WHAT IS ETHICS?

• 2 fields of normative ethics THE DIFFERENCES OF MORAL

AND NON-MORAL STANDARDS
✓ the empirical study of moral MORAL PHILOSOPHY
AND CHARACTERISTICS OF
decisions
-deals with moral ideas such as MORAL STANDARDS
✓ It is a discipline concerned with what human beings "must do or
what is morally good and evil, how human beings should be"
right and wrong. ✓Moral standards
-also deals with moral obligation,
✓ The word often refers to any the meaning of the act, or the -refer to the guidelines we have on
scheme or philosophy of universal purpose of the act the type of acts that we find to be
ideals or beliefs. morally permissible and morally
APPLIED ETHICS
unacceptable
● derived from the Greek word
-discusses strong basic moral
“ethos” which may mean -primarily deals with issues that
issues linked to abortion
tradition, habit, character, or can either potentially threaten or
attitude ✓META ETHICS greatly benefit human beings

● This is not only about the nature -discipline that relies on meaning -normally promote the common
of specific courses of action, but it good, that is welfare and well
is also about the goodness of - a science that seeking to address being of human beings, animals
people and what it means to lead non moral questions about and the environment
a decent life. (Leandro, Jr & Gubia- morality
-blending of norms and values
on, 2018) -refers to questions about the
● a systematic analysis of the nature of moral statement, the
nature of human actions. purpose and significance of moral
There are several characteristics of
facts, and concerns about the
morals standards as mentioned by
● It is concerned about the interpretation and justification of
Velasquez (2012)
correctness andwrongness of the moral statement
act. such as and vocabularies such as:
Importance of ethics
● An act is deemed to be right or
wrong, based on the intent, ● Ethics is a set of rules that allows
circumstances, or character of the us to say right from wrong, good (1) Moral standards entail serious
act itself. from the bad. harm or benefit.

● a very important discipline ● Ethics can provide true, specific 2) Moral standards are not
because it involves critical guidance to our lives. determined by authority figures.
thinking, as it explores and ● Ethical principles such as (3) Moral standards should be
describes fundamental beliefs, fairness, trustworthiness, adopted over other values,
standards, ideals, and traditions. responsibility help direct us to including self-interest.
● This is thus a higher level of cope more effectively with ethical
(4) Moral standards are focused on
human discipline. dilemmas by removing actions
objective considerations.
that do not adhere to our sense of
right and wrong–our own moral (5) Moral standards are perceived
interests–without compromising to be universal.
ETHICS IS DIVIDED INTO
others.
NORMATIVE AND META ETHICS (6) Moral standards are correlated
● ethics is all about decisions with different feelings and
vocabulary.
● We are continually faced with
✓ NORMATIVE ETHICS
issues that affect the quality of our
- concerns human behavior in lives.
general ✓Non-moral standards
● We are certain that the choices
- to address our questions about we make have consequences for - apply to laws which are not
the essence of human behavior ourselves and the others. related to social or legal
considerations
- examine whether or not a ● We are cautious of the
particular act should not be responsibility that we have for our -these criteria are not inherently
carried out actions. related to morality or, by their very
definition, lack of ethical sense.
ex: etiquette, statutes, code of DILEMMAS •STRUCTURAL MORAL DILEMMA
professional ethics (Leandro, Jr
-situation where a person is forced -selecting a proper system ot
and Gubia-on, 2018)
to choose between two or more responsibilities and relationship,
• Etiquette conflicting options, neither of which is continuing universal
which is acceptable challenge
-a decorum, propriety means
reverence for the formal criteria MORAL DILEMMAS
governing conduct in a civilized
-also called an ethical dilemma There are 4 concepts in the
society.
and refers to a situation where an structural moral dilemma to
-refers conventional ways and uses indication needs to make a choice consider namely:
the rules of etiquette but faces a conflicting situation
(1) Differentiation vs. Integration
between one or more alternatives
(decorum implies modesty and
-The conflict between the
sense of what is becoming or is
distribution of jobs and the
fitting for a person of good
definitions characterized moral
breeding) organization of numerous
dilemma or ethical dilemma as:
activities generates a classic
•Statute
(1) Making an option to one moral
dilemma.
-a written law passed by legislative value over the other;
body (2) Gap vs Overlap
(2) A situation where moral values
-contains acts of the congress, are equally significant; -When the main tasks are not
local Carter, municipal codes, explicitly defined, the critical
(3) A scenario where a person has
districts, administrative rules and
a strong moral reason in action, job will slip through gaps. In a
regulations, statutory rules and
but not equally strong moral similar manner, functions and
presidential issues -REPUBLIC ACT
No. 11463, An Act Establishing reason in acting in another way; activities can overlap, causing
Malasakit Centers in all conflict, wasting time, and
(4) A state where a person should
Department of Health (DOH) morally do one, two, or more and unintended duplication of
Hospitals in the Country and in the have difficulty in deciding responsibilities.
Philippine General Hospital (PGH),
Providing Funds Therefor and for any of those conflicting choices. (3) Lack of Clarity vs. Lack of
Other Purposes is an example of Creativity
one of the statutes in the -When employees are not clear
Philippines. 3 LEVELS OF MORAL DILEMMAS
about what they are
•The professional code of ethics • organizational ethical or moral
expected to do, they often adapt
dilemmas
-set of guidelines intended to help their tasks to personal
practitioners differentiate -refers to a situation that causes
interests instead of system-wide
between right and wrong to guide an organization to respond
goals which often leads
their decision making. negatively to an ethical issues that
affects staffs, shareholder, and to problems.
society, as well as corporate ethics
and costumers. (Lamberto et. al (4) Excessive Autonomy vs.
HOW MORAL STANDARDS ARE Excessive Interdependence
FORMED 2013)
-When individuals or groups are
-shaped by the beliefs of an too independent, they
individual •INDIVIDUAL MORAL DILEMMA
are always isolated.
-values/ religious -pertains to a situation where
values/characters/manners individuals confront with a
-rules and regulations number of factors such as peer
pressure, personal financial
-individuals actions position, and economic and social
status which may influence all
-lifes experience
individual ethical standards
-moral standards