POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES OPEN UNIVERSITY SYSTEM STO.

TOMAS BATANGAS CAMPUS SECOND SEMESTER 2011-2012

A Research Paper submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of MEM 647Professional Ethics in Values Education

Submitted by: RESYLYN Z CABRERA

FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS: MORALITY, HUMAN ACTS AND NATURE OF HUMAN ACTS I. INTRODUCTION

When man started to ask for questions as: What is right or wrong?, How am I suppose to live my life?, Where did I go wrong?, emerged a branch of philosophyEthics. Ethics, as we all know is the study of human conduct and the morality of human acts. Thus, the title- Fundamental Concepts: Morality, Human Acts and Nature of Human acts simply refer to Fundamental Concepts in Ethics. Below is a brief discussion of the said concepts from different authorities making clear those vague thoughts we have on the subject. II. OBJECTIVES

At the end of the discussion, readers are expected to: 1. be acquainted with the basic terms on fundamental concepts of ethics; 2. realize the importance of the fundamental concepts of ethics in individual life; 3. evaluate an act as to moral and immoral. III. DISCUSSION AND RESEARCH

Cohen (2008), author of 101 Ethical Dilemmas1 defined ethics as about choices which matter, and choices which matter are dilemmas. Greek word means two horns. The horns of dilemmas- only two choices: is or is not, to be or not to be , true or false. He further opined that ethics2 (Cohen, 2008) is bound up with the network of rights and duties each member of the community owes to each other.

1 2

Cohen, Martin. 101 Ethical Dilemmas. Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, 2008, pp. xii, 5. Cohen, Martin. 101 Ethical Dilemmas. Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, 2008, pp. xii, 5.

From this, came out another concept, that of morality. Barsky (2010) mentioned that morals are first-order convictions because they are central to the person, guiding his or her understandings about good and evil without requiring that person to make conscious attempts to reflect upon why certain behavior are right or wrong. Related to this, people adopt morality (Barsky, 2010) from their social context, religious or spiritual community, cultural community, neighbours, and close friends. Universal morality3 (Barsky, 2010) refers to moral systems that are common to all people, religions, cutlture, and social institutions. Particular morality4 on the other hand, refers to moral systems that are specific to certain cultures or social groups. In his book, Morality without God, Walter Sinnott- Armstrong asked this question: Why be Moral?5 and cited the following answers: Immorality5 (Sinnot- Armstrong, 2009, p.114) rarely pays. Sure, some people get away with horrible misbehaviour, but the odds are against them. When people cheat, steal, or kill, they take big chances. And even if they get away with it, they usually wont be happier, or much happier, than if they had made more modest gains honestly. They will often be hounded by guilt or fear of rivals or of punishment.

3 4 5

Barsky, Allan Edward. Ethics and Values in Social Work. Oxford University Press, Inc., 2010. p5, 9. Barsky, Allan Edward. Ethics and Values in Social Work. Oxford University Press, Inc., 2010. p5, 9. Sinnott-Armstrong, Walter. Morality Without God. Oxford University Press, Inc. 2009. P 113.

According to Sinnott-Armstrong, (2009, p116) the fact that an act causes harm to another person can be a reason not to do that act. The fact that an act causes harm to another person can be a reason not to do that act. These facts are reasons, even if the other people are strangers. What makes an act immoral (Sinnott- Armstrong 2009, p. 117) is that is causes harm or fails to prevent harm to others. Thus, Sinnott- Armstrong classified human acts to moral and immoral one. IV. SUMMARY

The above discussion simply defined Ethics as choices which matter. Concept of morality were also discussed as first-order convictions because they are central to the person, guiding his or her understandings about good and evil without requiring that person to make conscious attempts to reflect upon why certain behavior are right or wrong. Morality comes in two- universal and particular. Universal is one which is common to people in general while particular morality is one that applies to specific group of person. Sinnott-Armstrong classified human act as to moral and immoral. For him, what makes an act immoral (Sinnott- Armstrong 2009, p. 117) is that is causes harm or fails to prevent harm to others.

V.

GUIDE QUESTIONS

1. What is ethics? 2. Discuss the concept of morality. 3. When do we say that an act is immoral? 4. Sandra is a social worker providing counselling to a client named Colby. Colby discloses that he has been having sex with professional sex trade workers (prostitutes). Although he claims he is using condoms, Sandra is concerned about the safety of Colbys wife. How should Sandra balance her ethical obligation to keep Colbys information confidential with possible ethical, moral, or legal obligations to protect Colbys wife from emotional or physical harm?

EXPECTED ANSWERS 1. Ethics (Cohen, 2008) is bound up with the network of rights and duties each member of the community owes to each other. 2. Barsky (2010) mentioned that morals are first-order convictions because they are central to the person, guiding his or her understandings about good and evil without requiring that person to make conscious attempts to reflect upon why certain behavior are right or wrong. 3. What makes an act immoral (Sinnott- Armstrong 2009, p. 117) is that is causes harm or fails to prevent harm to others. 4. Answers may vary.

VI.

REFERENCES

Barsky, Allan Edward. Ethics and Values in Social Work. Oxford University Press, Inc., 2010. p5. Cohen, Martin. 101 Ethical Dilemmas. Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, 2008, pp. xii, 5. Sinnott-Armstrong, Walter. Morality Without God. Oxford University Press, Inc. 2009. P 113.