Principles of Ethical Behavior
in Modern Society
(Ethics)
MR. RENEE B. CAGAS
INSTRUCTOR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9A4UHYeBcE
What is Ethics & What is Morality? Philo -Notes
Basic Principle
What is Ethics? What is Morality?
(Greek) “ethos”- custom or a (Latin) “mos” or “mores” –
manner of acting and behaving. custom or practice,
moral qualities, virtuous conduct
or thought
Focused on general principles, Praxis, application of those
rules, & theories on determining principles (Fernandez, 2012)
what is wrong & right.
Ethics and morality are used interchangeably.
Morality – system of beliefs about what is right &
wrong behavior. (Rubin, 2015)
- deals with how a person relates with others
and with the world to promote what is good.
(Thiroux & Kraseman, 2009)
- to act on the best reasons for doing- while
giving equal weight to the interest of each
individual affected by one’s decision.
(Rachels, 2015)
2 Division of Ethics
General Ethics Applied/Special Ethics
-deals with morality of the -refers to the application of the
human act that mainly focuses
moral principles, standards &
on the basic concepts. norms in various specific areas of
human life and activity.
Ethics is just an information but applied ethics is a
knowledge of ethics with implementation, which
teaches what is right and wrong.
For example, when some one needs our help, we
should be a helping hand. This is knowledge of ethics.
But when we do help when someone needs a help is an
Ethics both theory & practice.
-one has to know the theories or ethical
principles of knowing what is right &
wrong and the good & bad act i ons.
(theory)
-one has to translate these theories into
actions. (practice)
*knowing what is right without changing
the way one’s behave morally is a useless
knowledge. (Fernandez, 2012)
Characteristics of Moral Principles
1. Prescriptivity – action-guiding nature of morality.
e.g. “obey your parents” or “thou shall not kill”.
2. Impartiality – moral rule should be neutral. It should
apply to anyone regardless of status or situation.
3. Overridingness – tower over all other norms or standard
of evaluation. Should be given primary & ultimate
importance.
Characteristics of Moral Principles
4. Autonomous from Arbitrary Authority – independent.
It should be based on the ethical principles & not on what
majority say.
5. Publicity – should be made public, to advise as well as
praise or blame certain actions.
6. Practicability – made for men to follow.
How do we know if an action is a moral act?
Act of man Human act
- No control - Control act
- Involuntary act - Deliberate
- e.g. emotions, circulation of - Voluntary act
blood, pumping of the heart, - e.g. walking, talking, thinking,
grinding of the stomach, & eating, &biting
breathing.
How do we know if an action is a moral act?
(accountable & responsible)
3 Essential Elements Therefore, for man to fully
1. Knowledge – awareness. morally accountable must be
2. Freedom – not done by done knowingly, freely, &
force. It is a state of being willfully.
unrestricted from the
The absence of one or two of the
internal impulse & elements may lessen the
external pressure. accountability or no
3. Will – doer has given its accountability at all.
consent to do the act.
Kinds of Voluntariness
1. Perfect voluntariness – all element of human act are
present. Man is fully accountable.
2. Imperfect voluntariness – knowledge is absent.
3. Simple voluntariness – it is simply doing or not doing the
act since one cannot do anything about it.
4. Conditional voluntariness – forced to do the act which is
in normal condition it should not be done.
Morality of an act either be moral, immoral, or
amoral.
1. Moral – good act
2. Immoral – bad act
3. Amoral – indifferent or neither good or bad
How do we know the morality of act?
(Determinant)
1. The Object or Act itself
2. Motive or Intent
3. Circumstances
a. Who – doer, receiver or recipient of the act
b. Why – reason or motive of doing the act
c. By What Means – intention or goal
d. Where – setting of an action
e. When – time of commission of the act
f. How - ways
Accountability of the commission of an act can be modified
1. Ignorance – absence of knowledge
2. Concupiscence or passion – emotions/desire
3. Fear – disturbance of the mind
4. Violence – compelling force against his will
5. Habits – frequently repeated act
Conscience arise!
1. Correct conscience – obey & follow the right path
2. Erroneous conscience – wrong conscience
a. invincibly erroneous conscience
b. vincibly erroneous conscience
c. perplexed conscience
d. pharisaical conscience
Judgment of the Morality of the Act, conscience is either
1. Certain conscience
2. Doubtful conscience
3. Scrupulous conscience
4. Lax conscience
SQUARE OF MORAL EVALUATION & DECISION
ACT ITSELF INTENTION
CIRSCUMSTANCE END
