Introduction to Ethics PDF

INTRODUCTION TO ETHICS - DEFINITION and its meaning in the CONTEXT of HUMANISM. ETHICS is defined as a PRACTICAL study dealing with the MORALITY of HUMAN CONDUCT. HUMAN CONDUCT = HUMAN ACT. HUMAN ACT is an action that flows from the deliberate FREE will, henc...

INTRODUCTION TO ETHICS - DEFINITION and its meaning in the CONTEXT of HUMANISM. ETHICS is defined as a PRACTICAL study dealing with the MORALITY of HUMAN CONDUCT. HUMAN CONDUCT = HUMAN ACT. HUMAN ACT is an action that flows from the deliberate FREE will, hence, the doer of the action is consciously aware of his action and therefore intentional. An ACT to be HUMAN must possess 3 important elements, namely: 1. KNOWLEDGE - the doer is fully aware of his actions and is done deliberately. 2. FREEDOM - that the action is done without coercion, in other words, done without the influence of anyone or anything. - The action is done as per the dictates of one’s own reason. 3. VOLUNTARINESS - an action done where both elements of KNOWLEDGE and FREEDOM are present. - In TAGALOG translation, KUSANG-LOOB A HUMAN ACT done entails MORAL RESPONSIBILITY, meaning, that the doer is liable to any consequences or result of the action. Anumang kahihinatnan o resulta ng KILOS na nagawa ay may kaakibat na PANANAGUTAN. ETHICS in the CONTEXT of HUMANISMS - May KAUGNAYAN ba ang ETIKA sa PAGPAPAKATAO? - Is ETHICS related to HUMANISM? - WHAT MAKES A MAN TRULY HUMAN? The MODELS of HUMANISMS: 1. The GREEK ideal of FULL HUMAN development: - MAN according to the GREEKS is composed of POTENTIALITIES and ABILITIES for GROWTH and DEVELOPMENT. a. The PHYSICAL ABILITIES - The human body plays an important role in every individual. - Helps man to carry out his everyday activities. - The need to take care of one's body and keep it to its top condition.  - Even if the mind is willing, if the body is not able, still, we can do nothing. - MENS SANA IN CORPORE SANO. A HEALTHY MIND in A HEALTHY BODY b. The MENTAL ABILITIES - Man is gifted with the capacity of thinking and reasoning. - Can make decisions and distinctions. (makes inventions and innovations to make his dealings with life easier) c. The COMMUNICATION SKILLS - Can communicate effectively - Learns to read and write - A man with the power of speech, speaks with wit and intelligence, can inspire and convince people. d. The SOCIAL SKILLS - A Man portrays a specific role in his life. - He can be a good son, a good brother, a good friend, a father, or a professional. - He can be a good individual who can contribute for the betterment of his community. With ALL these Potentials and Abilities, according to the Greeks, “Man can achieve the fullness of his existence by developing them in the level of EXCELLENCE” 2. The ORIENTAL VIEW of HUMAN EXISTENCE: - Living a full life is not living a MORTAL LIFE, but rather, living a life as PART OF SOMETHING GREATER (the GREATER REALITY). - In other words, living a life with a PURPOSE. - That is, finding one’s meaning in life, losing oneself to it. a. The HINDUISM - The Hindu believes that the GREATER REALITY is the BRAHMAN, that is, the Hindu GOD. - It is HOLY and SACRED and the source of ALL things. - The only thing that is real. - Apart from him, man is meaningless and useless. - The ATMAN, on the other hand, is the HUMAN SOUL. - A gift from God and therefore, holy and sacred. - SIN - separates MAN from GOD  - It destroys the sanctity of the soul. - To regain the sanctity of the soul, Man must learn to live a life of SACRIFICE - To seek the needs of others before oneself. - To give a premium on helping others without expecting anything in return. - To live a life of SELFLESSNESS SACRIFICE teaches man to live a moral life as he prepares and cleanses his soul with moral deeds, and likewise, prepares himself in the time of death where he will return his soul to the rightful master of LIFE that is, GOD. b. CONFUCIANISM - Confucius believed that the GREATER REALITY is the HUMAN SOCIETY. The HUMAN SOCIETY can be broken down to 3 simple units: 1. The Family 2. The circle of FRIENDS 3. The COMMUNITY or the STATE To reach the fullness of one’s existence one must perform his utmost obligations to the SOCIAL UNITS. Learn and fulfill his obligations and full responsibilities to the members of the family, the friends and in the community and state. c. TAOISM - Is a teaching from ancient China known as the “TAO”, meaning - the WAY. - It is believed that it is the source of all things - It is an ALL-ENCOMPASSING REALITY that leads and guide every being to move in the best possible way they can. - To live a full life is to follow the TAO. To follow the TAO is to be WISE. TAOISM teaches the virtue of HUMILITY and Discipline. To be HUMBLE is to live in HARMONY with NATURE. To be humble is to live a moral and peaceful life. To be humble teaches man to live a full human LIFE. d. HEBREW UNDERSTANDING OF HUMAN LIFE - The Hebrew defines Human Life as composed of challenges and situations wherein man is called to respond to it in a worthy and noble way. - For it is in a way of overcoming the challenges that man draws the meaning of his existence.  - Challenges make man draw out what is inside him and become a better person. This HUMANISM is not always limited to the RELIGIOUS faith, but in one’s commitment to find ways to respond to the challenges of the situations. “NASA DYOS ANG AWA, NASA TAO ANG GAWA” e. OTHER HUMANISM 1. HUMANISM of MORALITY - Founded on following directly all the moral laws of one’s religion and society. - Obeying rules develops self discipline and right decisions and moral action. - Teaches a man to live a righteous life. 2. HUMANISM of CREATIVITY - Founded on being creative in all aspects of one’s life. - Being creative teaches man to make life’s moments interesting and worth living. 3. HUMANISM of RELIGION - Defines man as a CHILD of GOD - Living his life in following the will of GOD - To love others as to Love GOD. - Emphasis on Prayer and Worship in one’s LIFE. 4. HUMANISM of LOVE - Founded on establishing deep relation with others. - Acceptance of the whole person - Being sensitive to the needs and experiences of others PHILOSOPHY AND ITS DEFINITION - ETHICS come s from the vast study of PHILOSOPHY… - The reason why it is important to define it is to know why and where ETHICS came to be. PHILOSOPHY can be defined and understood in 4 disciplines, namely:  1. ETYMOLOGICAL View - it defines a word by going back to the origin from where the word originated, Hence, PHILOSOPHY is derived from two Greek words PHILEIN - meaning the love of , and SOPHIA - meaning WISDOM. In PHILOSOPHY, Wisdom that is being referred to is and must be rooted to TRUTH, since the end of PHILOSOPHY is the search for TRUTH. “Ang KATOTOHANAN lamang ang magpapalaya sa tao sa anino ng katangahan at kamangmangan…” 2. SCHOLASTIC View - defines PHILOSOPHY as a SCIENCE of beings in their ULTIMATE CAUSES, REASONS and PRINCIPLES which can be known and can be understood by PURE HUMAN REASON. In other words, that everything can be known, explained, and understood by pure THINKING and REASONING alone. 3. EXISTENTIAL View - defines PHILOSOPHY as a SEARCH for the meaning of LIFE. To SEARCH means, to look, to find, to discover… the meaning, the purpose of one’s existence. Why do we have to look for the meaning of our existence? a. We are looking for the meaning of our Life primarily because we know that it is Important and Significant. b. It consumes the whole person, i.e. we are giving our “ALL” to find something that is important in our LIVES, TIME, EFFORT, INTEREST. c. It is an ONGOING search without STOPPING until the answer is FOUND. 4. PHENOMENOLOGICAL View - this discipline defines PHILOSOPHY as an ATTITUDE. a. Searching (naghahanap) b. Questioning/Inquiry (nagtatanong) c. Interacting (nakikialam) This ATTITUDE is instrumental to an individual to understand fully, explain, uncover the meaning and reasons of our EXPERIENCES. EXPERIENCE defines the meaning of one’s life, because we learn from them. PHILOSOPHY should not be limited to mere speculation, not to pure searching, instead, looking at it as an ATTITUDE. A PHILOSOPHY of encounter which gives premium on concrete lived experience, not on hypothetical happening. An ATTITUDE that involves 3 processes. namely… 1. EPOCHE - ( a bracketing ) of what one already knows… in so doing, one can approach the object of the knowing with fresh unprejudiced judgment. It is understanding freely without biases and assumptions in order to explain a phenomenon in terms of its own inherent system of meaning. 2. EIDETIC REDUCTION - derived from the Greek word “EIDOS” meaning, ESSENCE. A process of removing the contingent material factors of an experience to its very nature. 3. TRANSCENDENTAL REDUCTION - is a process of putting one’s experience in the level of my consciousness. In this regard, we can easily understand the experience of others in so far as we personally experience the same. Consciousness does not adapt itself to the object passively, rather, its very essence is to form meaning to the object. There will be no object without a subject. And no subject without an object. There will be no world without a man and no man without a world. As Friedrich Wittgenstein’s concept of ‘Dasein’, That man is a being in the world, man as a being with the world. The world is a human world, and man is a being-in-the-world. Divisions of PHILOSOPHY PHILOSOPHY is divided into 2 Philosophical Fields, namely: 1. The SPECULATIVE PHILOSOPHY 2. The PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY SPECULATIVE PHILOSOPHY - It is a Philosophy that enriches the mind with principle to be speculated upon, to be thought of or to be known. - It directs itself to knowing things as they are without thinking of application, merely, the use of reason alone. - Its ULTIMATE aim is KNOWLEDGE rooted to TRUTH.  - In this kind of PHILOSOPHY, one CONTEMPLATES or REFLECTS about the TRUTH of NATURE as well as the RELATION of all things. BRANCHES of SPECULATIVE PHILOSOPHY 1. METAPHYSICS - a philosophical field that investigates the fundamental nature of REALITY , BEING, and EXISTENCE. From the GREEK word ‘Ta Meta” - meaning BEYOND; “Ta Physika” meaning NATURE 2. ONTOLOGY - a philosophical field closely related to METAPHYSICS. It focuses on the study of the essential characteristics of existing things, of the ultimate being (GOD) of existence, and the status, order and structure of REALITY. The term “ONTOLOGY is derived from the GREEK word “ONTA”, meaning “really existing things”. It is referred to as the THEORY of BEING. 3. COSMOLOGY - it is the study of the UNIVERSE as a RATIONAL and ORDERLY system. Also known as the THEORY of the WORLD or the UNIVERSE. From the GREEK word “KOSMOS”, meaning UNIVERSE. 4. PSYCHOLOGY - known as the THEORY of the MIND that focuses on the study of the MIND, SOUL and SPIRIT. Concerned with the soul or consciousness and its role in the functioning of the HUMAN body and in a SOCIAL group. From the GREEK word PSYCHE meaning mind , soul or spirit. 5. EPISTEMOLOGY - a study of the origin, nature, extent and veracity ( truth, reliability, validity ) of KNOWLEDGE. Also known as the theory of KNOWLEDGE. Fom the GREEK word “EPISTEME” meaning KNOWLEDGE. 6. THEODICY - a philosophical field that studies the nature, being, goodness, and justice of GOD. Also focuses on GOD - MAN relation and other doctrines related to DIVINITY. From the Greek word “THEOS” meaning GOD and “DIKE” meaning JUSTICE or RIGHT. 7. PHILOSOPHY of MAN - focuses on the study of the nature and essence of MAN as MAN. SOCIAL PHILOSOPHY and POLITICAL SCIENCE as its Sub- branches. PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY - It is a kind of a PHILOSOPHY whose concern is not only the pursuit of KNOWLEDGE and WISDOM, but also the “HOW” of this KNOWLEDGE can be applied or put into practice on to acquire the things that he needs and eliminates his difficulties and anxieties in his daily living. - It is a PHILOSOPHY that perfects the will with principles or knowledge to be acted upon, to be applied or to be put into practice. - Its function is primarily NORMATIVE and DIRECTIVE like in the case of LAWS, RULES or REGULATIONS that serves as a GUIDE or PATTERN for MORAL ACTIONS and DECISIONS. BRANCHES of PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY 1. SEMANTICS - it is the STUDY of the meaning of WORDS and its linguistic forms, their functions as a SYMBOL and the part that they play to the Human Thoughts and Behavior. From the GREEK words “SEMANEIN” - to Signify, “SEMANTIKOS” - Significant, “SEMA”- Sign or Token of Identity. 2. AXIOLOGY - is a PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY which investigates/analyzes the reasons of what makes a thing, a person, a place or event, desirable, valuable and important, significant. From the Greek word “AXIOS’ meaning worthy. 3. AESTHETICS - a PHILOSOPHICAL study dealing with BEAUTY and the ARTS. It studies the nature of beauty and examines the critical standards used in It studies the nature of beauty and examines the critical standards used in From the Greek word “AESTHETIKOS” - meaning , one who is perceptive of things through his sensation, feelings and, intuitions. 4. LOGIC - a practical study of the correctness and validity of reasoning. Provides us with principles which govern reason. Investigates , discovers, and applies the laws and rules of correct thinking and reasoning. Derived from the Greek word “LOGOS” meaning by which an inward thought is expressed. 5. ETHICS - a practical philosophy dealing with the MORALITY of HUMAN CONDUCT. Investigates the right and wrong of man’s actions as well as the pursuit of the GOOD life. Derived from the Greek word “ ETHOS” meaning a characteristic way of ACTING..  ETHICS AND MORALITY In Philosophy, the term ETHICS and MORALITY are generally used interchangeably, since people that study ETHICS don't make distinction. There is no clear agreed upon distinction between the two. ETHICS, when a distinction is made, - standard of good and bad, right or wrong that are imposed by some outside group, a society or profession, for instance, on legal ETHICS, there are standards on what should or should not be based on legal standards of their professions. MORALITY - one's own personal sense of right and wrong (what you think is right or wrong, good or bad based on what you believed is such.) - It is not imposed by anyone. Something that is personal. ETHICS - Greek word ETHOS, meaning, custom, manner, character. - branch of PHILOSOPHY that studies the rightness and wrongness of HUMAN ACTIONS. - It concerns the question of "how do human person ought to act?” - A search for a definition of "what is right ACTION/CONDUCT and a GOOD LIFE?” - It is from this reason that the attempt to seek the good to the aid of reason is the traditional goal of ETHICS. - There's NO single absolute definition of ETHICS. Because ETHICS as a discipline is constantly holding as a result of change in socio-cultural and political context. In the GREEK TRADITION, ETHICS is conceived as relating to a concept of a "GOOD LIFE." that we are ethically inclined that time has directed to discovering the nature of "HAPPINESS." In ARISTOTLE's "NICOMACHEAN ETHICS" does not only present the nature of "HAPPINESS" but also provide ways on how HAPPINESS can be achieved. Centuries later, a quite different orientation was introduced by the JUDEO-CHRISTIAN TRADITION, that is the IDEA of RIGHTEOUSNESS before GOD., and the LOVE of GOD and NEIGHBOR, not a happy and pleasant life comes to the substance of ETHICS. If we make an effort to reconcile these views, we are faced to a difficult task of defining the relationship between "doing what is right" and "being happy". It is for this reason that we cannot have an absolute definition of ETHICS. The least that we can do is to describe their nature and dynamics of ETHICS in specific time and context. ETHICS is NOT the same as MORALITY. ETHICS denotes the THEORY of RIGHT ACTIONS and the GREATER GOOD. It undertakes the systematic study of the underlying principles of MORALITY. While MORALITY indicates PRACTICE, that is, the rightness and wrongness of human actions. It is more PRESCRIPTIVE in NATURE. It tells us what we ought to do and lead us to follow the right way. Therefore: Ethics is the study or science of morals; while Morality is the practice or application of Ethics. TYPES of ETHICS 1. NORMATIVE ETHICS - PRESCRIPTIVE in nature. - SEEKS to SET NORMS or STANDARDS that regulates right and wrong, good or bad conduct. - ATTEMPTS to develop GUIDELINES or THEORIES on how we ought to BEHAVE. 2. MΕΤΑ ETHICS - DESCRIPTIVE in NATURE. - ANALYTICAL and DESCRIPTIVE - Aims to understand the nature and dynamics of the ETHICAL PRINCIPLES. - The way we learn and acquire moral beliefs. NORMATIVE ETHICS urge us to "DO GOOD ALL THE TIME." META ETHICS ask the question "WHAT is GOOD?” 3. APPLIED ETHICS - It is the ACTUAL APPLICATION of the ETHICAL and MORAL theories for the purpose of deciding what is ETHICAL or MORAL actions are APPROPRIATE in a given situation. The DIFFERENCE between the 3 major types of ETHICS can be illustrated as follows: 'A police officer shoots a terrorist who is about to blow up a crowded shopping mall." In META ETHICS, the ACT of the policeman is MORALLY WRONG because it is always wrong to KILL. Intrinsically, killing is immoral, however, if the policeman does not shoot the terrorist, innocent people may die or get injured. Though the police officer's act maybe wrong, the adherence of NORMATIVE ETHICS may say that " it is the right thing to do in this particular situation." for if not doing so, will result to the death of many innocent people, hence, the action may be morally right and acceptable. Finally, the CASUIST, i.e. adherent of APPLIED ETHICS may say that "the police officer is just doing his best to fulfill his duty, that is, to protect as many innocent lives as possible.