KYNA R.

MAPA 202050517

MODULE 1: What is Mores, Ethos, and Value?

Module 1 focuses on morality, ethics, and values and examines the nature of ethical
mores and values. Moreover, it is centered on the interaction of us individuals as a free moral
agent within our society and the process of value experience, including the distinction between
values and moral values. Additionally, the module discusses the concept of freedom in terms of
morality and the enormous range of values and moral values, as well as the nature and basis of
our judgments. This paper will explore the underlying definitions of mores, ethos, and values and
the concepts related to exploring this idea.

But first, what are mores, ethos, and values? More is the root word for morality, which
means the most fundamental social norms; they govern a society's basic moral judgments
(Mondal, 2014). Like normality, moral values are not absolute but relative to culture: Morality is
"a convenient term for socially approved habits" (Benedict, 1934). Consecutively, ethos refers to
the word from where ethics is derived from. According to Upen (2019), "Ethos is a Greek word
that has a meaning such as "character" or "custom." Originally, this word was used by Aristotle
to describe a man's character or personality; a combination of passion and caution." Thus, ethics
combines the definition of the term ethos with the broader definition of the term ethics. The term
"ethics" refers to a collection of moral principles or a system of ethical ideals applicable to a
specific society or institution (Upen, 2019). On the other side, values are essential ideas that
guide or motivate attitudes and actions. Values are the characteristics we choose to embody to
guide our actions; they define the type of person we want to be, how we treat ourselves and
others, and how we interact with the environment around us. They establish general standards of
behavior (Mintz, 2018).

Ethics and morality need to examine both the individual human being acting as a free moral
agent and his or her community. Individuals defend and sustain society's conceptions of what is
right to preserve culture and its accepted norms. As a community grows, it becomes more
challenging to govern its members' behavior, and there is a need to formalize and codify some of
the norms we must obey. Thus, laws and institutions evolve from mores as the embodiment of
societal welfare to safeguard society and provide some system of societal control over individual
members' behavior (Sumner,1982). The notion of freedom and its application to individual rights
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has been widely applied at various levels of analysis throughout Philippine society. The issue
that must be addressed is what constitutes freedom and how it is exercised in morals.

Kohlberg (1968) find outs that there three levels of moral thinking, and within these
levels, there are two stages, mainly; pre-conventional (orientation and right action), conventional
(good boy-good girl orientation and orientation toward authority, fixed rules, and the
maintenance of the social order), and post-conventional (social construct orientation and
orientations toward the decisions of conscience and towards self-chosen ethical principles
appealing to logical comprehensiveness, universality, and consistency) which are sought to as the
guidelines on how children transform as moral philosophers.

Furthermore, Mothershead (1955) argues that morality has two prerequisites: freedom
and obligation. Human beings can only plan for the future if they are compelled to do so. The
human being is free in the exercise of moral judgment, and only people are ethical in the sense
that they are capable of moral judgment. Consecutively, the values we ascribe to things have a
finite span of importance or significance (Mothershead, 1955).

Let us answer Socrates' famous question, "How one should live?" This question is hard to
answer as "it is about a manner of life" (Williams, 1985). We can apply an objective view and
ask ourselves, "So how should we live?" Should we live compassionately, following the
standards of society? Or should we live our life the way we wanted them to be? Since we
individuals are free moral agents, we have the freedom to decide on what we want to do or not.
However, there is such a limitation on our freedom. These limitations don't make us less of a
person as it is in line with the code and conduct of our society. Thus, we should live a good life,
searching for truth. Then, what is a good life? A good life is a kind of life living in peace and
harmony which can only be achieved if one is moral and ethical. That is, to consider "the
conditions of a good life — possibly the proper life for human beings as a whole (Socrates).
Without knowing so, asking this question is merely devoted to philosophers' ethics and moral
philosophy. Hence, what is moral philosophy?

As defined by Mothershead (1955), ethics or moral philosophy is the name of the study in
which morality is the subject matter, just like botany which is the name of the study and plant
life as its subject matter. As mentioned by Williams (1985), "moral" considerations, using that
word in a general way, which corresponds to what is, irremovably, one name for the subject:
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moral philosophy." Therefore, how can we be moral philosophers? We can only be considered
moral philosophers if we can familiarize ourselves with what we ought to be, understand what is
morally right or wrong, and address the issues concerning morals.

Come to think of it, "How are society's mores affects our concept of what is right/wrong, and
what is good/bad?" As our society comprises different groups, we can't deny that these groups
have different ideologies and views that can influence or might shape our values. These values
often guide us to think about what is morally "good." Since we are free moral agents, we can
make our own choice. Thus it is up to us to choose what moral principle we should uphold. And
it is also our own choice if we will bring up the influence of other groups.

Furthermore, let us ponder how values become moral values? According to Mothershead
(1955), a value might become a moral value if it is elevated to an unfathomable level of
importance in one's life. This means that priority and precedence are accorded to moral
principles over other values. Therefore, to promote this moral value, we must be willing to
sacrifice other values.

In contrast, I have understood the definitions of mores, ethos, and values as well as the
other concepts and how they are essential in society. Although it takes a long road to understand
the topics and the key readings, it doesn't hinder me from learning them. However, I am not sure
if I made my point clear enough because there are some words and sentences that I don't
understand well. It took me far too long to read the context repeatedly to comprehend some of it.
But overall, I feel great because I have learned something new which can be used in my daily
life.
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CREATIVE ILLUSTRATION

REFERENCES:
KYNA R. MAPA 202050517

Benedict, R. (1934). Anthropology and the Abnormal.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Y3k9zCVdisx_MOZocivudvdUO16GFqdx.

Kohlberg, L. (1968, September). The Child as a Moral philosopher. Psychology Today

Magazine.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Y3k9zCVdisx_MOZocivudvdUO16GFqdx.

Mondal, P. (2014, May 2). Mores (Strongest Social Norms): Meaning and Characteristics. Your
Article Library. https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/sociology/mores-strongest-social-
norms-meaning-and-characteristics/35066.

Mothershead, J.L. Ethics: Modern Conception of the Principles of Right: (New York: Henry Holt
and Co., 1955), Chapter 2, pp. 21-36.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Y3k9zCVdisx_MOZocivudvdUO16GFqdx

Sumner, W. “The Case for Ethical Relativism” in Klemke, Kline & Hollinger, eds. Philosophy:
The Basic Issues (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1982), pp. 496-511.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Y3k9zCVdisx_MOZocivudvdUO16GFqdx

William Sumner’s “The Case

for Ethical Relativism” in
Philosophy: The Basic Is-
sues, pp. 496-51
Upen. (2019, January 30). What is the Difference Between Ethics and Ethos. Pediaa.Com.
https://pediaa.com/what-is-the-difference-between-ethics-and-ethos/.

Williams, B. (1985). Ethics and the Limits of Philosophy. Chapter 1, pp. 1-21.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Y3k9zCVdisx_MOZocivudvdUO16GFqdx.
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