Subject: ETHICS These are grouped into negative and positive statements as
follows:
Lesson 9. Universal Values
1. DO NO HARM
Plato talked about the values or virtues of TEMPERANCE,
Do not do unto others what you would not like them to
COURAGE, and WISDOM.
do to you.
Jesus Christ preached the value of LOVE, from which springs Do not steal.
PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODWILL, FORGIVENESS, and Do not cheat.
COMPASSION. Do not falsely accuse others.
Do not commit adultery.
Confucious taught, RIGHTEOUSNESS, HUMAN-
Do not commit incest.
HEARTEDNESS, FILIAL PIETY.
Do not physically or verbally abuse others.
Are not these universal values? Do not murder.
Do no destroy the natural environment upon which all
Plato would say YES, they exist apart from the concrete life depends.
world.
Aristotle would say that they exist embodied in the concrete 2. DO GOOD
individual as common or essential characteristic. Do to others what you would like them to do to you.
Be honest and fair.
St. Thomas agreed with them, but the universals do not exist Be generous.
apart from the individual they exist as UNIVERSAL Be faithful to your family and friends.
FEATURES INDIVIDUATED, INSTANTIATED IN THE Take care of your children when they are young.
INDIVIDUALS. Take care of your parents when they are old.
Example: Take care of those who cannot take care of themselves.
Be kind to strangers.
The universal characteristics of man are that he is Respect all life.
RATIONAL, SENTIENT, LIVING BODY are abstracted as Protect the natural environment upon which all life
characteristics common to all persons. depends.
A human person differs from a stone because he/she is
ALIVE.
He/she differs from living things like plants because he/she is
SENTIENT, and differs from sentient things like animals
because he/she is RATIONAL.
This universal character of a human person exists in the mind
as IDEA.
In the words of Van Peursen, they are termed as LOGICAL
STRUCTURES underlying the material world and making the
world possible.
The same thing is true with moral standards and values.
The values of honesty and respect for human life are
characteristics individuated in all people who RESPECT, DO
NOT HARM, INJURE, OR KILL HUMAN BEINGS.
All the standards and values implied in the Ten
Commandments can be reduced to the value or rule of love.
This is because no one can wish or will the opposite, hatred,
killing, stealing, to be universal.
Values are universal because they can only be wished to be the
values of all.
Dr. Kent M. Keith (2003) on his empirical findings on the
universal values came up with a list of fundamental, or
universal moral principles that be found throughout the world.
