ETHICS

• Acquired/Achieved Status


  Not acquired because of the environment (ex: profession)
• Material Object


  Human acts as the subject matter; whatever you do
• Formal Object


  Right conduct of man; question: is it right to conduct the action?
• The ends justified the mean – an example is abortion, prostitution
• Ethics point of view

  All acts should be in line with the right reason/morally upright
• Custom


  Makes ethics related to moral; defined as more or less permanent moral behavior in accordance with the precepts of natural moral law which is universally known and common to all men
• Moral


  Came from the Latin word "mores" or most also means customs or character
• Perception of Men is not fixed and it changes from time to time, particularly on the nature of a person
• Moral Principles


  Refers to customs, behavior, and character (what is morally upright and ethically good)
• Truth is presupposed in ethics

  • Existence of God
  • The dignity of the human person
  • Immortality of the soul
• Ethos


  Has something to do with the development of virtuous and moral character
• According to the Greeks we must know what is morally upright
• To the Greeks, it is important to live a good life. Do what is good and right, and avoid what is wrong or bad
• Socratic Method


  • Investigation through process
  • Consistent about asking people questions about something they already know
  • By critical inquiry we become closer to the truth
  • Socrates doesn't want to tell/impose on people what to do he just wants to guide them
• The need to study ethics

  • We make decisions and examine if it will be good for everyone. These decisions should not hurt feelings
  • We are thought to live in an orderly life. We should all be rational people
  • We consider the past and present practices which should be carried on for the future generations
  • It seeks to point out to man what are the true values of life
• We need to study ethics, not to gain monetary amounts but to gain moral uprightness
• Through ethics, we are guided by moral uprightness
• Men as rational beings

  • Men know what is good and right
  • Since we are rational beings, we should choose what is right and good
• Man is free


  • We have freedom and liberty to express ourselves
  • We have full control of what we do
  • But not because we have freedom, we can do all that we want to do, but we should know our limitations
• Descriptive Ethics


  • Describing how people actually behave
  • Suits more on empirical sciences like sociology and political science because it holds moral beliefs in a given society, group, organization, etc.
  • Doesn't prescribe
  • Doesn't assess the moral soundness of any ethical systems
  • Objectively describes what kind of values people come to have
• Normative Ethics


  • Seeks to discover norms that would guide our actions
  • Concerned with developing a system of morality and determining what actions are right or wrong
  • Focuses on prescribing how people ought to behave based on these criteria
• Consequentialist Ethics


  • Pertains that the morality of an action is determined by its consequences
  • Doing utilitarian cuts to make others happy
  • Utilitarianism - fruitiest good for the greatest number
• Non-Consequentialist Ethics


  The morality of the action depends on its intrinsic nature and motive and not on its consequences
• Theological Ethics


  • You are guided by what you believe in. Your actions are being dictated by reason on that belief that that is the will of God
  • The divine command of morality
  • Holds the will of god or what the scriptures tell us what to do
  • Dictated upon our reason of faith
• Ethical Egoism


  • Maintains that an action is right if it is in the interest of the agent or doer only
  • "What is good is my interest only" or "what is correct is only the interest of the doer"
• Situational Ethics


  Claims that the morality of the actions depends on the situation and not on the application of moral law
• Plato


  • Nature of good and bad, and happiness and virtue
  • "Happiness is found neither in material things nor in the treasures of life but in making your soul like God"
  • More idealist than Aristotle
  • Composed "the republic" (describes the importance of being just in the world, and by being just, one is happy)
• Aristotle


  • More practical than Plato
  • "Man is a political animal"
  • Came up with the principles of society
  • "In a society, you cannot avoid corruption"
• General Ethics (Law)


  Discusses the nature of human acts and their relation to morality
• Special Ethics (Obedience)


  Deals within the application of general principles of morality to the particular actions of man
• Socrates


  • The purpose of man in this world is to learn how to die
  • Tells us that in our daily life, we should live as if it is our last day
• Epicurus


  • Claims that sensual and intellectual pleasure were the real purpose of life
• Zeno


  • The mission of man is to be superior against suffering
• The end talks about the good
• Rational Appetite


  • It's for goodness and something desirable for the human being
  • The end should always be something that is desired because this desire is what gives us an appetite
• Proximate End


  An immediate end on account which an action is immediately performed
• Intermediate End


  A subordinate end sought for the attainment of another end
• Ultimate End


  An account of which other ends or means are sought
• Absolute Last End


  According to Saint Thomas, it is the end for the sake of which all other things are desired
• End of Action


  The intrinsic purpose of the action