PART 1: THE MORAL AGENT

ENCULTURATION ACCULTURATION
LESSON 1: CULTURE IN MORAL BEHAVIOR process of learning occurs when
and internalizing individuals or group
• CULTURE : SOME DEFINITIONS one's native culture adapt to a new
from birth through culture after
 Cultures refers to the cumulative family, education exposure, often by
deposit of knowledge, and social adapting new
experience,beliefs, values, attitudes, interactions, shaping customs, languages
meanings, etc. values, beliefs and or practices while
 Culture consists of patterns, explicit behaviors retaining aspects of
and implicit, of and for behavior their original culture
acquired and transmitted by symbols
across diverse societies. • 'MORAL STANDARDS AS SOCIAL
 Culture is the sum total of the learned CONVENTION' AND THE SOCIAL
behavior of a group of people that are CONDITIONING THEORY
generally considered to be the
tradition of that people and are  Social Convention - it theorize the
transmitted from generation to moral law is something which human
generation. beings had just made up for
 Culture is cultivated behavior which is themselves and might have been
socially transmitted or more briefly, different had they liked
behavior through social learning.  Social Conditioning - people internalize
 Culture is symbolic communication. cultural expectations, learning what is
considered right or wrong based on
- Culture includes all the things individual rewards, punishments, and social
learn while growing up among particular approval
group
•CULTURAL RELATIVISM IN ETHICS
• CULTURE'S RULE IN MORAL BEHAVIOR
 Moral Relativism - fundamentally
 Culture is a way of life believes that no act is good or bad
objectively, and there is no single
✓ Complex Whole objective universal standard through
- includes moral values and behavior which we can evaluate the truth of
✓ World Interpretation moral judgments
- evaluation of what is morally good or bad  Cultural Relativism - define moral as
✓ Production what is socially approved by the
- individual are a product of their own majority in a particular culture
culture Lessons:
- It does encourage tolerance, which is
 "Learning culture is an essential part of necessary for people of different cultural
human development" (De Guzman & origin to co-exist
Peña, 2016) - It teaches open-mindedness, therefore
being more open to discovering truth
 Social Learning - the process by which Faults:
individuals acquire knowledge from - Discourages analytical and independent
others in the group to which they thinking
belong, as a normal part of childhood. - Inconsistent in promoting tolerance
Either through Enculturation and
Acculturation
 If we took cultural relativism seriously FILIPINO MORAL CHARACTERS
we could be necessitated to deal with (STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES)
the following corollaries enumerated
by Rachels; 1. Pakikisama
a. ) We could no longer say that the 2. Hiya
customs of the other societies of morally 3. Amor Propio
inferior to our own 4. Utang na loob
b. ) We could decide whether actions are 5. Filipino Hospitality
right or wrong by just consulting the 6. Respect to Elders
standards of our society
c. ) The idea of moral progress is called • UNIVERSAL VALUES
into doubt
 By universal values we mean those
values generally shared by cultures.
The existence of so called universal
• ASIAN MORAL UNDERSTANDING values is strong proof that cultural
relativism is wrong.
 Culture has a major impact on 1. Giving value on truth telling is
morality, people from different indispensable in the existence of society for
cultures appear to have seemingly but without it there would be no reason to pay
no essentially, different sets of ethics. attention to what anyone communicates
This is particularly apparent in ethics of with anyone.
group of people from the Eastern 2. Valuing or respecting life which
(Asian) culture as compared to those necessitates the prohibition on murder
from the Western culture.
 Difference Between Eastern and LESSON II: THE MORAL AGENT
Western Ethics
WESTERN EASTERN DEVELOPING VIRTUE AS HABIT
FOCUS Finding Protocol and
Truth Respect  Moral character - the existence or lack
BASIS Rational Religious of virtues such as integrity, courage,
Thought Teachings fortitude, honesty, and loyalty.
EMPHASIS Logic, Cause Respect
and Effect towards 1. MORAL CHARACTER AND VIRTUES
family
ROOTS IN Athens, Hinduism,  Character derived from the Greek
Rome and Buddhism, word 'charakter', initially used as a
Judeo Confucianism mark impressed upon a coin.
Christianity and Taoism  The word "character" later came to
APPROACH Rational Holistic and mean a distinct mark by which one
Cultural thing was distinguished one person
CONFLICT Good must Good and from another.
AND triumph Bad, Light  This stress on distinctiveness or
HARMONY over Evil and Dark all individuality tends to merge
exist in "character" with "personality" in
equilibrium modern usage.
 Book II of the Nicomachean Ethics, the
Greek philosopher Aristotle tell us that
there are two distinct of human
excellences;
1. excellences of thought and
2. excellences of character. His phrase for  American psychologist Lawrence
excellences of (mortal) character, 'ethikai Kohlberg (1927-1987) known for his
aretai' (ethical) adjective cognate with theory of stages of moral
'ethos' (character). development. He agreed with the
 Speak of a 'virtue' or an excellence of Swiss clinical psychologist Jean Piaget's
moral character, the highlighting is not (1896-1980) theory of moral
on mere distinctiveness or development but wanted to develop
individuality, but on the blend of his ideas further.
qualities that make a person the sort  In each case, Kohlberg offered an
of ethically admirable individual option to be considered, for example,
he/she is. between the rights of some authority
 Moral character - in philosophical and the needs of some deserving
sense, having or lacking moral virtue. person who is being unfairly treated.
Kohlberg pin-pointed three distinct
2. THE CIRCULAR RELATION OF ACTS AND levels of moral reasoning with two sub
CHARACTER stages composing his so-called six
stages of moral development;
 Moral development - there is the LEVEL 1: PRECONVENTIONAL MORALITY
circular relation between acts that STAGE 1: Obedience and Punishment
build character and moral character Orientation
itself. Person's actions determine - Children making decisions based on self-
his/her moral character, but moral interest and avoiding punishment
character itself generates acts that STAGE 2: Exchange of Favors
help in developing either virtue or vice. - In this stage people recognize that others
- moral development should also be also have needs. They may also try to
understood in the sense of human satisfy others needs when their own needs
flourishing. Flourishing is attained by are also met.
the habitual practice of moral and LEVEL 2: CONVENTIONAL MORALITY
intellectual excellences, or 'virtues'. STAGE 3: Good Boy/Girl
- People make decision based on what
3. MORAL CHARACTERS AS action will please others, especially
DISPOSITIONS authority figures, and other individuals with
high status. Concerned about maintaining
 Moral character traits that constitute a relationships through sharing, trust, and
person's moral character are loyalty, and they take other people’s
characteristically understood as perspectives and intentions into account
behavioral and affective dispositions. when making decisions
'Dispositions' are particular kinds of STAGE 4: LAW AND ORDER
properties or characteristics that - maintaining social order and fulfilling
objects can possess. one’s duties and obligations within society.
 Among human beings, moral character Moral decision are guided by upholding
traits-eitheir virtues or vices-are also laws and respecting authority to ensure
considered as dispositions. Good moral societal stability
character is partically a disposition to LEVEL 3: POSTCONVENTIONAL MORALITY
do virtuous acts. Oppositely, a bad STAGE 5: SOCIAL CONTRACT
moral character is, in effect, a - Upholding social contracts and
disposition to do vicious deeds. democratically agreed-upon laws, even if
they conflict with personal desires. It
4. SIX STAGES OF MORAL prioritizes the well-being of society as a
DEVELOPMENT whole.
STAGE 6: Universals Ethical Principle
- Individual’s at this stage act according to mentioned dilemmas are artificial, that is,
self-chosen ethical principles that are they lack ecological validity.
universal and consistent, even if those PART 2: THE ACT
principles conflict with laws or societal
norms. They prioritize justice, equality, and LESSON 1: FEELINGS AND MORAL
human dignity above all else. This stage is DECISION-MAKING
rarely achieved.
 There are at least 2 theories in ethics
5. GETTING TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL, that give focus on the role of feelings
CONSCIENCE-BASED MORAL DECISIONS on morality:
1. Ethical Subjectivism
Kohlberg's stages combined with Piaget's 2. Emotivism
theory;
STAGES 1: RESPECT FOR POWER AND FEELINGS AS INSTICTIVE RESPONSE TO
PUNISHMENT MORAL DILEMMAS
- A young child (age 1-5) chooses what to
do---what is right---according to what  Some ethicists believe that ethics is
he/she wants to do and can do without also a matter of emotions. They hold
getting into trouble. that moral judgments at their best
STAGES 2: LOOKING OUT FOR #1 Children should also be emotional. Feelings are
(age 5-10) seen as also necessary in ethical
- are disposed to be egotistic or self- judgment as they are even deemed by
serving. STAGES 3: BEING A "GOOD BOY" some as instinctive and trained
OR "NICE GIRL". response to moral dilemmas.
- In this stage, people (age 8-16) have
shifted from pleasing themselves to FEELINGS AS OBSTACLES TO MAKING THE
pleasing important others, usually parents, RIGHT DECISION
teachers, or friends.
STAGES 4: LAW AND ORDER THINKING  Feelings and emotions, however can
- Majority of people (16 years old and become obstacle or impediments to
older) have internalized society's rules becoming ethical.
about how to behave. STAGES 5: JUSTICE  In this case especially when feelings’
THROUGH DEMOCRACY In this stage, roles in ethics are misinterpreted or
people understand the underlying moral exaggerated.
purposes that are supposed to be served ETHICAL SUBJECTIVISM
by laws and social customs. - This theory basically utterly runs contrary
STAGES 6: DECIDING ON BASIC MORAL to the principle that there is objectivity in
PRINCIPLES BY WHICH YOU WILL LIVE YOUR morality
LIFE AND RELATE TO EVERYONE FAIRLY - Is not about what things are good and
- In this stage, rare people have evaluated what things are bad.
many values and have rationally chosen a - It also does not tell how we should live or
philosophy of life that truly guides their life. what moral norms we should practice
Social control in this stage is exercised Moral Judgments - are truth bearers;
through guilt associated with the rational Ethical Subjectivism holds that the truth or
reaction of conscience based on moral falsity of ethical propositions is dependent
principles. on the feelings, attitudes, or standards of a
person or group of persons.
6. PROBLEMS WITH KOHLBERG'S THEORY Subjectivists - hold that there is no such
thing as objective right or real wrong.
Not all ethicists accept Kohlberg's theory on
moral development. Some argue that his
 This theory proposes that when we say Emotivism claims that they have two
something is morally good, this just entirely different purposes
means that we approve of that thing.
Similarly, when we state that 1. They are used as a means of
something is morally bad, this means, influencing other’s behavior.
that we disapprove of or do not like 2. Moral sentences are used to express
the thing, nothing more. (not report) the speaker’s attitude.
 Ethical Subjectivism suggest that we
are to identify our moral principles by DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EMOTIVISM AND
simply following our feelings SUBJECTIVISM:
SUBJECTIVISM EMOTIVISM
EMOTIVISM Interprets ethical Denies that
- Is to view it as an improve version of sentences as utterance states any
Subjectivism. statements of fact, fact at all.
- Is deemed invulnerable to many particularly as
objections report of the
- this theory was developed chiefly by speaker’s attitude.
American Philosopher Charles L. Stevenson
(1909-1979) has been one of the most - Emotivism provides morality with
influential theories of Ethics in the 20th insufficient explanations. In denying, moral
century. truth and moral knowledge, it seems to
- the theory basically states that moral dilute, what morality is instead of
judgments express positive or negative elucidating it. It is also unclear how the
feelings ethical good can be reasonably reducible to
- the most popular form of non-cognitivism, mere exclamation.
the meta-ethical theory that claims that - Emotivism also fails to distinguish the
ethical sentences do not convey authentic moral judgments from mere expressions of
propositions. personal preference.
Moral Judgment - according to emotivism, -Having logical positivist background,
are not statements of fact but a mere emotivism discard moral truths
expressions of the emotions of the speaker, - Emotivism also fails to notice that humans
especially since they are usually feeling- have not only feelings but also reason, and
based. reasons play a vital role in ethics.
- In denying moral truths or moral - Moral truths are truths of reason; that is,
knowledge, some emotivists base their moral judgment is true if it is espoused by
stance on logical positivism, which claims better reasons than the alternatives
that any legitimate truth claim must be
empirically verifiable. FEELINGS CAN HELP IN MAKING THE RIGHT
- To understand how the theory views DECISIONS
moral judgment, it would help to note that
language is used in a variety of ways. 1. The Influence of Feelings in Morality
- language is used to state facts or what we
believe to be facts.  Feelings such as fear, kindness, and
- the purpose of utterance is, typically to disgust can affect moral decisions.
convey information to listener.  Moral emotions provide motivation for
- We also need to note the difference ethical actions.
between reporting an attitude and  Rational thinking is important, but
expressing the same attitude emotions also play a role.
- According to Emotivism, utterance in  Love is a key factor in ethical
ethics are not-fact-stating sentences, that is considerations, especially in Christian
they are not used to convey information. philosophy.
2. Ethical Subjectivism and Emotivism
 These theories suggest that morality is
based on individual feelings rather
than objective truths.
 Removing emotions entirely from
morality is unrealistic, as personal
feelings influence decisions.
 Some moral philosophers argue that
emotions should be guided by rational
thought.

3. Balance Between Emotion and Reason

 Both rationality and emotions should

4. Christian Perspective on Emotions and

 Christian philosophy emphasizes love,