Chapter 5: The Moral Agent: DEVELOPING VIRTUE AS A HABIT

• VALUE came from the Latin word valere which means "to be of worth"
• according to John Dewey, value means primarily, to price, to esteem, to appraise, to estimate. cherishing something holding it clear and also, the act of passing judgement upon the nature and amount its value as compared with something
• When good moral values are habitually practiced, they become virtues
• Human Values

  These are virtues that guide us to take into account human element when one interacts with one other human being. They are our feelings for the human essence of others. These human values give the effect of bonding, comforting, and reassuring.
• MORAL VALUES

  Moral values help us distinguish between what's right and wrong. These are principles that govern our lives and beliefs that make us realize the importance of life, the goals that we want to attain or accomplish in life
• Moral values are the standards of good and evil, which govern an Individual's behavior and choices. Individual's moral may derive from society and government, religión, or self.
• Types of Moral Value (Slattengren, 2018

  Acceptance

  Integrity

  Compassion

  Kindness

  Courage

  Perseverance

  Equality

  Politeness

  Fairness

  Respect

  Generosity

  Responsibility

  Honesty

  Self-control
• Once moral values are applied in order to lead a good life, one is living in virtue, a habitual good character. With these, we can say that virtues are good moral habits which make the person even better to perform those good actions well and consequently function well as human beings
• For the Greek wisdom, knowledge is inborn, while virtue is the knowledge and practice of good habit
• Prudence - virtue of knowing what to do. under peculiar circumstances which enables one to see the best means to approach a given situation.
• Justice Virtue of giving anyone his/her due under no condition
• Temperance - virtue of curbing of managing the sensitive appetites
• Fortitude - virtue of keeping resolute in the face of overwhelming odds.
• Cardinal Virtues

  • Prudence
  • Justice
  • Temperance
  • Fortitude
• Faith - virtue of believing in God's word without seeing
• Hope - virtue of keeping trust in Divine Providence
• Charity - virtue of loving God and His créatures
• Theological Virtues

  • Faith
  • Hope
  • Charity
• Moral, character is formed by one's action. The habits, actions and emotional responses of the person of good character are all united and directed toward the moral and the good.
• According to Philosophers (namely Plato, Aristotle St. Augustine, and St. Aquinas), ethics is fundamentally related to what kind of person we are. The assumption that what kind of a person one is constituted by one's character. With this, we can think of one's moral character as primarily a function of whether he/she lacks various moral virtues and vices.
• Moral Development occurs as we grow and helps us choose between right and wrong. A process in which we develop proper attitudes and behaviors toward other people based on the existing norms, rules, and laws.
• We gradually develop our moral skills in deciding upon difficult moral situations in reference to what one has experienced through which one's moral principle is challenged.
• Kohlberg’s stages of moral development is a comprehensive stage theory of moral development
• Level 1: Pre-conventional

  The child’s sense of morality is externally controlled. It focuses largely in external consequences that certain actions may bring.
• Level 2: Conventional

  The child’s sense of morality is tied to personal and societal relationships.
• Level 3: Post-Conventional

  The person’s sense of morality is defined in terms of more abstract principles and values. This level is marked by a growing realization that individuals are separate entities from society and that individuals may disobey rules inconsistent with their own principles.
• STAGE 1: OBEDIENCE-AND-PUNISHMENT ORIENTATION

  In this stage, it focuses on the child’s desire to obey rules and avoid being punished.
• STAGE 2: INSTRUMENTAL ORIENTATION

  It focuses on one’s behavior which is defined by whatever the individual believes to be in his or her best interest
• STAGE 3: GOOD BOY, NICE GIRL ORIENTATION

  In this stage, children want the approval of others and act in ways to avoid disapproval.
• STAGE 4: LAW-AND-ORDER ORIENTATION

  In this stage, children blindly accepts rules and convention because their importance maintaining a functioning society
• STAGE 5: SOCIAL-CONTRACT ORIENTATION

  The world is viewed as holding different opinions, rights, and values. Laws are regarded as social contracts rather than rigid edicts.
• STAGE 6: UNIVERSAL-ETHICAL-PRINCIPAL ORIENTATION

  Moral reasoning is based on abstract reasoning using universal ethical principles. In this way, individual acts because it is morally right to do so, it is in their best interest, it is expected, it is legal, or it is previously agreed upon.