Domains of Ethics

Ethics is Critical it makes a reflective analysis of what makes an act good or

bad. It looks into the very ground or foundation of our actions.
Ethics is practical it is concerned with the actual conduct of human beings.
How they can be evaluated as to their rightness or wrongness.
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It influences conduct. It doesnt just tell what a good life is but more
so, how to lead such a life.
It presents thoughts and ideas that are not just to be known by the
mind but to be acted upon in the realm of everyday life.

Morality and its Justification

-mans capacity to think (Intellect and will)
- this capacity takes on responsibility and accountability for the choice
made, which is not found in the lower creation.

Reason and Ethical Inquiry

-with the use of reason and arguments, ethics or moral philosophy
attempts to achieve a systematic understanding or what morality requires of us
of how we ought to live and why.
-Aims to scrutinize what reasons and arguments are defensible,
consistent and logical
-It tries to subject this reasons and arguments to critical analysis and
evaluation

Why do we need Ethics?

-We make choices everyday. We become good or bad persons based on
our choices.
-Ethics provides us with moral paradigms and perspectives that will in a
way guide us in determining whats right and whats wrong under certain
conditions.

-Ethics enables us to reason out our moral beliefs and why we hold them.
-It is not enough to have certain beliefs on whats good and bad. We also
have to know the reason why we have them.
-Ethics enables us to examine more closely the very foundation and
ground of our moral beliefs.

Ethics and the Law

-at times what is legal is not always moral and what is moral is not always
legal.
Examples:
Cigarettes , lying , breaking promises

Laws concerned with actions that are usually public that are in a way often
harm those around us.
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The type of action are external ones that society forbids because they
are detrimental to the common good or the general public.
Products of collective agreement a social contract where people
come together and decide among themselves what is good and bad.

Ethics are beyond the concerns and parameters of law for it includes human
motivations in its investigation.
In Ethics what is right is right even though no one is doing it. Wrong is wrong
even if everyone is doing it.
Ethics is the very foundation of the laws.
Ethics includes thoughts and feelings of individuals not just their external
conduct and actions and subjects them to moral analysis and investigation or
evaluation.
Actions that we do in private are covered under the umbrella of Ethics.
It includes things that we do that do not directly harm others or even ourselves.
Our innermost motives and intentions, even if they are not carried out in
concrete, fall under the scope of Ethics.

Ethics is Prescriptive - it tells why certain actions are good and on what ground
those actions are considered moral or immoral.
Ethics is Normative An unexamined life isnt worth living Socrates
Norms are standards people assess their conduct against some sort of an
ideal that strikes them with a force of an external authority (God,
conscience,rational principle)
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We all want to justify our actions in a way that would help us find
sense and meaning in our lives.
The goal of ethics is to have our beliefs grounded on logical reason
and reflection beliefs that can withstand the rigor of philosophical
analysis and criticism.

Characteristics of Moral Principles

- intends to advice people what to do and to avoid.

Ex. Love your neighbor, Do not steal etc..
2. Impartiality Moral Standards are supposed to apply to everyone regardless
of ones status and situation in life.
- self interest does not have a place in the proper moral standard.
-ethical rules are grounded on reasons of an ideal observer, an
impartial spectator.
-we must not allow our own vested interest to decide on matters
of right or wrong.
3. Overridingness moral standards are of prime and ultimate importance.
4. Autonomous from arbitrary authority something is right or wrong
regardless of what majority decides or says.
5. Publicity Principles are made or promulgated to render advice as well as
assign praise or blame.

6. Practicality Moral rules should not be impossible to achieve. It must be

workable and practical.