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Moral action
Unit III
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1. Feelings and
Moral-Decision
Making
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Feelings as Instinctive
Response to Moral
Dilemmas
● feeling is an emotional state or
reaction.
● Instinctiveness is prompted (fast
reaction) by instinct or propensity (a
natural tendency).
● Thus, an act that is based on
feelings and instincts or propensity
is called instinctive feeling.
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Emotivism
● the view that moral judgments do
not function as statements of fact
but rather as expressions of the
speaker’s or writer’s feelings.
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• Immanuel Kant argues that we all have sense
in common.
• He claim that common sense was rooted in
the a priori faculty of feeling that requires
rationality (contrary to the a posteriori faculty of
feeling).
• Thus, it is rooted in what is intelligible and due
to this kind of intelligence, our having universal
assent to our judgments is linked to moral
feelings.
• These kinds of moral feelings help a moral
person to have empathy, sympathy, etc
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Self-conscious Emotion
● Guilt
Motivate people to
● Shame follow society’s
moral norms.
● Embarrassment
People with the most acute sense of guilt tend
to be among the most moral and cooperative
worker.
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Other-condemning emotions
● Contempt
They would face if they do not do
● Anger the right thing
● Disgust
Other-Praising emotions
● Gratitude People sometimes feel when they
● Moral see others do the right thing, can
Elevation stimulate people to act pro-socially.
Other-suffering emotions
● Sympathy
● Compassion Often encourage people to help
others in need
● Empathy
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Moral Emotions
● These emotions often serve as immediate
indicators when a person encounters a situation
that could be ethically challenging.
● Moral emotions help employees discern right from
wrong, often without conscious reasoning, by
influencing their perceptions and responses to
moral dilemmas.
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Moral emotions
● For instance, empathy fosters understanding between
colleagues, prompting actions that respect others’ well-
being and dignity. Employees with strong empathetic
inclinations are more likely to recognize when policies
or behaviors harm others, leading them to take
corrective action.
● On the other hand, feelings of guilt can drive self-
reflection, encouraging individuals to make amends
after committing unethical acts or neglecting their
responsibilities.
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Some experts believe
that, empathy is the
most important moral
emotion
Primatologist Frans De Waal writes that “human morality is firmly
anchored in the social emotions, with empathy at its core.”
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Did you know?
People are often capable of dehumanizing others, concluding
that they are not deserving of moral treatment. For example,
colonial Americans dehumanized Africans during slavery,
and the Nazis dehumanized Jews during WWII. But we can
thwart dehumanization with empathy. By consciously
taking the perspective of others, we recognize their humanity,
and can change our behavior.
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Some 90% of all of our brain’s
decisions are made automatically
and intuitively.
Scientists believe that emotions
have evolved in part to encourage
us to obey society’s moral rules
so that we can effectively live
together in groups.
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So, moral emotions
generally point
people toward
doing the right thing
and away from
doing the wrong
thing
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Let us remember this caveats;
First: our emotions are far from infallible. For example, the
emotion of disgust often causes us to condemn the thing that
disgusts us in moral terms. But there may be no rational moral
basis to do so. If we make a moral judgment emotionally, often
we cannot rationally defend our choice, which is a concept called
“moral dumbfounding.”
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● Second: although moral ● Third, and last: our emotional
emotions urge us in the right reactions tend to beat our logical
direction, we often use thoughts to the punch.
rationalizations to deceive
ourselves.
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So, while we may believe that our moral decisions are
influenced most by our philosophy or religious values,
in truth our emotions play a significant role in our
ethical decision-making.
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2. Moral
Reasoning
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Moral Reasoning
Moral reasoning applies
critical analysis involving
judgements to specific
events to determine what
is right or wrong, and what
people ought to do in a
particular situation.
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● Meaning to say, we must
consider an act that is based
on moral reasoning, i.e., ought
to have confined values,
established based on the
adequacy of the reason that
supports and justifies an
action (frameworks), and has
universal validity
(impartiality).
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How to make day-to-day
decisons
What should I wear? Should I Lie?
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Moral Reasoning
● Moral reasoning typically applies logic
and moral theories, such as deontology
or utilitarianism, to specific situations or
dilemmas.
● The ability to engage in sound moral
reasoning allows individuals to justify
their decisions with logical and ethical
considerations, which can contribute to
a transparent and fair decision-making
process.
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7-Steps Moral Reasoning Model
1. Gather the facts
2. Determine the ethical issues
3. Determine what virtue/principle have a bearing on the
case
4. List the alternatives
5. Compare the alternative with virtues/principles
6. Consider the consequences
7. Decide
Practicing these methods can help the moral person to think with values,
(truthful or verifiable claims (frameworks), and universal validity (impartiality).
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Gather the facts
● essential first step
that must be taken
before any ethical
analysis and
reflection.
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Determine the ethical issues
● Ethical issues are
stated in terms of
legitimate
competing
interests or goods.
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Determine what virtue/principle
have a bearing on the case
● If we know the principles relevant to the case, we can
more easily identify the relevant factors that should be
given more attention.
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List the alternatives
● It will help us to make
the better and right
decision.
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Compare the alternative with
virtues/principles
● The purpose of this
comparison is to see if a clear
decision can be made
without further deliberation.
● In this instance, testing the
alternatives will provide a
proper evaluation to
determine the best options.
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Consider the consequences
● If the principles do not
yield a clear decision,
then you must consider
the consequences of
the remaining available
alternatives
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Decide
● Deliberation cannot continue indefinitely. At some
point, you must make a decision.
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3. Moral
Courage
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Value of Moral
Courage
courage puts moral decisions into
action.
It makes the difficult decision to do
the right thing even in the face of
serious threats or dangers.
However, the moral person's will is
essential to develop moral courage
and has a vital factor in setting the
moral decision into action.
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● In the workplace, this can manifest when
employees challenge unethical practices, report misconduct, or
defend the rights of their peers despite the fear of reprisal.
Moral courage is not simply about recognizing what is right
but acting upon it, especially when it requires risking one's
reputation, career, or social standing.
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● Often people have an abstract desire to do the right thing,
but just don’t feel empowered to resist all the forces of
authority, conformity and the like that can make it difficult
to do so. But we must remember what’s been called the
“power of one.”
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Moral courage is necessary to
translate moral decisions into moral
action.
The late ethicist Rushworth Kidder
defined moral courage as “a
commitment to moral principles, an
awareness of the danger involved in
supporting those principles, and a
willing endurance of that danger.”
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A. Will is Important as Reason
a.1. Immanuel Kant Immanuel
● Kant argues that a moral person has a rational will.
● To understand rational will is to point out the
differences between animals and persons.
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● consists of mental faculty to
construct ideas and thoughts
that are beyond to
immediate surroundings (the
ability for mental
abstractions) and the ability
to act or to enact and make
real those mental images.
● Thus, the rational will is the
capacity to act based on
intentions and mental states.
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a.2. St. Augustine
● men are wills (homines
sunt voluntates).
● it is the free will that
constitutes the real
innermost center of man,
for it is that which makes a
person truly
himself/herself.
● Without it, the ablest and
most intelligent individual
would be no more than
ingenious automation.
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B. DEVELOPING THE WILL
B.1. First Principle
refers to the fundamental orientation of the human
will towards the ultimate good, which Aquinas
identified as God
every human action is directed towards an end, and
the highest end or ultimate good is the source of all
moral direction.
The will, therefore, is inherently ordered towards this
ultimate good, but it requires proper formation and
guidance to achieve it
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b.2. Second Principle
● Natural law, according to
Aquinas, is the participation of
rational creatures in the
eternal law of God.
● It is through this law that
humans discern right from
wrong and direct their wills
accordingly..
● He believed that the natural
law is self-evident and
universally accessible through
human reason.
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b.3. Conscience
Aquinas holds that the
conscience is the application
of knowledge to activity,
functioning as a guide in
making moral decisions.
The will is closely tied to the
conscience, as it acts upon
the judgments formed by
conscience.
A well-formed conscience
aligns the will with what is
good, leading to morally
sound actions.
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b.4. Error in Conscience
● Errors can occur when the will
is misinformed or when
reason is clouded by passions,
ignorance, or societal
influences.
● Aquinas argues that while the
will naturally seeks the good,
it can be led astray if the
conscience is not properly
formed.
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b.5. Methods in Developing the
Will
1. Education in Virtue
Virtue, as Aquinas defines it, is a habitual disposition to
do good. By practicing virtues such as prudence, justice,
fortitude, and temperance, the will becomes more
aligned with the First Principle and better equipped to
follow the Second Principle.
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b.5. Methods in Developing the
Will
2. Prayer and Sacraments
These practices connect the individual to divine grace,
which strengthens the will to resist error and pursue the
ultimate good.
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b.5. Methods in Developing the
Will
3. Moral Reflection
Regular reflection on one's actions and motivations is
crucial for the proper formation of the conscience.
Aquinas advocates for the examination of conscience, a
practice that allows individuals to identify errors and
make necessary corrections in their moral life.
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b.5. Methods in Developing the
Will
4. Community and Counsel Lastly
Engaging with a community of virtuous individuals and
seeking guidance from those who are morally and
spiritually mature can provide support and direction in
the journey towards moral excellence.
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Conclusion
The effective integration of moral feelings, moral reasoning,
and moral courage within the decision-making processes
of a every particular situation is critical for fostering an
ethical organizational culture. While moral feelings provide
an emotional compass, moral reasoning offers the cognitive
tools for analyzing complex situations. Moral courage, on
the other hand, empowers individuals to act on their
convictions, even when it involves personal or professional
risk. Together, these elements create a robust foundation
for ethical decision-making that promotes integrity and
accountability in the society.
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