Chapter 1 Introduction

• Ethics or morality is essentially a Philosophy subject.
• philosophy is defined in two fashions:

  • etymologically
  • Essentially
• The term philosophy was first coined by Pythagoras
• It came from two Greek words;

  philos- love

  sophia- wisdom
• literal meaning is the "love for wisdom"
• 3 Concepts of Love according to Greeks are

  eros,

  philia

  agape.
• Essential Definition

  Philosophy is the “search for meaning”. It was also

  described as the ‘science of all sciences’; as ‘mother of

  all sciences’ or the “search for the ultimate meaning

  of reality”.
• Essential Definition

  In short, philosophy is the examination of life.
• EROS – refer to that part of love constituting a passionate,

  intense desire for something. It is often referred to as a

  sexual desire.
• PHILIA – entails a fondness and appreciation of the other.

  Incorporated not just friendship but also loyalties to family

  and to community. It is the love that seeks the truth

  whether the truth of the other, of person, or of reality.
• AGAPE – refers to paternal love of God for man and but is

  extended to include a brotherly love for all humans.
• THREE CLASSIFICATIONS OF MEN ACCORDING TO PHYTAGORAS:

  •LOVERS OF PLEASURE

  •LOVERS OF SUCCESS

  •LOVERS OF WISDOM
• PHILOSOPHY AND OTHER SCIENCES

  • PHILOSOPHY AND SCIENCE.

  • PHILOSOPHY AND HISTORY.

  • PHILOSOPHY AND MATHEMATICS.

  • PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGION.
• MAJOR DISCIPLINES IN PHILOSOPHY

  • Logic- as the study of right and sound reasoning.
  • Epistemology- as the study of the validity of knowledge.
  • Metaphysics- seeks to explain the fundamental concept of being.
  • Aesthetics- as the philosophical study of beauty.
  • Cosmology- deals with the study of real things in the universe.
  • Theodicy- is the study of God and his nature.
  • Social Philosophy- as the study of human and their relation to society.
  • Ethics- Ethics as the science of morality of human acts.
• Ethics from its Greek word ethos means a characteristic way of doing things or body of customs. Ethics, therefore, is a practical science which is meant to teach how human ought to live.
• The practice of ethical/moral life implies imperatives or the “sine qua non” of ethics for without which, ethics would collapse. In
• IMPERATIVE OF ETHICS:

  • Human Freedom
  • Existence of God
  • Immortality of the Soul
• Justice is deserved only to humans who are free to choose their course of action.
• God’s presence is a salient factor that makes sense in the study of ethics.
• morality, it refers to the goodness or evilness of the

  acts which presupposed rectification.
• Reward and punishment can be dispensed only by the Supreme Being;
• God alone can give the final judgement.
• Freedom is an inherent human power to act or not to act that makes them responsible for their actions. It entails the right to choose.
• ETHICS

  • Moral Philosophy

  • a philosophical science that deals with

  the morality of human behavior

  viewed from the ultimate principles in

  so far as these principles are known

  by human reason.

  • Immediate cause & Ultimate cause
• Meta-ethics


  Branch of philosophy that explores the nature, meaning and foundation of morality. Deals with questions about the nature of ethical theories or moral judgements.
• Normative ethics


  Defining moral standards of behavior and the morality of actions. Seeks to set norms or standard of conduct which an organization, institution, or country or profession should follow.
• Applied ethics


  Refers to practical application of moral considerations. It deals with the application of normative ethical theories to practical problems. Attempts to use philosophical methods to identify the morally course of action.
• Morals- customs established by group of individuals.
• Latin word “mos” which means custom.
• Morality


  Refers to social, cultural and religious beliefs or values

  practiced overtime by an individual or group which

  direct people to do what is customarily allowable as

  right or refrain from those that society prohibits as

  “taboo” or wrong.
• MORALITY -is a judgment that can be attributed to a certain behavior which follows from an execution of a decision based on certain philosophical principles.
• Ethical Principles are:

  • Truthfulness/Honesty

  • Loyalty

  • Respect

  • Fairness

  • Integrity
• ethics, it is also derived from a Greek word “ethikos” which means character ethics defines the character of an individual.
• Rules are instructions that tell what we are allowed to do and what we are not allowed to do
• ethics is a branch of philosophy that deals with the principles of

  conduct of an individual or group.
• truthfulness leads us to humility, to remorse for that

  imperfection and the wrongs we all have certainly committed.
• Loyalty “The willing and practical and thoroughgoing devotion of a person to a cause”.
• respect for persons maintains that human beings have intrinsic and unconditional moral worth and should always be treated as if there is nothing of greater value than they are.
• Fairness- equity,respect, justice and stewardship of the shared world,

  both among people and in their relations to other living beings.
• Integrity- As principle imposes an obligation on all individuals to be straightforward and honest in all professional and business relationships.