The document discusses different frameworks and theories in ethics including meta-ethics, normative ethics, and applied ethics. Meta-ethics examines the nature of morality. Normative ethics evaluates moral standards and determining right and wrong actions. Applied ethics philosophically examines specific moral issues.
The document discusses different frameworks and theories in ethics including meta-ethics, normative ethics, and applied ethics. Meta-ethics examines the nature of morality. Normative ethics evaluates moral standards and determining right and wrong actions. Applied ethics philosophically examines specific moral issues.
The document discusses different frameworks and theories in ethics including meta-ethics, normative ethics, and applied ethics. Meta-ethics examines the nature of morality. Normative ethics evaluates moral standards and determining right and wrong actions. Applied ethics philosophically examines specific moral issues.
The document discusses different frameworks and theories in ethics including meta-ethics, normative ethics, and applied ethics. Meta-ethics examines the nature of morality. Normative ethics evaluates moral standards and determining right and wrong actions. Applied ethics philosophically examines specific moral issues.
Part III FRAMEWORKS AND PRINCIPLES BEHIND OUR MORAL DISPOSITIONS
Lesson 1 BASIC THEORIES AS FRAMEWORKS IN ETHICS
FRAMEWORK It can be defined as a basic structure underlying a system or concept. Contextually, in Ethics, it refers to "a set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that constitutes a way of viewing reality.” Personally held frameworks and principles in Ethics dictate one’s moral disposition or the way a person resolves moral dilemmas. Hence, it is important to learn the basic moral theories which are espoused or held by many people. This lesson provides an overview on the fundamental moral principles, concepts, and theories.
1. META-ETHICS It is the branch of ethics that studies the nature of morality. It talks about the meaning, reference, and truth values of moral judgements. It also explains what goodness and wickedness mean and how we know about them. It studies the methods for choosing ethical principles and doing normative ethics. Meta-ethics deals with the following questions: - Are there objective moral truths? - What do the words “good”, “bad”, “right” and “wrong” mean? - Are moral judgments a matter of subjective personal feeling? - How can we know if something is right or wrong? - How may ethical propositions be supported or defended?
1.1 Semantic Classification
a. COGNITIVISM It states that moral judgments convey propositions – are “truth bearers” or are either true or false. Most ethical theories are cognitivist as they contend that right and wrong are matters of fact. MORAL REALISM claims that the existence of moral facts and the truth (or falsity) of moral judgments are independent of people’s thoughts and perceptions. It maintains that morality is about objective facts. ETHICAL SUBJECTIVISM holds that the truth (or falsity) of ethical propositions are dependent on the attitudes or standards of a person or group of persons.
b. NON-COGNITIVISM It denies that moral judgments are either true or false. It claims that ethical sentences do not convey authentic propositions. EMOTIVISM is the most popular form of non-cognitivist theory. It submits that moral judgments are mere expressions of our emotions and feelings.
1.2 Substantial Classification
a. MORAL UNIVERSALISM/ MORAL OBJECTIVISM It theorizes that moral facts and principles apply to everybody in all places. It claims that a universal ethic exists and this applies to all similarly situated persons, regardless of any differentiating factor. It submits that if something is right for one, then it its right for another. It is very much compatible with moral realism.
Page 1 of 4 Notes in GE 5 – Ethics b. MORAL RELATIVISM It submits that different moral facts and principles apply to different persons or group of individuals. It also maintains that ethical standards also change over time even in the same culture. It holds that all moral norms are equally true and morals are mere preferences. It is very much compatible with ethical subjectivism.
1.3 Epistemological Classification
a. MORAL EMPIRICISM It is a meta-ethical stance which states that moral facts are known through observation and experience. Some forms of moral empiricism hold that moral truths are reducible to matters about people’s opinions or cultural conventions and thus are recognizable by observation of their conventions.
b. MORAL RATIONALISM It contends that moral facts and principles are knowable a priori (by reason alone and without reference to experience). Most forms of moral rationalism purport that moral facts are known through rational inferential process.
c. MORAL INTUITIONISM It submits that moral truths are knowable by intuition (immediate instinctive knowledge without reference to any evidence). It insists that the moral value of actions may be known intuitively, even if their consequences have not been uncovered.
2. NORMATIVE ETHICS It is the branch of ethics that studies how man ought to act, morally speaking. It examines ethical norms (those guidelines about what is right, worthwhile, virtuous, or just). It evaluates standards for the rightness and wrongness of actions and determines a moral course of action. Prescriptive in nature, it addresses specific moral questions about what we should do or believe. It deals with issues like “What ought one to do?”
2.1 DEONTOLOGY It is an ethical system that bases morality on independent moral rules or duties. The term came from the Greek word deon, which means “duty”, implying the foundational nature of man’s duties or obligations. This system equates behaving morally with adherence to duties or moral rules, and acting morally with failure to obey them. Also called nonconsequentialism, the system’s principles are submitted as obligatory, regardless of the consequences that actions might produce.
2.2 TELEOLOGY It refers to a moral system that determines the moral value of actions by their outcomes or results. From the Greek word “telos”, which means “end”, it takes into account the end result of the action as the exclusive consideration of morality. It deems an action as morally right if its favorable consequences are greater than its adverse outcomes. Its most famous form is consequentialism, which proposes that morality is determined solely by a cost-benefit evaluation of the action’s consequences.
2.3 VIRTUE ETHICS
As a moral system, it places emphasis on developing good habits of character, like kindness and generosity, and avoiding bad character traits or vices, such as greed or hatred. Page 2 of 4 Notes in GE 5 – Ethics It gives importance to moral education which molds individuals to habitually act in a virtuous manner. It focuses on the character of the agent and describes right actions as those chosen and performed by a suitably virtuous person.
3. APPLIED ETHICS It philosophically examines specific, controversial moral issues. Using philosophical methods, it attempts to determine the ethically correct course of action in specific realms of human action. For a subject to be considered as an applied ethical issue, not only must it be a matter of moral judgment, but also it has to be controversial - there must be considerable groups of people both for and against the issue.
3.1 BIOETHICS It concerns ethical issues pertaining to life, biomedical researches, medicines, health care, and medical profession. It deals with the following controversies: surrogate mothering, genetic manipulation of fetuses, stem cell research, use of human embryos in research, in-vitro fertilization, abortion, euthanasia, suicide, patient rights, confidentiality of patient’s records, physician’s responsibilities, and mandatory medical screening.
3.2 ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
It deals with moral issues concerning nature, ecosystem, and its nonhuman contents. This includes issues such as animal rights, animall experimentation, endangered species preservation, pollution control, and sustainable development.
3.3 BUSINESS ETHICS
It examines moral principles concerning business environment which involves issues about corporate practices, policies, business behaviors, and the conduct and relationships of individuals in the organizations. It investigates ethical controversies such as those about social responsibility of businesses, employee rights, harassment, labor unions, misleading advertising, job discrimination, and whistle blowing.
3.4 SEXUAL ETHICS
It studies moral issues about sexuality and human sexual behavior. It examines topics like homosexuality, lesbianism, polygamy, pre-marital sex, marital fidelity, extra-marital sex, non-marital procreation, loveless sexual relations, safe sex, and contraceptive use.
3.5 SOCIAL ETHICS
It deals with what is right for a society to do and how it should act as a whole. Some of the issues under social ethics are those about racial discrimination, death penalty, nuclear weapon production, gun control, drug use for fun and welfare rights.
Main Reference: ETHICS: Principles of Ethical Behavior in Modern Society by Jens Micah De Guzman et al. Basic Theories as Frameworks in Ethics, pages 84 – 92
Prepared by: MICHAEL ANGELO F. EMPIZO Saint Louis College, City of San Fernando, La Union Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima May 13, 2020 Page 3 of 4 Notes in GE 5 – Ethics CASE ANALYSIS – THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC QUARANTINE/LOCKDOWN AND THE ABS-CBN SHUTDOWN ACCORDING TO DIFFERENT ETHICAL PERSPECTIVES As a group (refer to the attachment for group assignments), analyze and evaluate the COVID-19 pandemic quarantine/lockdown and the ABS-CBN shutdown according to the following leading theories in Ethics. 1. Aristotelian Ethics (Group 1) 2. Thomistic Ethics (Group 2) 3. Kantian Ethics (Group 3) 4. Rights Theory (Group 4) 5. Utilitarianism (Group 5) 6. Justice and Fairness (Group 6) The case analysis basically aims to answer these questions: - Are the COVID-19 pandemic quarantine or lockdown measures ethical or moral? Why or why not? - Is the ABS-CBN shutdown ethical or moral? Why or why not? The group shall answer these questions in light of the ethical perspective assigned to it.
GUIDELINES FOR THE CASE ANALYSIS
FORMAT SURNAME, Given Name MI (Person 1) GE 5; Class Time; Class Days SURNAME, Given Name MI (Person 2) Date Submitted SURNAME, Given Name MI (Person 3) SURNAME, Given Name MI (Person 4) SURNAME, Given Name MI (Person 5) [SURNAME, Given Name MI (Person 6) SURNAME, Given Name MI (Person 7) SURNAME, Given Name MI (Person 8) SURNAME, Given Name MI (Person 9)] Course, Year and Section
AN ANALYSIS OF THE COVID-19 QUARANTINE/LOCKDOWN AND THE
ABS-CBN SHUTDOWN ACCORDING TO [Assigned Ethical Perspective]
I. AN OVERVIEW OF [Assigned Ethical Theory]
(text) (Refer to the attachment on group assignments for a suggested outline for each group.)
II. EVALUATION OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC QUARANTINE/LOCKDOWN
ACCORDING TO [Assigned Ethical Theory] (text)
III. EVALUATION OF THE ABS-CBN SHUTDOWN ACCORDING TO [Assigned Ethical
Theory] (text) There is no more need for overviews on the COVID-19 pandemic quarantine/lockdown and the ABS-CBN shutdown, since these will eventually come out in the analysis/evaluation portion.
MECHANICS - Paper Size: Letter (8.5” x 11”) - Margins: 1” on all sides - Spacing: 1.5 - Font Style: Times New Roman - Font Size: 12 - Number of Pages: Not less than three (3), not more than five (5)
DEADLINE It is due for submission in PDF format through Google Classroom by May 23, 2020 (Saturday), 11:59 pm, through a representative, whom the group should identify the soonest possible.
