THE ETHICAL DIMENSION

OF HUMAN EXISTENCE

S O U R C E S O F AU T H O R I T Y
 Several common ways of
thinking about ethics are based
on the idea that the standards
of valuation are imposed by a
higher authority that commands
our obedience.
LAW
*ONE’S GUIDE TO ETHICAL BEHAVIOR

PHILIPPINES → FILIPINOS
Cavitenos → Cavite (not Cebu, etc)

POSITIVE LAW – refers to the different rules &

regulations that are posited or put forward by an
authority figure that require compliance.
UNETHICAL ACTS AS FORBIDDEN BY THE LAW:
Murder, theft, etc.

The LAW is enforced by way of a system of

sanctions administered through persons and
institutions, which all help in compelling us to obey.

“Ethics? It is simple. Just follow whatever the

law says.”
HOWEVER… *Obey the Law.
Can one simply identify ethics with the law?
1st point:The Prohibitive Nature of Law
The law does not tell us what we should do; it works
by constraining us from performing acts we should
not do.

x) What to pursue /)only what to avoid

NOT forbidden by the law but ethically questionable:
EX: Company → employees or applicants
The fact that one can make such a negative value judgement of
the practice where there is no violation of the law is already a
hint that one can look to something beyond the law when
making ethical valuations.

Ex: A story of toddler who had been run over by a couple

of vehicles…

Perhaps, one should think of ethics in a way that does not

simply identify it with obedience to the law.
RELIGION
“Love the Lord,Your God, therefore, & always heed his
charge: his statutes, decrees, and commandments.”
(New American Bible, Deut 11:1)
*the idea that one is obliged to obey his Creator in all things*

As a foundation for ethical values, this is referred as divine

command theory.

By listening to God & reading His writings, an individual

discovers how God wants her to act.
 We are presented with a more-or-less clear code of prohibitions &
many of these prohibitions given by religion – “thou shall not kill”, “thou
shall not steal”, “thou shall not commit adultery” – seem to intuitively
coincide with our sense of what ethics should rightly demand.

Religion is not simply prohibitive but also provides ideals to

pursue.
*be forgiving *be loving *help who have less

SUPREME AUTHORITY – who can inspire & compel

our obedience in a way that nothing else can

“Ethics? It is simple. Just follow whatever the

religion says.”
HOWEVER… MULTICIPLICITY
OF RELIGION

One requires the believer to clarify

his understanding of the connection
b/w ethics & God
“Holiness”
 CULTURE
the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of
a racial, religious, or social group; the characteristic
features of everyday existence (such as diversions or a
way of life) shared by people in a place or time

*DIVERSITY OF CULTURE
a. Aesthetic differences (Japanese art vs Indian art)
b. Religious differences (Buddhism vs Christianity)
c. Etiquette differences (conflicting behaviors in dining practices)
CULTURAL RELATIVISM
It is the idea that a person's beliefs, values, and practices
should be understood based on that person's own culture,
rather than be judged against the criteria of another.
 “Therefore, what is ethically acceptable or unacceptable is
relative to, or that is to say, dependent on one’s culture.”

“Ethics? It is simple. Just follow whatever your

culture says.”
HOWEVER…
1. The argument of cultural relativism (CR) is premised on
the reality of difference.
2. Under CR, we realize that we are in no position to render
any kind of judgement on the practices of another culture.
3. Under CR, we realize that we are in no position to render
judgement on the practices of even our own culture.
4. We can only maintain the CR by following the
presumption of culture as a single, clearly-defined substance
or as something fixed & already determined.

“What am I supposed to take as ‘my culture’?”

• Success entails sacrifices. You need to persevere and
be persistent. Do not worry, everything will be paid
off pretty real soon. There might be times when you
feel like it doesn't make sense anymore, you're just
tired. Get some rest. But do not ever quit. Always
remember why you started.