ITIKS Midterm - Morality and Ethics PDF

**1. Meta-Ethics** - **Focus**: The nature and meaning of **moral values**. - **Moral Realism**: Belief in **objective** **moral facts**. - **Moral Anti-Realism**: Morality is **subjective** or **relative**. - **Moral Absolutism**: Universal moral **principles** apply...

**1. Meta-Ethics** - **Focus**: The nature and meaning of **moral values**. - **Moral Realism**: Belief in **objective** **moral facts**. - **Moral Anti-Realism**: Morality is **subjective** or **relative**. - **Moral Absolutism**: Universal moral **principles** apply to **all**. - **Cognitivism**: Moral statements can be **true** or **false**. - **Non-Cognitivism**: Moral statements **express emotions**, not facts. - **Moral Goodness**: Virtuous actions **promote** **well-being**. - **Moral Badness**: Actions that cause **harm or injustice**. **2. Normative Ethics** - **Establishes** what is **morally right or wrong**. - **Consequentialism**: Morality based on **outcomes** (e.g., utilitarianism). - **Deontology**: Morality based on **duty and rules** (e.g., Kantian ethics). - **Virtue Ethics**: Focus on **character traits** (e.g., courage, wisdom). **3. Morality as Virtue (Aristotle)** - Aristotle\'s ethics focus on the **cultivation of virtues**, which are traits that enable individuals to **act rightly** and live a **good life**. - **Virtue**: Traits developed through practice, **aligned with reason**. - **Eudaimonia**: The ultimate goal is flourishing or **living a good life**, achieved by practicing virtues. - **Habituation**: Virtues are not innate; they are developed through **habituation**---consistent practice of virtuous actions. - Aristotle emphasizes the role of **moral education**, starting in **childhood** and continuing throughout life, in forming these habits. **4. Morality and Sentiment** - **David Hume:** Moral judgments arise from **emotions**, driven by sympathy. - **Jean-Jacques Rousseau:** Humans are **naturally good**; morality is rooted in **empathy**, however **society** corrupts this natural sentiment. **5. Morality and Practical Reason (Immanuel Kant)** - **Deontological Ethics**: Morality is based on **duty and universal rules**, not consequences. - **Categorical Imperative**: Act on **principles** that can be **universal laws**. - **Autonomy**: Moral actions stem from **rational will and duty**, free from external pressures. - **Respect for Persons**: Treat humanity as an **end**, not a **means**. - **Key Aspects of Kant's Morality**: - **Universalizability**: Moral actions must be **universally applicable** without **contradiction**. - **Principle**: Treat every individual with **inherent dignity and respect**. - **Kant's Practical Reason**: Guides moral actions and decisions, recognizing **universal moral laws** without needing **experience**. - **Freedom**: **Essential** for morality; only free individuals are morally **responsible**. - **Practical** **vs**. **Theoretical** **Reason**: Practical reason concerns how things ought to be, while theoretical reason concerns how things are. - **Three Key Elements**: - **Autonomy of the Will**: True moral action comes from a **self-governing will**. - **Moral Duty**: Actions have moral worth when performed **out of duty**, not **inclination**. - **Kingdom of Ends**: A moral community where individuals act according to universal laws, treating each other with mutual respect. **6. Utilitarianism** - Right actions maximize pleasure and minimize pain. - **Jeremy Bentham** - **Principle of Utility:** Actions are judged by their ability to maximize pleasure and minimize pain. - **Hedonic calculus:** A method to measure pleasure and pain. - **John Stuart Mill** - Refined Bentham's ideas, distinguishing between higher (intellectual) and lower (physical) pleasures. - Argued that higher pleasures are more valuable. - Emphasized the importance of individual rights and long-term consequences. **7. The Creation of Morality** - **Friedrich Nietzsche**: - Criticized traditional Christian morality as life-denying and rooted in slave morality (values like humility). - **Master-Slave Morality**: Master morality values strength and pride; slave morality values humility and obedience. - **Übermensch (Overman)**: An individual who creates new values, living beyond societal constraints. - **"God is dead"**: Traditional religious-based morality no longer holds, requiring humans to create their own values. - **Jean-Paul Sartre**: - **Existentialism**: Humans are radically free and must create their own meaning and moral values in a world without inherent purpose. - **Bad Faith**: Denying one's freedom by blaming external forces for their actions. - **Moral Responsibility**: In the absence of a predetermined essence, humans must create their own values and take responsibility for their choices. **8. Millennials and Filinnials:** **Millennials (Generation Y)** - **Born**: Early 1980s to mid-1990s/early 2000s. - **Known as**: Net generation; frequent use of gadgets (cellphones, laptops, tablets). **Filinnials** - **Definition**: Filipino millennials, often called the selfie generation. - **Traits**: Highly active on social media, familiar with digital technology. **Negative Traits of Millennials** - - Untruthful, lazy, quick to anger - Inability to empathize - Disloyal, rigid, bossy **Positive Traits of Millennials** - - Well-educated, tech-savvy, fearless - Concerned about global issues - Adventurous - Value diversity and new experiences **Characteristics of Filipino Millennials** - - Value authenticity - Tech-savvy - Socially conscious - Price-conscious - Favor word-of-mouth recommendations - Love good content and experiences **9. Cultural Identity and Ethical Outlook** - **Cultural Identity:** - A person's sense of belonging to a group based on nationality, ethnicity, religion, and social class. - Strongly linked to generation and locality. - Part of self-perception - **Ethical Outlook:** A way of perceiving things in ethical consideration - **Pragmatic Idealism**: A desire to make the world a better place, balanced with the need to work both inside and outside existing institutions. **10. Work Ethics** **Work Ethics** - An individual's attitude, dedication, and determination toward their job; fundamental to a meaningful life. **Importance of Work Ethics** - - Enhance brand reputation - Reduce employee turnover - Create a positive work environment - Improve employee retention - Increase loyalty among employees and clients - Accelerate productivity **Examples of Work Ethics in an Organization** - - Professionalism - Integrity - Dedication - Teamwork - Adaptability - Respectfulness - - Initiative - Time Management **Types of Work Ethics** 1. **Personal Ethics**: Reflects individual moral values (e.g., honesty, kindness, responsibility). 2. **Business Ethics**: Principles for fair practices (e.g., fair trade, ethical sourcing). 3. **Employer Ethics**: Fair hiring and firing practices (e.g., equal opportunity employment). 4. **Customer Ethics**: Ethical interactions with customers (e.g., fair pricing, transparency). 5. **Legal Ethics**: Adherence to laws (e.g., labor laws, intellectual property rights). 6. **Social and Environmental Ethics**: Corporate Social Responsibility (e.g., sustainability initiatives). 7. **Cultural and Diversity Ethics**: Promotes inclusivity and respect (e.g., inclusive hiring practices).