Bsba 2-A Foundation of Ethics
Bsba 2-A Foundation of Ethics
The
theoretical study of ethics is not normally
Foundation of Ethics something that many people would regard as
being necessary in order for them to conduct their
The study of ethics belongs primarily everyday activities. In place of systematically
within the discipline of philosophy, in the sub- examined ethical frameworks, most people
discipline of ‘moral philosophy’, and so our
instead carry around a useful set of day-to-day
account begins there. Philosophical study
‘rules of thumb’ that influence and govern their
concerns the systematic and rational
consideration of human systems of belief. The behaviour; commonly, these include rules such as
process of asking and answering questions about ‘it is wrong to steal’, ‘it is right to help people in
belief systems is therefore fundamental to need’, and so on.
philosophical study – it is not sufficient merely to
But sometimes the vicissitudes and
‘learn’ the answers that have been proposed by
other philosophers! complexities of life mean that these simple rules
As human beings live their lives, they are sometimes put to the test. Consider the idea
acquire a wealth of information about the world that it is wrong to kill. Does this mean that capital
around them that they use to build up a collection punishment is wrong? Is it wrong to kill animals?
of ideas about the world and their place within it. Is killing in self-defence wrong? Is the termination
Those ideas come from a variety of sources. of pregnancy wrong? Is euthanasia wrong? If we
Different philosophers have had different try to apply our everyday notions of right and
aims and have been concerned with asking and wrong to these questions, straightforward
answering different questions. While some of the answers are not always forthcoming. We need to
questions that philosophers have asked have examine these questions in more detail; and we
changed through the centuries, some important need theoretical frameworks that can help us to
questions continue to be asked. Why are we analyse complex problems and to find rational,
here? How was the world created? How should coherent solutions to those problems. Whilst
society be organised? How ought we to live? some people attempt to do this work individually,
What is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’? These are some of for themselves, philosophers attempt to find
the questions that have intrigued and occupied general answers that can be used by everyone in
philosophers across the ages. society.
So, through the study of ethics, you are The Objects of Ethics
invited to examine critically your own and others’
arguments and intuitions about some important The principal cause of actions is usually
issues, however clear-cut those arguments may attributed to the doer. Hence, a person in control
seem to be at first glance. As Wraight (2011 p. of his faculties is judged as moral if he performs
48) points out, ‘many things that once seemed an act that observes a particular standard of
obvious (like witches having the power to curdle morality, and immoral if he commites an act that
milk and the sun revolving around the earth) no violates any given moral standard.
longer do so to most people, in part, because The doer of an act and the act done by the
rational individuals took the time to scrutinize doer are two different objects of Ethics. The doer
them and found them wanting’. The study of of an act is the physical object. The Physical
ethics is , therefore, just as much concerned with Object does not only refer to a person but to an
developing the ability to ask and answer institution and to other forms of social
questions as it is with ‘learning’ the answers that organization that perform moral actions and other
other people have suggested to some of the rational activities such as decision making, moral
questions posed here. Hopefully, by building up a calculation, etc.
clearer picture of the building blocks of people’s
beliefs, values and arguments, ‘we can be more On the other hand, the action done by the
confident about our actual moral behaviour in the moral agent, such as the act of telling the truth,
real world. We might even change our minds helping others in distress, etc., are called the non-
about a few things’ (Wraight 2011 p. 48). physical object of ethics. Though considering the
nature of the moral agent is important in ethical
What is Ethics? analysis, it is the act, and not the doer of the act
The branch of philosophical study that which is considered to be the formal object of
focuses on ‘ethics’ is concerned with studying ethics. As we will soon learn further, as long as
and/or building up a coherent set of ‘rules’ or the act is knowing and free, the act should be
judged as moral or immoral, regardless of the be studied or resolved. The term was probably
accidental characteristics (gender, nationality, coined by Pythagoras.
race, creed, etc.) of the moral agent who performs
the act. Now, consider the case example below: MORAL ISSUE -Are those which involved a
difference of belief and not a matter of
Ethics serve as guide to moral daily living and helps us preference.
judge whether our behavior can be justified. Ethics
refers to society’s sense of the right way of living our A moral dispute would involve a factual
daily lives. It does this by establishing rules, principles, disagreement (or a disagreement in belief) where
and values on which we can base our conduct. one of the other neither belief is correct. It would
not involve disagreement in attitude (or a
Ethics is important because of the following: satisfying disagreement in feeling).
basic human needs: being fair, honest and ethical is
one the basic human needs. An ethical decision is one that engenders trust,
and thus indicates responsibility, fairness and
Values are important because they help us to grow caring to an individual. Ethical decision-making
and develop. They help us to create future we want to requires a review of different options, eliminating
experience. Every individual and every organization is those with an unethical standpoint, and then
involved in making hundreds of decisions every day. choosing the best ethical alternative.
Ethics and Morality Ethical Judgement Is reasoning about the possible
Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of actions in the situation and judging which action is
philosophy that involves systematizing, most ethical. A person making an ethical
depending, and recommending concept of right judgement uses reason to decide what the best
and wrong conduct. The field of ethics, along with solution or decision is to a problem.
aesthetics, concerns matters of value, and thus An ethical dilemma or ethical paradox is decision-
comprises the branch of philosophy called making problem between two possible moral
axiology. imperatives, neither or which is unambiguously
Ethics refer to rules provided by an external acceptable or preferable. The complexity arises
source, example: codes of conduct in workplaces out of the situational conflict in which obeying
or principle in religions. one would result in transgressing another.
Morals refer to an individual’s own principles Ethical Reasoning -Pertains to the rights and
regarding right and wrong. wrongs of human conduct. Each person has
standards that are defined by their personal
Descriptive and Normative study of Ethics values which come into play when the person
faces certain dilemmas or decisions.
Descriptive ethics is a form of empirical research
into the attitude of individuals or groups of Is the ability to identify, assess, and develop
people. Those working on descriptive ethics aim ethical arguments from a Variety of ethical
to uncover people’s beliefs about such things as positions? “For the purposes of this application, it
values, which action are right and wrong, and may be useful to think of an ethical reasoning
which characteristics of moral agents are virtuous. course as one that integrates ethical questions
into the intellectual work required in the course.
Normative ethics is the study of ethical action. It is
the branch of philosophical ethics that Sources of Authority
investigates the set of question that arise when
considering how one ought to act, morally Authority is a degree of discretion conferred on
speaking. Most traditional moral theories rest on people to make it possible for them to use their
principles that determine whether the action is judgement. In this sense, authority is a matter of
right or wrong. not only the ability of power to make decisions,
but the right to make these decisions and execute
Philosophy is the study of general and them with commensurate power.
fundamental question about existence,
knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Religion is a social-cultural system of designated
Such questions are often posed asked problems to behaviours and practices, morals, worldviews,
texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or MORAL JUDGMENT- When a person is an observer
organizations that relates humanity to who makes an assessment on the actions or
supernatural, transcendental, or spiritual behaviour of someone.
elements. MORAL DECISION- When an individual can choose
only one from a number of possible actions and there
Natural law-Is the theory that says there is set of are compelling ethical reasons for the various choices.
rules inherent in human behavior and human CULTURE- Set of beliefs and practices of a person.
reasoning that governs human conduct. Natural MORAL- Used to refer to specific beliefs or
law is pre-existing and is not created in courts by attitudes that people behave or to describe acts
judges. that people perform