Module in General Ethics
Isabela State University
Isabela, Philippines
“The ethical life is a journey from within
guided by the great ideas of men
who led a greater life.”
Francis M.
Francis T. Matay-eo, Jr.
Gabriel L. Luna
Maria Paz Consuelo C. Dammay
Christian Paul R. Torres
Joseph V. Del Rosario
Wilson C. Pagulayan, Jr.
Rez Janroe S. Bautista
Robert Dave B. Sy
Ilyn M. Bonhaon
Eric C. Baltazar
Ruby B. Dimas
Authors
Francis T. Matay-eo, Jr.
Editor
September 2020
Table of Contents
Page
Table of Contents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i
Preliminaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii
Chapter 1: Basic Concepts in Ethics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1. Ethics and Morality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2. Moral vs Non-moral Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3. Moral Dilemmas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
4. Freedom as a Foundation of Ethics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Chapter 2: The Moral Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
1. Role of Culture in Moral Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
2. Moral Character and Virtues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
3. Stages of Moral Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Chapter 3: The Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
1. Feelings and Ethical Decision-making . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
2. Reason and Impartiality as
Minimum Requirements for Morality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
3. Moral Courage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Chapter 4: Western Ethical Frameworks and Principles . . . . . . . . . . . 65
1. Basic Areas of Ethical Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
2. Virtue Ethics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
3. Kant and Rights Theory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
4. Utilitarianism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
5. Justice and Fairness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Chapter 5: Eastern Ethical Principles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
1. Ethical Principles of Hinduism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
2. Ethical Principles of Buddhism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
3. Ethical principles of Confucianism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
4. Ethical principles of Taoism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Chapter 6: Ethics Through Thick and Thin,
& Ethics and Religion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
1. Globalization and Pluralism:
New Challenges to Ethics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
2. The Ethical Challenges of Millennials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
3. The Role of Religions in Ethics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
.
References
About the Authors
GEC 7: GENERAL ETHICS
PRELIMINARIES:
ISU Vision
A leading research university in the ASEAN region.
ISU Mission
Isabela State University is committed to develop globally competitive
human, technological resources and services through quality instruction,
innovative research, responsive community engagement and viable resource
management programs for inclusive growth and sustainable development.
Quality Policy
The Isabela State University endeavors to be a lead university in instruction,
research, extension and resource generation through continual improvement of
services.
To uphold this commitment, ISU shall attain the following quality objectives:
1. Sustain academic excellence and quality in instruction;
2. Generate research breakthroughs;
3. Engage in sectoral activities for community development;
4. Develop products for globalization;
5. Support students’ participation to local and international for a to
enhance their potentialities;
6. Comply with the standards set by statutory, regulatory and accrediting
bodies and;
7. Review on periodic basis, the Quality Management System (QMS) and
gather feedbacks on the level of client satisfaction as basis for
continual improvement.
Institutional Outcomes: ISU expected graduate attributes
1. Communicator (Cm)
Recognizes and values communication as a tool for conveying and interacting
with others, and fostering their own learning.
2. Inquiry-focused and Knowledgeable (IFK)
Creates new knowledge and understanding through the process of research
and inquiry
Demonstrates comprehensive theoretical and technical concepts related to
their field of specialization with relevant connections to industry, professional
and regional knowledge.
3. Competent and Productive Professional (Cp)
Initiates and innovates better ways of doing things
Promotes quality and productivity
4. Collaborative and Effective Leader (CEL)
Works in collaboration with others and manages group functioning to meet
common goal
5. Lifelong Learner (LL)
Acquires new skills and adapts to rapid changes in professional and personal
environment
Goals of General Education
General Education thus lays the groundwork for the development of a
professionally competent, humane and moral person. It also prepares the Filipino for
the demands of 21st century life and the requisite abilities to anticipate and adapt to
swiftly changing situations, to think innovatively, and to create solutions to problems.
General Education enables the Filipino to find and locate her/himself in the
community and the world, take pride in and hopefully assert her/his identity and sense
of community and nationhood amid the forces of globalization. As life becomes more
complex the necessity of appreciating the gift of nature and addressing social
problems in the general education program increasingly become more pressing.
General Education Outcomes
1. Intellectual Competencies (IC)
Higher level of comprehension (textual, visual, etc.)
Proficient and effective communication (writing, speaking and use of new
technologies)
Understanding of basic concept across the domains of knowledge
Critical, analytical and creative thinking
Application of different analytical modes (quantitative and qualitative,
artistic and scientific, textual and visual, experimental, observation, etc.)
in tackling methodically.
2. Personal and Civic Responsibilities (PCR)
Appreciation of the human condition
Capacity to personally interpret the human experience
Ability to view the contemporary world from both Philippine and Global
perspectives
Self-assuredness in knowing and being Filipino
Capacity to reflect critically on shared concerns and think of innovative,
creative solutions guided by ethical standards
Ability to reflect on moral norms/imperatives as they affect individuals
and society
Ability to appreciate and contribute to artistic beauty
Understanding and respect for human rights
Ability to contribute personally and meaningfully to the country’s
development
3. Practical Skills (PS)
Working effectively in a group
Application of computing information technology
To assist and facilitate research
Ability to negotiate the world of technology responsibly
Problem solving (including real world problems)
Basic work related skills and knowledge
Course Description:
Ethics deals with principles of ethical behavior in modern society at the level of
the person, society, and in interaction with the environment and other shared
resources.
Morality pertains to the standards of right and wrong that an individual originally
picks up from the community. The course discusses the context and principles of
ethical behavior in modern society at the level of individual, society, and interaction
with the environment and other shared resources. The course also teaches students
to make moral decisions by using dominant moral frameworks and by applying moral
reasoning models to analyze and solve moral dilemmas. The course is organized
according to the three (3) main elements of the moral experience: (a) agent, including
text/cultural, communal, and environmental; (b) the act; and (c) reason or framework
(for the act).
Course Outcome:
At the end of the course, the students will be able to:
1. differentiate Ethics from Morality;
2. distinguish moral from non-moral standards;
3. describe what moral experience is as it happens in different levels of human
existence;
4. explain the influence of Filipino culture on the way students look on moral
experiences and solve moral dilemmas;
5. describe the elements of moral development and moral experience;
6. use ethical frameworks or principles to analyze moral experiences;
7. make sound ethical judgment based on principles, facts, and the stakeholders
affected;
8. develop sensitivity to the common good; and
9. understand and internalize the principles of ethical behavior in modern society at
the level of the person, society, and in interaction with the environment and
other shared resources.
