deliberation or volition, and simple acts of sensation and appetition such as biological, and psychological movements. For instance, metabolism respiration, the emotive sphere such as fear, hatred, jealousy, infatuations, and Kinds of Human Acts 1. Wish –Kinds of Human the inclination Acts of the will towards something attainable or not. 2. Intention – the inclination of the will to what is possible to occur without commitment of gaining it. 3. Consent – the agreement o the will to carry out an intention. 4. Election – the scrutinizing of the will to opt for something effective in carrying out its goal. 5. Use – an act of the will moving a person to opt for the usage of those means necessary in carrying its goal. 6. Fruition – enjoyment of the will deduced for gaining its goals intended earlier.