PASCUAL, JESSICA B BSP A110

POLITICS AND SOCIETY

1. What was your prior understanding of politics? How does it compare with the notion of politics discussed in
the text?
Politics is about governing the state. It governs people living in the state and gives them regulations to
retain economy and safety along the country. Also, based from the politics and governance I took when I was in
SHS, politics came from the Greek word “polis” meaning city-state. It pertains to the members of the state that
need to be ruled. Politics in my point of view is similar with what have discussed.
2. What is the relationship between ethics and politics based on your own experience or on the observation of
other people? Illustrate your answer by providing concrete example.
Politics must show and do the ethical standard of the state, like, they must act upon their obligations
with the guidance of statutes. To exemplify, government makes rule that they think morally right among the
citizen and lets people act upon their obligations with the guidance of law.
3. How would you describe the present state of our society? Give concrete examples to explain your answer.
With the interference of media and the youth fighting for their freedom of speech, this society becomes
rowdy due to too much mouths speaking along with their egocentrism and sociocentrism. How can a leader
execute good works if it is questioned by too many? There’s a lot of hindrance, not materials nor money but the
people living in this state. We lack of unity and support because we only want what we think we need. Full of
fake patriotism and insensitivity. People really don’t care about the country because if they do, they will help
the government, and they won’t come up with irrelevant rallies that cause nothing but noise and heavy traffic.
4. How do you explain Hegel’s concept of freedom as political integration bound with restrictions?
It talks about restricted freedom because of laws to maintain much safer community. An example is, if
we have freedom to do anything then the crime rate would have increased, thus laws could make the society
worth living. We have freedom from mishaps, if there will be rules to follow.
5. What is the quality or level of your practice of inclusion, participation, and recognition as a citizen with
regard to ethics in politics?
For me, they are not too strong nor weak, just in the midst, because I am still not a voter and not
recognized as one. I only include, participate, and be recognized myself as a citizen of our city.

ETHICS AND RELIGION

1. What are the instances that illustrate the influential role of religion in the ethical issues in the Philippines?
Some parts of ethics are based on how the Bible or religious context requires people to do what is right.
An example is abortion, this is currently a boiling topic in our country because churches and many other citizen
believe that carrying life and killing it is an act of murder and immoral to the eyes of God. Thus, the solution to
this issue is not yet solved due to the religious public demand.
2. What makes religion an effective or ineffective ethical norm?
Commandments in the Bible are like effective ethical norms because it preserves morality in humans.
Like, telling people not to kill their fellow being. This states that people must not commit sin to the Lord and a
standard to do what we think is right because it was said in the Bible.
3. What are other examples of extremist practice of religion from other culture?
 Giving no rights for women in other countries, particularly in west Asia. They only look women as
slaves or men’s property. Back in the old days, women have no voice to speak for their rights because they
thought it was their culture or tradition. But now, women step out of their zones to serve justice to themselves,
not because they are woman but human.
4. Does extremism automatically discredit religion as an ethical norm? Why or why not?
Somehow yes, because they ignore what is written in the Bible. They only think of what’s going to
benefit them as a living creature now in the world. They build their own views to suffice their earthly needs.
Biblically written laws are ethical in a way to prevent us to commit sins as well, but extremists disregard these
to dominate their egocentrism and authoritarianism.
5. What are the insight of Thomas Aquinas about religion and ethics?
He believed that humans should differentiate what we need for our physical and spiritual. Through
which, the latter must be satisfied because that is more important than the former, claimed by Aquinas. Also,
being ethical is how we can achieve happiness through and with God.

ETHICS OUTSIDE RELIGION

1. Is ethics possible without religion?
Yes, because we have virtues in life that we may use as our guide to live morally.
2. Are atheists capable of becoming ethical person?
Yes, because religion is not the only basis of ethics Therefore, we can still act upon the guidance of
virtue or values in life to continually live ethically.
3. What makes virtue ethics an alternative to religion ethics?
Virtue ethics is used as an alternative for religion ethics because as long as you do not hurt anyone, you
make still can be ethical. You must use legal laws rather than commandments from the Bible. It is still
acceptable because some standards of ethics are also based from the Scripture.
4. What is secularism? Is it a threat to religion?
Secularism is an earthly deeds that sometimes being termed as sins as well because they focus on the
needs of the flesh rather that their spirit. It is somehow threat to religion since people commit for their physical
satisfaction and make sins out of control.
5. What is the role of virtue in Aristotle ethics?
Aristotle ethics focused more on the virtue. He believed that humans are able to rationalize and
differentiate good and bad, therefore we can avoid wrong doings and choose right things over.
6. What is phronesis? Cite an example.
Phronesis is about being able to characterize those righteous acts over wrong actions. To exemplify,
when your best friend is cheating on an exam and you tell it to your teacher because you know it is not proper to
pass without reviewing, especially it is unfair to those who exerted effort.
7. How can awareness of purpose help a person in fulfilling his or her happiness?
Knowing your purpose is like knowing your goals. You already have the idea of “why am I doing here?
For what?” So, you’ll be passionate of what you are doing to suffice your purpose.