Subject: ETHICS
LESSON 2
PRE-ASSESSMENT
1. What makes someone a good person, according to the natural law theory?
a. Obeying the laws of the land.
b. Obeying God's commands.
c. Fulfilling his or her true nature.
d. Doing whatever maximizes happiness.
2. Which of the following is natural law theory thought to explain?
a. The objectivity of morality.
b. The origins of morality.
c. The possibility of moral knowledge.
d. All of the above.
3. What is an empirical truth?
a. A truth that couldn't possibly have been false.
b. A truth that can be known simply by understanding it.
c. A truth that can be known only by using the senses.
d. A scientific hypothesis that is regarded as true but has not been
proven.
4. How do we come to have moral knowledge, according to natural law theory?
a. By consulting religious texts.
b. By careful scientific study.
c. By reflecting on the idea of morality.
d. Moral knowledge is impossible, according to natural law theory.
5. Which of the following claims best describes Hobbes's conception of
human nature?
a. People are inherently selfish and competitive.
b. People are inherently cooperative and altruistic.
c. People are inherently moral but are quickly corrupted by society.
d. People are inherently blank slates, neither naturally selfish nor
naturally altruistic.
Subject: ETHICS
LESSON 2
6. What two models of natural purposes are discussed in the text?
a. The Efficiency Model and the Fitness Model.
b. The Pleasure Model and the Desire Satisfaction Model.
c. The Natural Law Model and the Positive Law Model.
d. The Empirical Model and the Conceptual Model.
7. What is it for a term to be ambiguous?
a. It is clear and precise.
b. It has more than one meaning.
c. It is meaningless.
d. It plays a key role in an argument.
8. How do moral laws differ from natural laws?
a. They can be broken.
b. They do not describe how we actually behave.
c. They are not used to predict future behavior.
d. All of the above.
9. What is wrong with the Argument from Humanity?
a. It is invalid.
b. One of the premises is clearly false.
c. One of the key terms is ambiguous.
d. All of the above.
10. What is the role of nature in moral theory?
a. Nature determines what is right or wrong.
b. Nature is completely irrelevant to morality.
c. Nature sets the outer bounds of morality.
d. None of the above
Subject: ETHICS
LESSON 2
LEARNING TASKS
TASK 1. Specify 3 characteristics that makes you a good person.
Indicate who guided you to become this kind of person.
OPTIMISTIC HONEST DETERMINED
My family and a certain My parents and my My family and closest
person close in my teachers of Values friends taught me to be
encouraged me to Education subject determined in my
become optimistic in all guided me to be an ambitions in life.
my ways despite honest person. Being Challenges and
challenges and trials in honest all the time is not problems are spices to
life. No matter how hard easy knowing there are test how strong and
or painful the situation circumstances that you determined I am to get
is, I always think that have to cover up for the that ambition. I always
there is always a good sake of yourself and think that there are
side to it though it others. However, as things in life I can do
always takes to think much as I can do, I am with, and there aren’t.
and realize what is it. doing honesty as much However, I always end
as I can to uncover lies up thinking that I can do
for the sake of this, I can do that.
goodness.
Subject: ETHICS
LESSON 2
Task 2: Site an experience you had that resulted to bad decision. Write 3
reasons why you chose that decision.
The experience that I had that resulted me to a bad decision was when
I taught that drinking alcoholic drinks and smoking cigarettes can relax myself
from my problems in life, but the reality is not.
I chose that decision before, because…
My friends taught me I can experience I can always stick to my
that these things are exceptional satisfaction friends because they
cool and can ease my that everyone doing it are doing the same
stress in school and have experienced it too, thing. I was taught doing
home life. those things can cover
up the mess I had.
ANALYSIS
3. Interview one of your housemates regarding what they understand
about moral standards. Based on the teachings of Aristotle and Aquinas,
analyse one feedback provided and write an essay with 5 to 8 sentences
which relates to the previous discussion.
According to my sister, moral standards are the standards that you set.
It is about how you set right and wrong; what is morally right or wrong. Also,
moral standards are societally-agreed-upon standards of behavior. They are
strongly influenced by culture and tradition. Concerning Aristotle and Aquinas’
teachings, moral standards hone us requires us to make choices every day
whether it is good or bad, some of which may be very difficult. Sometimes, we
choose decisions in life that we think it is good though morally it is bad,
because of the pleasure we expect and truly, it is more tempting. While doing
something painful though it is good requires us to give a sort of sacrifice for
the common good.
Subject: ETHICS
LESSON 2
4. Detail a belief you have which contradicts some people. Discuss how
you defend these belief in 5 sentences.
My belief that contradicts some people, is that WHEN SOMEONE
DECIDES TO WALK AWAY FROM YOUR LIFE, DO NOT BE HESITANT
WHEN THEY ASK YOU THAT THEY WANT TO LEAVE YOU. INSTEAD,
LET THEM GO AND DO NOT FORCE THEM TO STAY WITH YOU.
This belief of mine is somehow a painful thing for me to do especially
when these people or this person contributed a lot to my life development.
However, since they want to walk away from me because they are not happy
anymore, then, who am I to prevent them from leaving? I believe everyone
has the choice, to stay or to leave no matter how great or small their
contribution to my life is, or my contribution to their life is.
I always say that if a person truly wants to be with you, he or she will
stay despite the challenges we are both facing. However, I cannot force them
to stay if they are willing to walk away. As long as they are happy and
contented with that decision they have, then, let’s have separate ways and
look for a happy life we both deserve.
ABSTRACTION
2. Abortion is legal in other countries but not here in the Philippines
because the Church plays a big part in our society. Recommend 3 moral
values how we can resolve this issue.
Two persons making love that resulted in pregnancy should think first if
they can play the responsibility of being parents, if not, then stop making
sex. Instead, ABSTAIN and look for other things that can develop their
morality.
Our government should respect the decision of the church to maintain
morality. In Biblical belief, abortion is a crime and it is under the sin of
Subject: ETHICS
LESSON 2
Killing a life. The Philippines should maintain the belief that killing is a sin,
it is a crime, therefore, omit the abortion concept.
Before putting a tough decision about legalizing abortion in the Philippines,
do a meditation, a reflection of how abortion affects a woman’s life.
PRAY and ask for God’s knowledge and wisdom.
3. Identify day to day situations you have where you can apply this
values and explain how.
ABSTAIN - I do abstain from some decisions in life which I taught it
can satisfy me, but I forget or ignore to do such thing because I am thinking in
advance the probabilities of incoming responsibilities and obligations that I
know I cannot do it as of now.
MAINTAIN MORALITY - I maintain morality even if I am at home or
with my friends. I do not condone doing immoralities which I taught is OKAY,
but spiritually and morally, is NOT. As much as possible, I should avoid,
ignore or walk away from it.
MEDITATING, REFLECTING, PRAYING - Before doing anything
tough decisions, I meditate first, reflect and pray to God. Ask Him to guide me
about my plans in life. Guide me on the right path, and if my decision is not
good, I ask Him for signs that the thing that I want is not for me.
Subject: ETHICS
LESSON 2
APPLICATION
Task 3: Omerta is a code of silence that developed among members of
the Mafia. It was used to protect criminals from the police. Is this ethical
or moral value? Explain your answer in 3 sentences
For me, it belongs to Mafia’s way of taking care their moral values.
Omerta is used to protect the criminals from the police despite of their
immoral works being done. They are protecting themselves or covering
themselves to be accused from immorality in public.
Task 4: As a protocol mandated by the WHO and CDC for mortality on
COVID victims, cremation is the best option for memorial service. The
Muslim religion prohibits cremation. Discuss how you will protect the
safety of others without choosing cremation. Is this ethical? Explain
your answer in 5 sentences.
To protect the safety of others without choosing cremation, if I were a
Government Leader or WHO Leader, I would consider ethical beliefs of
Muslim religions that doesn’t allow cremation. Cremation should be an option
to the Muslim religion. They should not be forced to do so, or else we are
violating their norms which are against to their moral standards.
The government should have taught first that there are sectors in the
world that is against to cremation. The government should consider this
ethical belief before going to a decision that other sectors are not satisfied.
REFLECTION
I have learned that moral standards are those concerned with or relating to
human behavior, especially the distinction between good and bad (or right
and wrong) behavior. Moral standards involve the rules people have about the
kinds of actions they believe are morally right and wrong, as well as the
Subject: ETHICS
LESSON 2
values they place on the kinds of objects they believe are morally good and
morally bad.
I have realized that Ethics aren’t always moral and vice versa. It’s important
to know that what’s ethical isn’t always what’s moral, and vice versa. Also, I
have realized that happiness concerns obtaining our absolute perfection,
which by definition can only be found in the absolute Being, which is God.
I will apply what I have learned, and what I have realized. It is important to
balance ethical standards and moral standards no matter what the norm is.
Let us respect each other’s belief and decisions in some things which we
thought not right, but for them, it is legal.
POST ASSESSMENT
1. According to Benedict, the best cases for illustrating the range of cultural
diversity are
a. those where an abnormality of one culture is the foundation of
another.
b. found when two cultures collide, as in war.
c. found by looking at a single culture across time.
d. those where one group within a culture disagrees with another.
2. Benedict describes a society in northwest Melanesia that
a. kills children for fun.
b. eats their pets.
c. treats another's food as deadly poison.
d. plays games with feces.
3. Benedict notes that the Kwakiutl
a. treat death as an affront to be wiped out by the death of another
person.
b. treat death as a welcome relief to be celebrated.
Subject: ETHICS
LESSON 2
c. treat birth as an affront to be wiped out by the death of another
person.
d. treat birth as a tragedy to be mourned.
4. According to Benedict, a people's ethics depends upon
a. universal truths.
b. a selection among the possible behavior traits.
c. expressions of their attitudes.
d. their religion.
5. Benedict defines “normality” as
a. the socially elaborated segment of human behavior in any
culture.
b. the activities sanctioned by familial arrangements.
c. the norms implicitly adopted within a societal structure.
d. none of the above.
6. Benedict claims that morality is
a. a branch of psychology.
b. a convenient term for socially approved habits.
c. a useful fiction.
d. a term that should be banished from textbooks.
7. On Benedict's view, _____________ and ____________ are synonymous.
a. morally good; habitual
b. morally right; socially acceptable
c. justice; mores
d. injustice; socially sanctioned
8. According to Benedict, individuals whose characteristics are not congenial
to the selected type of human behavior in a community are considered
a. renegades.
b. deviants.
c. trend-setters.
Subject: ETHICS
LESSON 2
d. evil.
9. Benedict claims that any conclusions about the behavior found in Western
civilization
a. is rendered invalid by psychology itself being a Western practice.
b. must await the collection by trained observers of psychiatric
data from other cultures.
c. is always under determined by data.
d. none of the above.
10. Benedict asserts that all our local conventions of moral behavior
a. are without absolute validity.
b. could be shared by the whole human race.
c. both a and b.
d. neither a nor b.
