Ethical Standards

1. ETHICS-ETHOS
MORES-RIGHT& WRONG
THE ART AND SCIENCE THAT DEALS WITH THE MORALITY OF HUMAN ACTS.
HUMAN ACTS- ACTS THAT PROCEED FROM THE DELIBERATE FREE WILL OF MAN.
ACTS OF MAN-ACTS PROPER TO MAN AS MAN
TYPES OF HUMAN ACTS:
ELICITED-FIND ADEQUATE CAUSE IN THE WILL AND COMPLETED IN THE WILL
EX. I WISH I COULD FLY.WISH-INTENTION-ELECTION-FRUITION-USE- FRUITION
COMMANDED-DONE THROUGH THE COORDINATION OF THE BODY AND MIND(
INTERNAL EX.TO CONTROL ANGER , EXTERNAL EX. SPEAKINGAND MIXED EX.STUDY)

2. TYPES OF HUMAN ACTS IN RELATION TO REASON
• AMORAL- NO MORAL ISSUEOR INDIFFERENT ( EX. SLEEPING)
• MORAL- IF IT IS GOOD OR IN HARMONY WITH THE DICTATES OF RIGHT
REASON ( SLEEPING ON TIME TO TAKE CARE OF ONE’S HEALTH)
• IMMORAL OR EVIL- IT IS IN OPPOSITION WITH THE DICTATES OF THE RIGHT
REASON ( THE GUARD IS SLEEPING WHILE ON DUTY)

3. ELEMENTS OF HUMAN ACTS
• KNOWLEDGE- THE PERSON IS NOT IGNORANT OR OF FULL AWARENESS
OF THE ACT.( CONSCIOUSNESS, RIGHT SENSE)
• FREEDOM- NO RESTRICTIONS AND THE PERSON IS FREE TO CHOOSE(
POWER TO ACT)
• VOLUNTARINESS-NO THREAT, NOR FORCE BUT BY THE WILL OF THE
PERSON (Latin word- voluntas)

4. HOW TO ANALYZE WHETHER AN ACT IS MORAL,
AMORAL OR IMMORAL
• 1. intention of the act- motive or reason of the act
• 2.Means of the Act- medium used to carry out intention
• 3. End of the act- inspiration of the act
• 4. Consequence of the act- actual end
• 5. Circumstances surrounding the act-

5. MODIFIERS OF HUMAN ACTS-THEIR PRESENCE
OR ABSENCE CAN EITHER :
• Mitigate or lessen, aggravate or increase or heighten and diminish or
remove the moral responsibility of the moral agent.
• 1. IGNORANCE-ABSENCE OF INTELLECTUAL KNOWLEDGE
• IGNORANCE – IN ITS OBJECT
• 1. IGNORANCE OF THE LAW, RULE OR DUTY
• 2.IGNORANCE OF FACT-NOT KNOWING WHAT IS FORBIDDEN OR
PROHIBITED
• 3. IGNORANCE OF THE PENALTY- PUNISHMENT

6. MODIFIERS-
• IGNORANCE OF THE SUBJECT- THE PERSON WHOM IGNORANCE EXIST
• VINCIBLE- CONQUEARABLE AND CAN BE DISPELLED WITH ORDINARY
DILIGENCE( NO PERMIT NO EXAM)
• INVINCIBLE-ORDINARY AND PROPER DILIGENCE CANNOT DISPEL IT(
LOOKING FOR THE ORGINAL WRITEROF THE BIBLE/MANUSCRIPT)
• Ignorance in its result- doing act while ignorance exists.
• Antecedent-( priori), Concomittant, Consequent( a priori)

7. MODIFIERS…
2. Concupiscence- bodily appetites like love, hatred, anger, joy, grief, passion(
extrme anger of a wife to a philandering husband or vice versa)
3.Fear- shrinking back of the mind from danger ( terrorism)
4. Violence- external force applied by a free cause which vitiates free will (
water torture or electrical torture)
5. Habit- born of frequently repeated acts. ( masochism of a wife batterer)

8. NORMS OF HUMAN ACT
• Law- lex of st Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologiae.Law is an ordinance of reason
promulgated from the common good by the one who has charged of the
society.
• TYPES OF LAW
• 1.Accdg to Author: DivineGOD, church:ecclesiastical, Human law: state /civil
• 2.Accdg. To Duration: Eternal( GOD)Natural Moral LAw Temporal: Man
• 3.Accdg to manner of Promulgation: of physical: natural
Law?cosmic/universal/moral law
• Positive law- enacted by legislators: laws of the state and are based or derived
from the natural moral law.merely restate , interepret determine or specifywhat
is contained in the natural moral law.

9. • Sanctions- reward of the observance of the law, punishment for its
violation
• Remorse- guilt or conscience – it is the immediate punishment for a person
in violating the natural law.” A LAW THAT DENIES FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT OF
MAN IS NOT A LAW AT ALL .IT IS A PERVERSION of LAW”.
• 4. Accdg to prescription: Affirmative( prescribes acts to be done) negative(
prohibits the doing of an action)
• 5.Accdg to effect of violation: Moral violation is a fault of sin. Penal violation is
punishable but has no sin. Mixed- violation is punishable and sinful

10. STATE OF CONSCIENCE IN RELATION TO
MORALITY OF HUMAN ACT
Conscience-practical judgment of reason upon which an individual act is
considered good which is to be performed or evil which is to be avoided.
A. Correct/ true or certain- moral, ethical, right, good and agrees with the
right reason
B. Erroneous- immoral, unethical, wrong, bad, it goes against the right reason
C. Doubtful- it is a state of confusion, perplexity or the so called moral
dilemma

11. MORAL THEORIES, DILEMMA, ANALYSIS, PRINCIPLE,
JUDGMENT
• Moral theories- tools used to analyze and determine the moral goodness of a
decision or choice.
• Moral theory- organized system of moral principle that apples in a variety of
circumstance to explain the morality of the human actions.
• Moral dilemma- it happens when in complicated state, uncertainty or perpelexity in
selecting the best between two or more unfavorable options. When forced to
choose between two necessary evils, choose the lesser evil.
• Moral Analysis- abstract separation of the whole action into its parts and is
limited to one special problem

12. • Moral Principle- generalization that is accepted as true and that can be used
as a basis for reasoning or conduct.
• Moral judgment- refers to the conclusion or decision one derives from
erforming moral analysis

13. STANDARDS OF EVERYDAY MORALITY
• 1. Legal and Moral standards both pertain to rules of conduct or how a
person ought to behave in relation to others.
• Legal standards- generally written clear definite and are explicitly imposed through
the use of force.
• Moral standards- largely unwritten and their enforcement is based on man’s sense
of shame and guilt based on the right reason.
• Conscience is the seat of right reason . Moral standards are above legal
standards, Moral law governs the soul. Man can ignore the moral law as he can
ignore the material law, but the result in both cases is his own diminution or
destruction

14. FOUR MAJOR TYPES OF MORAL STANDARDS
•1. Moral Standards Based on Rights
•2. Moral Standards based on Justice
•3. Moral Standards based on Majority’s
Interests
•4.Moral Standards based on Religion

15. BASED ON RIGHTS
• 1. An act is moral if it respects the rights and freedom of individuals .It
highlights the inviolability and inalienability of human rights and human
dignity.
• Rights are due to a person because she/he possesses worth and dignity.
People ha s infinite value as God’s own image and has an immortal soul for
God. Rights though imperceptible are real.
• Rights are MORAL Power residing in a person, in virtue whereof he refers to
himself as well as his own actions as also other things, which stand
referred to him in preference to other persons. “Might does not make right”.
Authority is moral.

16. ERRONEOUS MISCONCEPTIONS ON RIGHTS
• 1. Individual is supreme and entirely free and absolutely independent
from all the interference or control. There is no such thing as absolute or
unlimited rights. It leads to anarchistic liberalism or state of political
disorder or violence.
• 2. The state has complete sovereignty of the individual , that man has no
reality or existence apart from the state. ( Individuals have no right before
the state ). This theory leads to state absolutism. ( Perfection is impossible
to attain because nothing human is perfect and absolute.)

17. TRUE CONCEPTS ON RIGHTS
• 1. Man has anterior and superior rights to state , but these rights are
limited by the common good.
2. There is never a right to do evil.
3. For every right, there is a corresponding responsibility or duty.( The sense of
duty accdg to KANT and the LAW of Justice accdg. to Utilitarianism.
4. Rights must be limited for the preservation of social order. Rights are
limited because of the very limitations of humans nature. No right without
law.

18. TWO BASIC CLASSIFICATION OF RIGHTS
• The Universal Declaration of Human rights is embodied in the UN
Charter approved by all nations as the basic foundation of world peace.
• A. MORAL- NATURAL RIGHTS- possessed by all human beings by virtue of
their human nature. Not conferred by the state but are inherent to human
beings of worth and dignity. Moral rights are human rights. Right to life, right
to due process, right to be treated equally, right against inhumane treatment
and punishment, right to privacy
• NOTE: AMORAL STANDARDS may become legal standards once codified and
adopted by society and is granted the force of law.

19. LEGAL RIGHTS
• RIGHTS conferred and formally recognized by law. Exs: Constitutional rights-
conferred and protected by Constitution. These derived from legislation.
The state cannot arbitrarily alter or take away MNR. MNR are enforced by
Constitutional rights. Ex.: right to property, right to just compensation, right
to freedom of speech, right to religion, right to expression.
• Statutory rights- are the rights derived from the legislation drawn by the
people’s representation. Congress- lawgiving body of the state / confers
rights . Exs. Right to minimum wage , additional compensation , business
persons to profits

20. AN ACT IS GOOD IF IT DOES NOT VIOLATE
ANY HUMAN RIGHT
• Bill of Rights: 1. Right to live engage in honest living, gainful occupation,
enjoy the fruits of labors
• 2. Right to privacy
• 3. right to honor , good name, reputation, right to be heard, right to self-defense
• 4. right to die, right of the unborn, right of a dead man to be buried in
his home.

21. 2.MORAL STANDARD BASED ON MAJORITY’S
INTEREST
• The rule of majority always prevails.Ex. Voting, elections, plebiscite,
referendum
• 3. MORAL STANDARD BASED ON JUSTICE- IN CONFORMITY TO TENETS OF
JUSTICE AND FAIRNESS.
• JUSTICE- THE GIVING OF WHAT IS DUE A PERSON/WHAT A PERSON FAIRLY
DESERVES.EQUALITY. LIFE SI NOT TRANSFERABLE ; HENCE DIGNITY IS
SOMETHING WE CANNOT GIVE UP .

22. JUSTICE DEFINED IN TWO THINGS:
• 1. FAIR DISTRIBUTION OF SOCEITY’S BENEFITS AND BURDENS ( DISTRIBUTIVE
JUSTICE) .IF YOU WANT TO EARN, THEN WORK.
• 2. FAIRNESS IN PUNISHMENT OR RETRIBUTION. RETRIBUTIVE JUSTICE. IF YOU
COMMIT A WRONGFUL ACT, IT IS JUST THAT YOU MUST BE PUNISHED.
• NOTE;PURSUING SOCEITY’S BENEFITS BUT AVOIDING NECESSARY BURDEN IS
UNETHICAL.
• RETRIBUTIVE- ALL PERSONS WHO ARE AT FAULT SHOULD GIVE PROPER
COMPENSATION OR SUFFER APPROPRIATE PUNSIHMENT FOR THEIR WRONGS.

23. LAW AND JUSTICE
• LAWS ARE UNJUST IN TWO WAYS:
• 1. WHEN CONTRARY TO COMMON GOOD( PROMOTE SELFISH INTEREST OF
RULERS,
• 2. LAWS ARE DISCRIMINATING IN THEIR IMPOSITION, EX. BURDENS ARE
IMPOSED UNEQUALLY ON THE PEOPLE
• 3. LAWS ARE UNJUST WHEN THEY CONTRAVENE OR RUN COUNTER
TO THE NATURAL LAW OR DIVINE LAW.( EX. KILLING THE AGED, THOSE
INCURABLY SICK TO SOLVE ECONOMIC PROBLEMS.

24. 4. MORAL STANDARDS BASED ON RELIGION
• IT MUST CONFORM TO THE MORAL TEAHINGS BASED ON GOD’S WILL
• BIBLE- INDUBITABLE ( NOT TO BE DOUBTED) BASIS FOR IDENTIFYING THE
WILL OF AN ALL KNOWING, ALL POWERFUL GOD.
• 1. RELIGION TEXT MUST BE ACCEPTED AS THE INFALLIBLE SOURCE OF
THE WORD OF GOD.
• 2. INTERPRETATION OF THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS MUST BE ACCEPTED AS
THE WORD OF GOD.
• CHRISTIANS: BIBLE MOSLEMS; KORAN INDIA: TALMUD, YAHWEH: GOD ALLAH

25. • THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE IS THE VOICE OF GOD.VOX POPULI, VOX
DEI
• SOCIAL LIFE SIGNIFIES BOTH PROCESS AND PROGRESS TOWARDS
PERFECTION BUT ABSOLUTE PERFECTION IS IMPOSSIBLE ATTAINMENT
BECAUSE NOTHING HUMAN IS PERFECT AND ABSOLUTE.

26. MORAL ANALYIS: HOW TO PERFORM IT?
• MORAL RESPONSIBILITY - CONCERNS ONLY THE EVLAUATION OF HUMAN
ACTS OR ACTS WHICH MAN PERFORMS KNOWEINGLY AND FREELY. It defines
the exact extent to which a person deserves punishment or not. It
involves the notion of guilt or innocence. It defines the exact extent to
which a person deserves punishment or not, it involves the notion of
guilt or innocence.
•

27. MORAL THEORIES
Intention( KANTIANISM) Consequences( CONSEQUENTIALISM)
Morality depends on the motive of
doing the action
Morality depends on the end result of
the action
Judges the rightness or wrongness of an
action based on properties intrinsic to the
action not on its consequence ( moral
obligation)
The rightness or ( goodness of an
action) is in some way determined by the
consequences which follow from the act
DIVINE COMMAND THEORY, NATURAL
LAW THEORY, THEISTIC,NON, THEISTIC,
KANTIAN, THEORY OF JUSTICE
HEDONISM, UTILITARIANISM, EGOISM,
PSYHOLOGICAL, ETHICAL

28. INTENTION CONSEQUENCE
DIVINE COMMAND THEORY- GOODNESS
IS EQUATED TO WHATEVER THE DEITY OR
GOD DEMANDS
NATURAL LAW THEORY- ACTIONS IN
CONFORMITY AND SUPPORT OF
NATURAL LAWS ( SURVIVAL AND
PROCREATION) ARE MORALITY