Holy Name University

Tagbilaran City, Bohol

ETHICS

Lesson 1: long as we achieve the selfish desire or end as influenced by our

fallacious notions of happiness. As a consequence, after satisfying
Ethics or Moral Philosophy the fundamentals of desire, after all these seeking and finding, we
Questions: realize the fruitlessness of our life.

 What comes to your mind upon hearing the term Ethics or It is for the reason that ethics offers us a guide to put order
Morals? and meaning to our life in evaluating our human nature, our action,
 What do you think Ethics of Moral is? our end and the good in search for the real essence of happiness.
 Where are we heading or going in our study on Ethics or
Morals?
Definition of Ethics:
INTRODUCTION
Etymology: Moral - Mos, Moris = custom
A famous Philosophical Scholastic axiom states, “Omne
agens agit propter finem” (Every agent acts for an end). This axiom Philosophy - Philos = a love
is a statement of the principle of finality and means that every - Sophia = of wisdom
active or efficient cause tends towards an end which is always
desirable. In the case of a brute, it knows its end not as an end but Ethics - Ethos = custom
from necessity, sample, tending towards food. In man, we know our
Common Definition: Philosophical science dealing with human
end, that is we act with knowledge of our end under the command
actions.
of reason.
Formal Definition:
If we relate this dictum to Ethics, we could say that, “Man,
being endowed with reason, acts for the sake of an end”. Systematic study of human actions in so far as they are ordained to
Somewhere along the act and the end lies goodness for no efficient the proper end, that is, from the point of view of their rightness or
cause for the sake of evil. The reality under this shadow good is wrongness, goodness or evil, moral or immoral as a means of
called happiness.” attaining ultimate happiness which is a consequence of the
possession of the last end.
In life, we tend our act to an end perceived as good and
consequently makes us believe that this is the measure for
happiness. Along the way, we don’t even evaluate our actions as
Socratic Dictum (summary of the definition)
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Tagbilaran City, Bohol
ETHICS

“Every agent or man who performs an act for the sake of an end Politician- corruption- get rich- good ?
which is good. The reality under the shadow good is called
Teacher- helping a student- seduction- good ?
happiness.”

In our definition of Ethics, five key words are important and

essential namely; What the politician & teacher experienced or felt was only
usefulness, pleasure, enjoyment or expediency.
MAN-ACT-END-GOOD-HAPPINESS
Happiness is not usefulness, pleasure, enjoyment or expediency.
Note: We shall deal with these key terms one by one
There’s even happiness in pain.
From our definition, we can say that ethics is a philosophical
Usefulness, pleasure, enjoyment or expediency does not
science;
automatically mean happiness.
1. Dealing with the rectitude or wickedness of an act,
Ethical Formula of Happiness:
2. Dealing with the mortality of actions, and the
3. The eschatology or end of one’s actions in relation to man’s GOOD ACT + GOOD END = HAPPINESS
search for happiness.
Note: We shall deal with these 5 key terms (Man-Act-End-Good-
Question: Happiness) again one by one as we move along.
 What do you think constitute happiness? Ethics is Both A;
 What is your understanding of happiness?
1. Normative science (deals with laws & norms in our study),
and a
2. Practical science (to be put to practice).
Let’s take a look at ethics:
Three truths pre supposed in our study of Ethics:
Illustration:
1. Man’s freedom, meaning man is self-determining and
Man Act End Good Happiness
knows how to direct his acts to the goals of his choice.
Church goer- praying -gain grace -good ? 2. Immorality of the soul, meaning the soul continues to exist
even when separated from the body.
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Tagbilaran City, Bohol
ETHICS

3. God’s existence, meaning He is the author of the Natural  What are the bases of claiming that this act is good and
Moral Law, laws serve as the foundation of Ethics. should be done, or this act is evil and should be avoided?

Note: Our study of ethics is useless if we don’t accept these truths. Knowing the answer to this will lead us to know the bases of the
Ethics or Morals.
What are the bases of Ethics?
Answer:
(Meaning when can we say that an act is good or evil?)
We can say that an act is good or evil depending on the following:
Note: To know this, we should first discuss the bases of good and
evil. 1. Man’s goal in life.
2. Man’s belief Imply SUBJECTIVITY
3. Man’s personal perceptions.
Answer:

We can say that an act is good or evil depending on the following:

4. Human Nature Imply OBJECTIVITY
1. Man’s goal in life. 5. Natural Moral Law
2. Man’s belief Imply SUBJECTIVITY
3. Man’s personal perceptions.
1. Man’s goal in life.

A person judges an act to be good or evil depending on his goal in

4. Human Nature Imply OBJECTIVITY life or the goal of his action.
5. Natural Moral Law
Example:

 A person who has too much hatred on another person

Lesson 2: because this other person is the suspect of the death of his
love ones takes the law into his own hands and kills the
Question:
suspect. Hi goal here is to take revenge then. And
 What are the Bases of Good and Evil? subjectively, for this person revenge is good for him.
 When can we say that an act is good or evil?
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Tagbilaran City, Bohol
ETHICS

 A person wants to become rich, that’s his goal. So, it’s 3. Man’s personal perceptions
possible that anything that helps him rich his goal whether
Why do people subscribe to direct abortion, capital punishment,
corruption, cheating, profiteering, exploiting others are
artificial means of birth control, or even drug abuse. Simply because
considered good. On the other hand, even if generosity,
they perceive these acts to be morally good. So obviously the first
honesty is good in themselves because these acts cannot
three bases of good and evil [goal in life, belief, and personal
help this man reach his goal that is to become rich, then
perceptions] are not real bases of good and evil, and consequently
honesty and generosity is considered evil by him.
are not the real bases of ethics or morals. Because:
 A politician who wants to win in an election possible that
anything that makes him win, whether it is cheating, vote A. They change from person to person to the extent that what
buying etc. If these acts help him win, then they must be is good for me might be evil for you and vice versa. If killing
considered as good for him even if these acts are evil in is good for me then I must do it even if it’s bad for you. So,
themselves. this is not ethics anymore or even morals, for ethical or
moral principles do not change. It is fixed, if killing is evil
then it must be evil.
2. Man’s belief B. Goals, belief, and personal perceptions vary from person to
person like some prefer material possession over honesty
Belief indeed is very personal; hence it implies subjectivity and
and integrity. So, with this we must find something which
should not be considered as objective bases of either good or
serves as objective bases of good and evil that which is
evil.
unchangeable or can never be changed, universal and true
 For our brother Muslim terrorists, they believe that killing the to all and objective as real bases of ethics. What are these
infidels in a jihad is considered by them as morally good then?
though it’s evil. That’s why they are not afraid in using their
body as human bombs for if they die, they killed the infidels,
they go straight to Allah. Even if these acts are evil and an act 4. Human Nature
of terrorism.
Human nature is universal. The man in the Philippines is the same
man in USA, in Africa, and in Australia. Meaning we only have one
nature, a universal nature. That is being human. So, our human
nature is then objective. That is why it is imperative for us to know
 Holy Name University
Tagbilaran City, Bohol
ETHICS

our human nature, to know who we are, for us to know what is and capital punishment is not inconformity or inconsonance with
good or evil for our human nature. the NML that is why it is evil.

5. Natural Moral Law FIRST BASIS OF ETHICS (HUMAN NATURE)

This refers to God. Natural moral law is a plan in the mind of God to Note: Under this basis of ethics, the 5 key terms shall be discussed;
direct all of us human beings to achieve our end. So, this natural
1. Man
moral law sets standards. And what are these acts that are
2. Act
considered good and should be done and what are these acts that
3. End
are considered evil and should be avoided? If we follow this, we can
4. Good
reach our end. That is happiness. Deviate and don’t follow it and
5. Happiness
you will act a loss.

 What do you think is the best medicine for loss Bowel

Movement or LBM?
Lesson 3:  What do you think is the best medicine for agranulocytosis?
The Objective bases of good and evil serves as; In order for us to know what is good for a thing, we must know
what the thing is. For if we don’t, we can never give to that thing or
THE BASES OF ETHICS: (Focus)
being what is good for it.
1. Human Nature- meaning, an act is good if it brings
“What is good for a thing depends on what that thing is.”
goodness to man, otherwise, it’s evil.
2. Natural Moral Law- meaning, an act is good it is conformity In the same way; “What is good for man depends on who man is.” If
with the NML, otherwise, it is evil. you like to know what is best for you, you must first know who you
are.
Note: We shall discuss these bases comprehensively.
Crash Course on Philosophy of Man:
An act is good if it brings goodness to man. Honesty brings goodness
to man, therefore it’s good. Capital punishment does not bring It’s important then to know what or who man is for us to know
goodness to human nature, that is why it is evil. Or, honesty is what is good or evil for man.
inconsonance or inconformity with the NML that is why it is good
 Holy Name University
Tagbilaran City, Bohol
ETHICS

Later, we will know what is good or evil form man after crash course B. Classic Definition of Man;
on Philosophy of man.
PLATO- Man is composed of body and soul. (Theology)

ARISTOTLE- Man is rational animal. (Philosophy)

“I” ON MAN
BOETHIUS- Man is an individual substance with a rational nature.
A. Enigma of man’s nature
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS- Man is created being made to know and to
What or who is man, is he the simply impurely a perishable love God and others.
protoplasmic creature, born without his consent, extinguish without
Bearing these definitions of man that we have, we come up to the
his permission, a sorry tragic comic accident of time and space,
diagram of man’s nature.
purposeless, meaningless, hopeless. And between man’s
unconsented birth and his unpermitted death, what does he have?
A little of light, a little piece of light and life precariously sandwiched
between two interminable darkness, darkness of his unknown
origin, and the darkness of his unnoble destiny. He further said,
what is man to wake to sleep or chance to dream. Is this not to be
human and to die? To eat, to drink, to know the fundamentals of
desire, is this not to be human and then to die? To seek, to find, to
realize the fruitlessness of all possessing, is this not to be human
and to die? What is man but tears and laughter between the earth
and sky. What is man but hunger and sex between the mouth and
genitals? What is man but the loneliness between the womb and
the tomb?

At the end he still raises a question. What or who is this enigmatic

creature that we call man?

Philosophers tried to answer these questions to who and what man

is.
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Tagbilaran City, Bohol
ETHICS

Lesson 4: Diagram of Man to Instinct c. Memory- it recalls images or objects as past

2 types of Memory;

I. Body (as part of individual nature) 1. Sentient memory (body)- recalls images
2. Intellectual memory (soul)- recalls ideas
On the Individual Nature of Man

Man’s Individual Nature (sate of being a person separate from

other people) d. Instinct- It gives judgement to make us tend towards
something good, pleasurable, & useful or away from
something evil, pain, and non0useful.
Body- controlled by our brain Human Instinct on:
A. Vegetative Powers (shared by both plants and brutes) Self-Preservation Race Preservation
a. Nutrition- we eat food and we are nourished by the
food we had eaten. - Food gathering - sexual instinct
b. Growth- we increase in size - Curiosity - mothering instinct
c. Reproduction- capacity to generate new individuals are - Flight or plight
under the same species. - Hoarding instinct
B. Sense Powers (shared by brutes)
A. Sense Knowledge (source of our knowledge)
1. External Senses- organic faculties often known as windows Lesson 5: Sense Appetite to Love in General
of our soul (sight, hearing, smell, taste & touch).
2. Internal Senses- organic faculties controlled by our brain II. Sense Appetite or Emotions
a. Central Sense- consciousness or aware, coordinating sense -Appetite (Latin: ad petere- to tend towards) inclination or
since it gaps the object of the external sense & put these disposition to ten towards a goal or away from it.
objects into a single perception.
b. Imagination- retains and archives the object of the central A. 2 Types of Appetite
sense, fabricates objects even if it is absent in the form of 1. Natural Appetite- inclination to objects or goals w/c constitute
images. their proper perfection even w/o knowledge.
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Tagbilaran City, Bohol
ETHICS

Ex. our sight is naturally inclined to color, our hearing is naturally D. Characteristics of Emotions:
inclined to sounds, our intellect is naturally inclined to truth, our will
is naturally inclined to good. 1. Emotions are not cognitive acts for they do not tell us about
the object.
Note: Brutes act right away once their internal inclination is
2. Emotions are very subjective.
motivated. It’s different in man since he has control over his natural
3. Emotions require sense knowledge. Without sense
inclinations.
knowledge, they’re not elicited. Nothing is wiled unless
2. Elicited Appetite- inclination to objects or goals as a result of known.
knowledge to those objects or goals.
Ex. Hearing a sad story begets sadness.
Kinds of Elicited Appetite
4. To control our emotions, we must first control our senses.
a. Intellectual Appetite- inclination to object or goals known
thru the intellect. Our mind needs to know things. E. Classification of Emotions:
b. Sense Appetite or Emotion- inclination to objects or goals 1. Concupiscible Emotions- inclination towards good easy to
known or as dependent to sense knowledge. Meaning, attain, avoidance of evil easy to avoid.
emotions come thru the aid of what we see, hear, taste,  Love- basic inclination towards good
feel, smell, imagine. Without knowledge, no emotion would  Hate- basic inclination way from evil
come.
B. The inclination of the Sense Appetite or Emotion is an  Desire- inclination to good w/c is absent
internal inclination.  Aversion- basic inclination away from evil w/c is absent

To illustrate it:  Joy- when the good is present

Sense Knowledge Sense Appetite or Emotion ACT of liking  Sorrow- when the good is absent
(tending towards disliking away from) Instinct

JUDGES to tend towards or away from. 2. Irascible Emotions- inclination towards good hard to attain,
C. Body resonance is a bodily manifestation w/c always avoidance of evil hard to avoid.
accompanies with emotions or passions.
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Tagbilaran City, Bohol
ETHICS

 Hope- good hard to obtain, not yet possessed, but you 2. All of our actions are directed towards good hence all of our
focus your attention on your ability to obtain it or the actions are actions of love. Even if there’s a shade of evil in
goodness. it, it’s not the evil that he wills to end but he sees it as good
 Despair- good hard to obtain, not yet possessed, but though evil in itself (apparent good).
you focus your attention on the difficulty and your
Effects of LOVE:
inability to overcome it.
1. Love always seeks union.
 Courage- evil hard to avoid, not yet possessed, but you 2. Love leads to external action.
focus on your ability to overcome the evil.
 Fear- evil hard to avoid, not yet possessed, but you
focus on your inability to overcome the evil. Lesson 6: Love as an Emotion Vs. Love in the Will

 Anger- once the evil you are trying to avoid is possessed If we look at the diagram of man in the past lesson, the term love is
and you react in its possession. mentions twice, love as an emotion and love in the will.

Note: Both concupiscible and irascible emotions are the basis of Difference between the two: (Love as an Emotion and Love in the
other emotions like horror, pity etc. Will)

On LOVE: Note: Even if they are different, yet the two circumnavigate or
reside in our humanity.
- Basic inclination towards good.
- In man, this inclination comes from the sense appetite That is if a man acts, because for or with love it is the whole man
(emotions) & intellectual appetite (violation from the will). who acts and consequently responsible for his action. Man is the
union of body and soul is an integral whole; when man loves, it is
Characteristics of LOVE: the whole person who loves and cannot be dichotomized.
1. Love will always depend on knowledge. “Nihil volitum nisi Nevertheless, a better understanding of its dichotomy enables us to
prius praecognitum”. understand the essence of love
a. The more you know, the more you love.
b. The good is the cause of this inclination.
c. The good resides in the thing (object) but it depends on
the person’s choice (subjective).
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Tagbilaran City, Bohol
ETHICS

What is LOVE: As an Emotion

LOVE: - Always attracted to pleasure; it fades and changes once the

pleasure is gone.
As an Emotion
The motivation of Love as an Emotion is the please. This is the
- Sweet feeling, infatuation, crush
kind of love that whisper in the mind of the lover “I love this girl
Will because so on and so forth”. But now, once the physical beauty is
gone, once the expectations are gone, no more love. Or the worst,
- It decides once no more sexual pleasure, no more love.
As an Emotion- This is the kind of love that makes your heart beats Will
or pounds fast. You can’t describe the joy upon seeing the beloved,
in his/her absence you long for him or her. This is the love in us that - Always attracted to the real good, it does not change. It’s us
does not think, this is the love in us that is blind for it simply sees, that’s changed.
hears, feels, imagines or as a sense appetite simply feels. It is blind
The love in the will is always attracted to the real good, it does
for this love as an emotion is not a deed by the intellect which
not change. But after all it is our attitude that changes. This love in
knows.
the will remains even if physical beauty, richness, intelligence or
Love in the will- this is the love which decides, but before it decides fame fades, this love remains because it is attracted to the real
it first passes to the senses; gives knowledge to the intellect and good. All it does is what is best and does not desire evil for the
leaves the will to decide. This love here is not a mere sensation of beloved.
both external or internal senses or senses appetite. Although the
love in the will starts there in the sensation or intellect but it does
not end there because it reaches to the will, the will which decides. As an Emotion
It chooses to love the person no matter unpleasing to the senses or
- Focus is the “I” or self (what pleases the lover), subjective,
how difficult the odds are. This is the kind of love that says “Mahal
selfish
Kita maging sino ka man”. It decides.
Because love as an emotion is triggered or caused by pleasure,
it is very subjective. Meaning, this focuses on “I” of the lover,
the self of the lover or it focuses on the self of the lover and on
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Tagbilaran City, Bohol
ETHICS

what pleases the lover. An because of this, this love as an Will

emotion begets selfishness for it does not love the beloved but
- can co-exist with hate or anger because this love is not an
it only loves the self, the “I”.
emotion but a decision.
Will
It is possible then that when you love someone your angry at
- Focus on the “You” (what is good for the beloved), objective, him/her. Hence, the more you hate of course of an emotion the
selfless more you love and that is possible.

The real meaning when we say to the beloved “I love You” is Ex.
found in the Will. “I” in grammar is a subject personal pronoun.
 You are in love with a drug addict. You decide to love the
Love is an action word, that is why love move us in action. When
person. This is love in the will for you decide to love but in the
you utter these sentence “I love You”, this is tantamount to
same time you his/her actions. Drug abuse, foul character.
declaring that from now on “I will stop loving myself, the “I” or the
subjective self for what I love now is “you”. The object of Love. That What is the true meaning of love?
is why love in the will is always Objective, it focuses on the “You”
not in the “I”. when the beloved is also true to his or her words, Love in the WILL decides, does the real good for the beloved, can
telling the lover that he/she loves his/her too then love now co-exist with other emotions like anger or hate, focuses on the
becomes the union of the “You” and not the clash of the “I”. “you”, objective and selfless.

As an Emotion What is the best kind of Love?

- Cannot co- exist with hate because hate is its opposite anti Takes all the characteristics of the love in the will plus a sweet &
thesis. pleasant feeling (emotions)…

When one is in love with the fullness of emotion, one cannot

show or manifest anger or hate. This is the kind of love that does
not feel any anger or hate for they are contradictories or opposites.
This is what good in love as an emotion, it’s always jolly and
pleasing for it always manifest a good mood, a good vibe.
Holy Name University
Tagbilaran City, Bohol
ETHICS