This document discusses the origins and meanings of ethics. It defines ethics as the study of human morality and motivation. There are two main approaches to ethics - the atheistic approach which sees man as only matter, and the theistic approach which sees man as having a spiritual dimension and being accountable to God. Ethics provides principles to guide human acts and serves as a foundation for law and society. While ethics and religion both aim to improve people and society, ethics relies on reason while religion is based on faith. Professional codes of ethics also guide conduct where laws are silent. Overall, ethics and morality are seen as vital for individuals, organizations and society.

1. Ethics in Public Service
PA211

2. Origin of Ethics
Ethics is derived from the Greek word “ethos” which
means “characteristic way of acting”. Its Latin equivalent is
mos, mores, meaning “Tradition or custom”.
Ethos includes cultural mannerism, religion, politics,
laws, and social aspirations of a group of people. In our
study, ethos refers to those characteristics belonging to man
as a rational being, endowed with intellect and free will.

3. The ethos (characteristics) of man as man are the
following:
1. He is able to distinguish between good and evil, right
and wrong, moral and immoral.
2. He feels within himself an obligation to do what is good
and to avoid what is evil.
3. He feels himself accountable for his actions, expecting
reward or punishments for them.

4. In other words, man is endowed with a MORAL SENSE.
He is self-conscious of his DIGNITY and submits to the
duty of doing what is good and avoiding what is
wrong.
This much is expected of man: that he conducts
himself according to the “DICTATES OF REASON”.

5. Meaning of Ethics
Ethics Is defined as the science of the morality of
human acts, and because actions reflect the motives of
the doer, Ethics is said to be the study of human
motivation, and ultimately, of human rational behavior.

6. Human Acts are those actions performed by man,
knowingly and freely.
-They are also called deliberate or intentional actions,
or, voluntary actions. As such, they are differentiated
from the so-called acts of man which are instinctive and
involuntary.
-Reveal the thoughts and inclinations of the person
doing them. They are then manifestation of one’s
character or moral conduct. A person who has the habit
or inclination to do good is said to be virtuous. On the
contrary, one who has the habit of doing wrong is
vicious.

7. Morality is the quality of human acts by which
they are constituted as good, bad, or indifferent.
That which is good is described as moral; that
which is bad is immoral, and that which is
indifferent is amoral.

8. Ethics as Value Education
In classical tradition, Ethics is Moral Philosophy and is
distinguished from moral theology. As a branch of
Philosophy, Ethics relies solely on human reason to
investigate truths.
Moral theology employs reason insofar as it is enlightened by
faith or divine revelation.

9. In contemporary curriculum, Ethics takes the form of Value
Education. A value is something a person prizes, cherishes,
and esteems as important to him. It includes ideas, things,
or experiences.
The aim of value education is to guide the individual in
choosing wisely his values and in acting upon them.

10. Importance of Ethics
Ethics is an indispensable knowledge. Without moral perception,
man is only an animal.
Without morality, man as rational being is a failure. Because moral
knowledge is too essential to be dismissed, the creator has seen it
fit to gift man with the natural insight of it.

11. Moral Integrity is the only true measure of what man ought to be.
The most powerful king, or the most successful professional, is
nothing unless he too is morally upright.
“We are tempted to center everything on human Happiness,”
(Jacques Leclerog)
“forgetting that man’s greatness, perfection and happiness,
his whole meaning in fact consist in transcending the
accepted human good.”
( Christianity and Monees)

12. Morality is the foundation of every human society. “
Without civic morality, communities perish; without
personal morality their survival has no value,” (Russel)
Every culture admits the importance of morality as a
standard of behavior.
Former Senator Leticia Ramos Shahani said.
“At the bottom of our economic problems and political
instability is the weakness and corruption of the moral
foundations of our society. We do need an economic
recovery program. We also urgently need a moral,
intellectual and spiritual recovery program.” (Nick Joaquin,
“the Pinoy x-rayed”)

13. Two ethical Systems
There are two (2) general categories under which ethical
theories may be classified: the atheistic and theistic
approaches.
Atheistic Approach assumes that only matter exists and
that man is responsible only to himself since there is no
God who creates and rules the universe morality is an
invention of man to suit his requirements and to preserve
his society.

14. Atheistic theories proposes the following principles:
1. Matter is the only reality.
2. Man is matter and does not have spiritual dimension.
3. Man is free and must exercise his freedom to promote
the welfare of society.
4. There is no life after death.
5. Man is accountable only to the state.

15. Theistic Approach begins with the assumption that
God is the Supreme Lawgiver. Everything must conform
to God’s eternal plan of creation. Man must exercise his
freedom in accordance with God’s will.

16. Theistic theories spouses:
1. God is the Supreme Creator and Lawgiver.
2. Man is free and must use his freedom to promote his
personal and social interests along with his fellow men.
3. Man has an immortal soul which cannot die.
4. Man is accountable for his actions both good and evil.

17. Ethics and Religion
Ethics is a science and depends upon rational investigation of its
truths.
Religion is a system of beliefs and practices based on faith or
revelation.
Teaches the value of religion, presenting it as a duty to the Almighty,
Religion, on the other hand, as an organized church, contributes to the
teaching of ethics and continues to enrich with its moral insights. Thus,
religion provides both the direction and motivation for the moral life of
people while different religions give different emphasis to different
moral values, they coincide in their efforts to improve both man and
human society.

18. Ethics and Law
Ethics studies human motivation. It goes deeper than
the study of external actions it explores thoughts and
feelings. It requires that man desires that which is good and
act in accordance with that desire.
On the contrary, law requires that we perform the
required action regardless of our feelings towards such
action. The law is concerned with the externality of the act.
“For law is definitely concerned with what we do, not with
what we feel” (Mortimer J. Adler in Ethics, the Study of
Moral Values,vi)

19. Ethical norms covers thoughts and feelings laws do not
judge man’s thoughts and desires. In the Ethics of St.
Paul, for example, a man commits adultery when he
regards a woman lustfully, this is not the case with law
which requires an external act as proof that a crime has
been committed morality therefore, ha a wider
implication that law, because law can either be moral or
immoral. Thus, what is legal is not necessarily moral; but
what is moral is necessarily with legalizing.
Ethics is not simply a body of do’s and don'ts in the
manner of laws are Ethics is a personal commitment to
uphold what is true and good.

20. Professional Ethics
The practice of a profession cannot be regulated
entirely by legislation. Each profession therefore subscribes
to a set of moral code. This Code of Ethics guides the
activation of a professional where the law is silent or
inadequate.
A Code of Ethics implies that, before anything else, a
professional is a person who has the obligation to listen to
the “dictates of reason” the need for it is obviously to the
advantage of the profession. Many businessmen for
example, do realize that “honest business” translates to
“good business”.

21. Morality is the Best Form of Government
“No system of power can replace morality, which is
necessary in any human society.” Soviet leader Mikhail
Gorbacher

22. Reference
 Contemporary Ethics by Corazon L. Paz, Ph.D, 1984
 Ethics and the Filipino by Ramos B. Agapay, 1991

23. THANK YOU!