ETHICS

ETYMOLOGY:

The word ethics was derived from the Late Latin word “Ethnicus” and from Greek word “Ethnikos” which means “National”, “Nation”, or “People”

derived from the Greek word, ethos, which means characteristic way of acting and ethikos, which means customary

Akin to Greek word “Ethos” which means “Custom”.

DEFINITION:

 is the capacity to determine right conduct and the knowledge of what is right from wrong; specific moral choices to be made by the individual in his
relationship with others; the moral quality of a course of action, fitness and propriety.
 A philosophical science that deals with the morality of human conduct or human acts.
 Is the practical science of the morality of human conduct
 The science of the morality of human acts
 The study of the human motivation, and ultimately of human rational behavior
 As a field of study, Ethics is a branch of philosophy which studies the principles of right or wrong in human conduct. Right or wrong are qualities
assigned to actions, conduct and behavior.
 Other definitions include: the science of the morality of man; study of human motivation and ultimately of human rational behavior.
 Ethics which involves conscience is “the ability to recognize right from wrong and to follow one’s own sense of what is right.

NATURE/CONCEPT OF ETHICS

A. It is a division of Philosophy under the Normative Philosophy

According to www.britannica.com, Ethics, also called moral philosophy, the discipline concerned with what is morally good and bad and morally right and
wrong. The term is also applied to any system or theory of moral values or principles

Generally, Philosophy can be divided into four disciplines:

a. Descriptive or speculative

b. Normative

c. Practical
d. Critical

- Ethics is more concerned of Normative Philosophy since it is more concerned on what is good or bad, or what is right action and wrong action.

B. It is a Practical Science

Ethics is also a science for it is the result of series of studies.

A systematized body of data reflected upon truth in relation to action.

Towards this discovery of truth, sets of implied rules or directions for thought or action are established this makes the ethics more of a practical science.

C. It focuses on Human Acts

Human acts are the material object of the study of ethics.

It shall mean only those acts which are determined by the free will.

It is characterized as acts done deliberately, freely or voluntarily.

D. It is the science of the morality of human acts

Ethics does not end with the study of human acts, if human act is the material object of the study of ethics its formal object is the rectitude (right morality)
of human acts.

DIVISION OF ETHICS

Ethics has two major divisions namely:

(a) General ethics- Presents the general principles of morality of human acts.

(b) Special ethics- Provides for the application of the principles of general ethics to particular department of human activity, individual or social.

HUMAN ACT - acts that are done knowingly, deliberately and freely

 Is an act which proceeds from the deliberate sort of activity, internal or external, physical or spiritual, performed by human being.
 It is an act done by man with the use of his mental faculty and his free choice.
 Acts which are done by man but without the use of the power of free choice are called act of human and not human act.
ELEMENTS OF HUMAN ACTS

1. KNOWINGLY – when the person fully understands what he is doing and has the ability to appreciate the consequences of his actions
2. DELIBERATELY – when the person did his actions intentionally
3. FREELY – when the person performed his actions voluntarily

KINDS OF HUMAN ACTS

1. Elicited Act – it is performed by the will and are not bodily externalized. It includes: • Wish – is the tendency of the will toward something whether
this will be realizable or not.
 Intention – is the tendency of the will towards something attainable but without necessarily committing oneself to attain it.
 Consent – is the acceptance of the will of those effective to carry out the intention.
 Election – is the selection of the will of those effective enough to carry out the intention.
 Use – is the command of the will to make use of those means elected to carry out the intention.
 Fruition – is the enjoyment of the will derived from the attainment of the thing he had desired earlier.

2. Commanded Acts – are those done either by man’s mental of bodily powers under the command of the will. These acts are: Internal actions (e.g.,
conscious reasoning etc.) External actions (e.g., walking etc.) Combinations of internal and external actions (e.g., driving etc.)

MODIFIERS OF HUMAN ACTS

 Ignorance – absence of knowledge which a person ought to possess.

 Passions – tendencies towards desirable objects, or tendencies away from undesirable or harmful things.
 Fear – disturbance of the mind of a person who is confronted by impending danger or harm to himself or love ones.
 Violence – refers to any physical force exerted on a person by another free agent for the purpose of compelling said person to act against his will.
 Habits – is a lasting readiness and facility, born of frequently repeated acts, for acting in a certain manner.

MORALITY - from the Latin moralis or moris literally means “customs or manners”.

The quality which makes an act good or evil, right or wrong.

MORAL DISTINCTIONS
  MORAL - good, right; actions which are inconformity with the norm of morality.
 IMMORAL - bad, wrong; actions which are not inconformity with the norm of morality.
 AMORAL – neither good nor bad; actions which stands neutral in relation to the norm of morality.

BASIS OF MORALITY

1. Social Norms
2. Unwritten standard of acceptable behavior in society that is being followed through generation.
3. Customs 4. Tradition 5. Culture

Laws of Society

1. Written rules of behavior.

2. Laws created by men to maintain harmony and order within the community.
3. An act of a legislative branch of the government in order to prevent criminality and chaos.

Religion - A system of beliefs and practices based on faith and truths revealed to man by God.

Conscience

 The practical judgment of reason telling us what should be done and what should be avoided; reflection of one’s character.
 The part of mind that makes you aware of your actions as being either morally right or wrong: a feeling that something you have done is morally
wrong.
 Conscience is an innate moral sense; people are either born with it or not. Others say that conscience is a power acquired by experienced--- that
is, can be taught or consciously ignored. (Hess and Wrobleski)

Intuition

 A natural ability or power that makes it possible to know something without any proof or evidence: a feeling that guides a person to act a certain
way without fully understanding why.
 Intuition refers to the natural ability of man to perceive and understand things around him.
 Something that is known or understood without proof or evidence.