ETHICS AND MORALITYCHAPTER 1:

WHY BE ETHICAL?

HRE 4M1 – GRADE 12M RELIGION

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ETHICS AND MORALITY Ethics comes from the Greek word “ta

ethickas” – means having to do with good character

Ethics is more interested in the good that humans tend toward. Ex. Include happiness and freedom

Ethics is also interested in that search for the good

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ETHICS AND MORALITY Morality comes from the Latin word

‘moralitas’ - means having to do with the customs, manners, and habits shaping human life

Morality is translating that search for the good in the way we conduct our everyday lives

Ethics guides morality – it gives us the vision of our action (we can’t paint without our paintbrush)

Ethics gives us an understanding of the essential principles underlying our activity

LETS IMPROVE YOUR UNDERSTANDING... Example: Music- Ethics is understanding the musical theory,

reading music, understanding technique- Morality is playing music, hitting the right

notes, performing- People can still play music without musical

theory- You may/may not make good decisions in a

musical arrangement or performance

What does Ethics give us? Our society is filled with many norms, duties

and many important laws and commandments

The purpose of ethics is to find the highest possible good in various circumstances and under certain conditions (i.e. self defense vs. Thou shall not kill)

Goods beat out the rules and norms If the rules don’t contribute to that highest

good - the rules need to be reconsidered

4 Types of Ethical Experiences:#1 The Scream – The Personal Response

There is a scream from someone in trouble There is a spontaneous decision to help There is a drive to move and act – an

automatic response

Video Clip: Spider Man 3

4 Types of Ethical Experiences:#2 The Beggar – The Experience of the Other

This can happen when you are face-to-face with another person

You are responsible to the other The other’s face takes hostage and elicits a responsibility

from you (can become guilt) The face stays with you until you decide – it causes an

impact May not always begin this way – there are a number of emotions and many questions you ask yourself

Video Clip: The Fisher King

4 Types of Ethical Experiences:#3 “I have to...” – The Obligation Experience

There is an intrinsic duty (i.e. To follow parent’s rules)

If you choose to ignore the ethical response, the unrest stays with you

The order or wish from an authority figure can invade our consciousness, change our ethical framework and demand a response

Video Clip: Trailer for Grey’s Anatomy ‘Tainted Obligation’

4 Types of Ethical Experiences:#4 “This isn’t fair!” – The Contrast Experience

One has a built-in capacity of what the world should look like

These experiences lead us to the thought of “That is not fair!”

This is a response to a terrifying event that contrasts greatly with how we think humans should be acting

Can cause a change that opposes this destruction

Video Clip: Hotel Rwanda

4 Types of Ethical Experiences It is important for us to understand that there is

no real ethical theory Our Catholic faith hopes that we use our

conscience and search for the good in every ethical dilemma we face

What one person believes is duty, guilt, intolerable contrast, etc. will be different for every person in every circumstance

Ethical RelativismAny view that denies the existences of a single universally applicable moral standard. In other words, morality is “relative” from person to person.

Ethical Absolutism The view that affirms the existences of a single correct and universally applicable moral standard

Moral Absolute/Universal Believe that morals are inherent in the laws of the universe, the nature of humanity, and the will or character of God, or some other fundamental source The regard actions as essentially moral or immoral For example, slavery, dictatorships, child abuse is absolutely immoral regardless of the beliefs and goals of a culture that engages in these practices They believe that moral questions can be judged regardless of the context of the act

INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY

PHILOSOPHY IS:1. Love and pursuit of wisdom by

intellectual means and moral self-discipline.

2. Investigation of the nature, causes, or principles of reality, knowledge, or values, based on logical reasoning rather than empirical methods.

3. A system of thought based on or involving such inquiry.

Catholic Approach to Ethics There is a philosophical understanding of

the human person as ethical. Tradition as the “Book of Nature”. We have an innate (born with) search for

the good.

Judeo-Christian Tradition – Search for Good Sacred scripture is the foundation in our

understanding of what is good and understanding ourselves at ethical beings

(Remember Grade 10 – What does it mean to be human?)

How do these goods impact our lives? Revelation and Reason Good of freedom, of love, of justice, of love

of community, of forgiveness