Introduction to Ethics

4. • A set of rules of human behavior which has been influenced by the standards set by the society or
by himself in relation to his society (Reyes, 1989)
• it is also known as moral philosophy
• It seeks to examine the meaning of moral terms and the criteria by which we make moral
judgments

5. Different meaning of Ethics according to
Triumvirate
• Both Plato and Aristotle define it as: “what constitutes the good life”,
associated it with happiness which in turn comes from living in
accordance with virtues such as temperance, courage, piety, and
justice. The reason for then is the best guide to behavior.
Socrates: the virtue is knowledge, the context of love and wisdom to
do what is good and what is not.
: a virtuous man who believes that “if one knows what the
good is, one will do what is good
Plato: believed that “the good” was an abstract form, beyond the
everyday world
Aristotle: saw a virtue as natural to human beings

6. Ethics as Science (Timbreza, 1993) :
• it is based on reason
which studies human
acts and provides
norms for their
goodness and badness.
• It is a systematic study
about the grounds and
norms of human life.

7. 1. Practical Science – deals with systematized body of
knowledge that can be applicable to human action
- application of the human knowledge and its
practicality to human experience
-Considered to be part of life
-a part of man’s daily existence
2. Normative Science- sets a basis or a norm for the
direction and regulation of human actions
-sets its rules and guidelines to maintain a sense of
direction to human actions.

8. Thus, ethics as a science based on REASON:
human being is a rational being capable of
moral decisions, capacity to rationalize on
whether a particular action is to be considered
proper or improper.

9. Ethics studies Human Acts and Acts of Man
1. Human Acts (Actus Humanus)- those
acts that are done by human being which
is based on knowledge and the full
consent of the will.
• An act which proceeds from the
deliberate freewill of man (Glenn 1965)
• Doing a human act if he knows what he
is doing and he is doing it freely and
willingly irrespective of whether the
action is good or bad
• e. g gluttony, crime

10. Ethics studies Human Acts and Acts of Man
2. Acts of Man (actus hominis)-actions are done in
the absence of either knowledge or will
Comprises all spontaneous biological and sensual
processes like nutrition, breathing, sensual
impressions
All acts performed unconsciously like people
sleeping
e.g. thinking, natures call (pee), virtuous act,
yawning, eating, sleeping

11. Ethics deal with voluntary human conduct
• includes all actions as well as non-actions
• includes involuntary activities that are
unlikely performed yet involve a degree of
personal approval
Thus, it provides norms for the goodness
and badness of a certain act.

12. Morality
• denotes a system of belief as to what
is good and bad
• Conformity to conventional standards
of moral conduct
• Deliberate flouting of those standards
is termed “immorality”
• Shared values (set of values)
• Community holds responsibilities in
their actions

13. The Context of Good
Good- as an adjective:
“good person”/ good deed,
good film
• Quality of goodness that is
possessed by all the things
that we designate good.

14. 2 ways to determined the concept of Good in
Philosophical Discourse
Good as noun:
1. Intrinsic goods of goods in themselves
e.g. Aristotle gave an example : Health-
something that is pursued for its own sake
2. Extrinsic Good- pursued for its own
consequences
e.g. money

15. What is the greatest good?
• It is the highest of the abstract immaterial
forms according to Plato.
• It is the highest goods for humans as the
exercise of the virtues by means of which
they can achieve the good life or well
being.
• In terms of the fulfillment of God’s
purpose, love, happiness, pleasure, living
in harmony with others and with nature.

16. References:
• Reference: Big Ideas in Brief, Ian Crofton, (2011)
• The Beauty of Doing Good: Ethics for Filipino Students (2007)