Scribd
Upload
84 views5 pages

Ethical Frameworks: Love and Justice

Uploaded by

jessabongbong
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
84 views5 pages

Ethical Frameworks: Love and Justice

Uploaded by

jessabongbong
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

MODULE: VAL02 – ETHICS

CHAPTER 6 – THE MEANING OF ETHICAL FRAMEWORK

A. Explain the meaning of ethical framework


B. Distinguish among five ethical framework

An Ethical framework is a set of codes that an individual uses to guide his or her behavior. It is just
another term for "moral standards" as discussed in the early part of this text. It is what people use to
distinguish right from wrong in the way they interact with the world. It is used to determine the moral
object of an action. An ethical framework guides an individual in answering these two questions: "What
do I ought to do?" and Why do I ought to do so"? So ethical frameworks serve as guideposts in moral
life.

The various dominant mental frames may be classified as:

1) Virtue or character ethics of Aristotle,

2) Natural law or commandment ethics of St. Thomas and others,

3) deontogical and duty framework of Immanuel Kant,

4) Utilitarianism, teleological and consequentialist approach and

5) Love and justice framework.

They will be introduced here but will be discussed more in detail in the succeeding lessons.

1
MODULE: VAL02 – ETHICS

Virtue or Character Ethics of Aristotle

Virtue ethics asks, who is the ethical person? For


Aristotle, the ethical person is virtuous, one who has
developed good character or has developed virtues.
One attains virtues when he/she actualizes his/her
potentials or possibilities, the highest of which is
happiness. Happiness is the joy of self-realization, self-
fulfillment, and the experience of having actualized one's
potentials.

Natural Law or Commandment Ethics of St.


Thomas

For St. Thomas, what is right is what follows the natural law,
the rule which says, "do good and avoid evil." In knowing the
good as distinguished from evil, one is guided by the Ten
Commandments which is summed up as loving God and one's
fellowmen.

Deontological and Duty Framework of


Immanuel Kant Kant's framework is Deon or
duty or deontological framework. Deontology centers on
"the rights of individuals and the intentions associated
with particular behavior... equal respect... given to all
persons." The "deontological approach is based on
universal principles such as honesty, fairness, justice and

2
MODULE: VAL02 – ETHICS

respect for persons and property." It is based on the categorical imperative, that is, one must act such
that his/her maxim will be the maxim of all. This acting based on a maxim that can be the maxim of all
is a duty, an obligation of every man or woman. Acting out of duty (Deon) is acting out of good will or
intentions. Treating man as an end, not a means to an end is acting with good will or intentions.

Utilitarianism, Teleological and Consequentialist Framework

The utilitarianism teleological approach focuses on consequences. "The decision maker is concerned
with the utility of decision. What really counts is the net balance of good consequences over bad." The
rightness of an action depends on the said net balance of good consequences.

Love and Justice Framework

What is ethical is that which is just and that which is loving. Justice giving what is due to others (justice)
while is giving even more than what is due to others.

Aristotle's Virtue Ethics

Virtue or character ethics


-An ethical act is the action that a virtuous person would do in the same circumstances. Virtue ethics is
person-based rather than action-based. It looks at the virtue or moral character of the person carrying
out an action, rather than at ethical duties and rules or the consequences of particular actions.

Virtue ethics does not only deal with the rightness or wrongness of individual actions. It provides
guidance as to the sort of characteristics and behaviors a good person will seek to achieve. In that way,
virtue ethics is concerned with the whole of a person's life, rather than particular episodes or actions. A
good person is someone who lives virtuously who possesses and lives the Virtue ethics uses the
following as a framework for ethical decision making.

In the Virtue framework, we try to identify the character traits (either positive or negative) that might

3
MODULE: VAL02 – ETHICS

motivate us in a given situation. We are concerned with what kind of person we should be and what
our actions indicate about our character. We define ethical behavior as whatever a virtuous person
would do in the situation, and we seek to develop similar virtues.

Obviously, this framework is useful in situations that ask what sort of person one should be. As a way
of making sense of the world, it allows for a wide range of behaviors to be called ethical, as there might
be many different types of good character and many paths to developing it. Consequently, it takes into
account all parts of human experience and their role in ethical deliberation, as it believes that all of
one's experiences, emotions, and thoughts can influence the development of one's character.

Stated similarly, virtue ethics is “the ethics of behavior" which "focuses on the character of the persons
involved in the decision or action. If the person in question has good character, and genuine motivation
and intentions, he or she is behaving ethically."

Virtue ethics, "is an ethics whose goal is to determine what is essential to being a well-functioning or
flourishing human person. Virtue ethics stresses an ideal for humans or persons. As an ethics of ideals
or excellences, it is an optimistic and positive type of ethics.

Basic Types of Virtue (Excellence)

1) intellectual virtues- refer to excellence of the mind, include ability to


understand, reason and judge well
2) Moral virtues- refer to a person's dispositions to act well. Dispose a
person to act well.

Virtue as a Mean
For Aristotle, virtue is the Golden Mean between two extremes. The virtue of courage is a mean
between two extremes of deficiency and extreme, namely, cowardice and foolhardiness,
respectively. Too little courage is cowardice and too much courage is foolhardiness
(MacKinnon, et al 2015)

4
MODULE: VAL02 – ETHICS

Virtue Ethics in Other Traditions


Confucius
Emphasized two virtues, jen (or ren) and li Jen means humaneness, human-heartedness and
compassion means propriety. Manners or culture.
Hinduism
Emphasizes five basic moral virtues: non-violence, truthfulness, honesty, chastity, freedom from
greed. It also emphasizes mental virtues: calmness, self-control, self-settledness, forbearance,
faith and complete concentration, hunger for spiritual liberation. (George, V, 2008)
Buddhism
Also has its intellectual and moral virtues. From the eight- fold path are the intellectual virtues of
right understanding and right mindfulness and the moral virtues of right speech, right action and
right livelihood.
Jesus Christ
Preached the virtues of love, mercy and compassion, hunger for justice, patience, kindness,
gentleness, self-control. St. Thomas Aquinas taught the theological virtues faith, hope and love.
Christian tradition teaches four cardinal moral virtues, namely: prudence, justice, temperance
and fortitude.
St. Thomas
Being an eclectic philosopher, integrated into his own philosophy anything that is good
conceived by his predecessors like Aristotle. But he enriched their thoughts with his own insights
or learning the attainment of the highest good, which is happiness, includes it diffusion. "Bonum
difusivum EST." Goodness as goodness necessarily diffuses itself. A person's virtue diffuses
itself in a right action. Goodness shares itself, like a light that shines before all men.

ETHICS book
Ruben A. Corpuz, AB English-Philo, LIB, PhD
Brenda B. Corpuz, BSE, MAED, PhD

Common questions

Powered by AI

The love and justice framework integrates elements from various ethical frameworks by emphasizing ethical actions as those that are both loving and just. It aligns with the principles of virtue ethics by focusing on the motives of humaneness and compassion , similar to the care for virtues in virtue ethics . It resonates with deontological ethics by stressing justice and fairness as upholding individuals' rights, akin to Kant's emphasis on intentions and respect for persons . While it does not directly focus on outcomes as utilitarianism does, its advocacy for justice mirrors utilitarian concerns for fair distribution of resources and welfare .

Confucian virtue ethics, emphasizing virtues such as jen (humaneness) and li (propriety), aligns with Aristotle's virtue ethics in its focus on developing one's character and cultivating virtues to guide moral behavior . Both systems uphold the significance of personal development in achieving ethical living. However, they diverge in cultural emphases: Confucian ethics is deeply rooted in social harmony and relational contexts, whereas Aristotle’s framework is more individualistic, concerned with personal flourishing and the 'Golden Mean' . Confucianism extensively considers social roles and communal obligations, which is less prominent in Aristotle's ethics.

Virtue ethics is described as an ethics of ideals or excellences because it aims to determine what is essential for a well-functioning or flourishing human person by focusing on the development of moral and intellectual virtues . This contrasts with utilitarianism, a teleological approach that focuses on the consequences of actions, assessing the morality of an action based on its ability to produce the greatest balance of good over bad outcomes . While virtue ethics concerns itself with the character and the life of the agent, utilitarianism evaluates specific outcomes, which can be seen as more action-oriented than the inherently character-focused virtue ethics.

St. Thomas Aquinas's natural law ethics holds that actions are right if they align with natural law and the principle of "do good and avoid evil," guided by divine command and reflected in the Ten Commandments . This contrasts with utilitarianism, which evaluates the morality of actions based on their consequences and the net balance of benefits over harms . While natural law focuses on inherent moral rules established by divine order, utilitarianism considers the outcomes of actions to gauge their ethical value, emphasizing practical results over adherence to prescribed moral laws.

Aristotle's virtue ethics focuses on the character and virtues of the person, emphasizing that an ethical person is someone who possesses good character traits and seeks to actualize their highest potential, such as happiness, which represents self-realization . In contrast, Immanuel Kant's deontological framework is concerned with the intentions behind actions and adherence to duty. It emphasizes acting out of good will and following universal principles, such as fairness and respect for individuals, regardless of the consequences .

St. Thomas Aquinas's natural law principles, which emphasize doing good and avoiding evil based on divine command and the guidance of moral laws like the Ten Commandments, could inspire contemporary human rights discourse by providing a philosophical foundation for universal moral rights that transcend cultural and religious differences . The inherent emphasis on the moral law and respect for the dignity of human beings could underpin efforts to solidify human rights as natural entitlements derived from human nature itself. This approach encourages a moral universality that aligns with global human rights aspirations, promoting justice, fairness, and mutual respect as fundamental human concerns.

Integrating Aristotle's virtue ethics with elements from traditions like Confucianism and Buddhism can enhance personal ethical development by expanding the scope and depth of moral virtues considered essential. Confucianism's emphasis on social virtues such as jen and li contributes a relational and communal dimension, focusing on social harmony and proper conduct . Buddhism's integration of mindfulness and rightful conduct encourages self-awareness and intentional living . Together, these traditions provide a rich mosaic of virtues that complement Aristotle’s focus on the mean, making ethical practice more comprehensive and adaptable to various life situations. Such a synthesis fosters a balanced development of character that is sensitive not only to personal excellence but also to community welfare and spiritual well-being.

The ethics of Jesus Christ, characterized by virtues such as love, mercy, and compassion , provide a foundational moral vision that can influence modern ethical practices by encouraging empathy, altruism, and social justice. In diverse cultural contexts, these virtues resonate universally, transcending cultural boundaries and promoting a discourse of ethics grounded in kindness and community support. However, the application of these principles may vary significantly due to differing religious, historical, and social frameworks, posing challenges in terms of consistent interpretation and practical integration. Despite this, the overarching themes of compassion and justice offer a cohesive ethical guide that can facilitate cross-cultural dialogue and understanding.

In Aristotle's virtue ethics, the concept of 'mean' refers to the golden mean, which is the desirable middle ground between two extremes of behavior. For instance, the virtue of courage is the mean between cowardice and foolhardiness. By aiming for the mean, individuals can develop virtues and guide their moral behavior towards a balanced and moderate path that avoids excess and deficiency .

In Aristotle's virtue ethics, there are two basic types of virtues: intellectual virtues and moral virtues. Intellectual virtues refer to the excellence of the mind, such as the ability to reason, understand, and judge well. Moral virtues indicate dispositions to act well, guiding ethical behavior by aligning actions with these internalized virtues . Together, these virtues provide a framework for ethical decision-making by promoting a character that naturally leads to virtuous actions, rather than focusing on specific rules or outcomes.

You might also like