Foundations of Moral Value
Foundations of Moral Value
A. Course Description:
Foundations of Moral Value (Ph 104) seeks to uncover the nature of a moral
experience, capacitate students to take control of their moral lives by habitually
making reasonable, impartial decisions and by making these principle-based. To
do this, the course will examine: a) the cultural context which defines the moral
agent’s sense of right and wrong; b) the nature of the agent and his/her moral act;
c) philosophers’ ethical theories that serve as frameworks in understanding moral
experiences; and d) moral decision- making process that the students will apply
on cases will be introduced.
The course is organized according to the three main elements of the moral
experience: the act, the agent and the reason or framework (for the act).
B. Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the course, the students must be able to:
1. Differentiate between moral and non-moral problems
2. Describe what a moral experience is as it happens in different levels of
human existence
3. Explain the influence of Filipino culture on the way students look at
moral experience and the way they solve moral dilemmas
4. Use ethical principles to analyze moral experiences
5. Make sound ethical judgments based on principles, facts, and the
stakeholders affected
6. Develop sensitivity to common good
7. 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.
Number of Hours: Three hours every week for 18 weeks, or 54 hours in a
semester course outline
C. Course Outline
Introduction: Key Concepts
Readings
Readings
Readings:
A. Virtue Ethics
1. Aristotle
• Telos
• Virtue as habit
• Happiness
2. St. Tomas: Natural Law
• Natural law and its tenets
• Happiness
B. Kant and the rights theory
• Good will
• Categorical Imperative
• Concept of rights and the different kinds of rights
C. Utilitarianism
• Origins and nature of the theory
• Business’s fascination with utilitarianism
D. Justice and fairness: Promoting the common good
• The nature of the theory
Distributive justice
D. Required Readings:
Aquinas, Thomas: On Law, Eternal Law and Natural Law, Summa Theologiae, vol. 28,
Blackfriars in conjunction with McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York, 1966, pp. 5- 97.
Aristotle, Book I-II, Nicomachean Ethics trans. Martin Oswald, Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill
Educational Publishing, 1983.
Kohlberg, Lawrence, The Philosophy of Moral Development: Moral Stages and the Idea of
Justice vol 1. New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1981.
Licuanan, Patricia et al. "A Moral Recovery Program: Building a People—Building Nation" in
Values in Philippine Culture and Education: Philippine Philosophical Studies I, edited by
Manuel B. Dy Jr., 31-48. Washington, DC: The Council for Research in Values and Philosophy,
1994.
Que, Nemesio S., S.J, "Notes on Moral Deliberation." Introduction to course notes for Ph104:
Foundations of Moral Value. Ateneo de Manila University
Rachels, James "What is Morality", Chapter 1 and "The Challenge of Cultural Relativism",
Chapter 2 in The Elements of Moral Philosophy, 4th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill College, 2004,
pp 1-31.
Reyes, Ramon Castillo. "Relation between Ethics and Religious Belief" in Moral Dimension:
Essays in Honor of Ramon Castillo Reyes, edited by Nemesio S. Que, S.J., Oscar G. Bulaong Jr.,
and Michael Ner E. Mariano, 107-12. Quezon City, PH: Office of Research and Publications,
Loyola Schools, Ateneo de Manila University, 2003.
E. Suggested readings:
Buenaventura, Margarita. No Filter, a Collection of Monologues about Millennials by
Millennials. Summit Publishing, Inc., 2016.
Friedman, Thomas. The Lexus and the Olive Tree: Understanding Globalization, 1st ed. New
York: Anchor Books, 2000.
Gula, R.M. Reason Informed by Faith. New York: Paulist Press, 1989.
Palma- Angeles, Antonette and Azada, Rowena, "Medicine Prices, Price Controls and the
Philippine Pharmaceutical Industry" Monograph produced by the Jose B Fernandez, Jr. Ethics
Center and Ateneo Graduate School of Business, 2011.
Werhane, Patricia H. Moral Imagination and Management Decision Making. New York: Oxford
University Press, 1999.
F. Course Requirements:
1. Unannounced quizzes ( at least 4) 40%
2. Final oral exam 20%
3. Individually written up and analyzed case analysis (2)
20%
4. Group discussions (to include analysis of cases)
Teacher and group grades (forced ranking) 20%
G. Grading System
A 3.76-4.00
B+ 3.31-3.75
B 2.81-3.30
C+ 2.31-2.80
C 1.81-2.30
D 1.00-1.80
G. Class Policies:
Classroom policies to be observed are taken from the Student Guide to the
Code of Academic Integrity and the Academic Regulations stated in the
Undergraduate Student Handbook.
1. Punctuality is required:
• Coming to class within 15 minutes after the bell rings is
considered tardiness; beyond 15 minutes is considered an
absence; 3 “lates” is ONE cut.
• Coming late to the oral exam will not merit an extension to
the original schedule.
2. Use of mobiles to send, receive texts and to make or receive calls in the
classroom is strictly prohibited. All phones should be turned off or put in
silent mode during the class. Students whose phones sound off during
class or are caught using their phones will be automatically thrown out of
class and given a cut.
3. We will follow the LS dress code. Students not following the code will not
be allowed to enter the classroom.
4. No make-up quizzes will be given students who are absent on the day the
surprise quiz is given.
5. Papers are to be submitted until 5.00 PM on the days there are assigned.
Late papers will not be accepted.
H. Consultation Hours:
T-Th 1.30-3.00
Philosophy Department
Email: [email protected]