What is Ethics?

Ethics comes from a

Greek ethos and
Ethikos which mean
custom and character.
Hence Ethics is
sometimes referred
as moral philosophy ,
moral ethics or
philosophical ethics.

For further reading: Ethics in Ancient Greece;

Rowe (1991) in Singer (1991)pp121-130

In Latin Ethics is used

as mors or moralis
still to mean behavior

Moral principles that

control and influence a
persons
conduct/behavior/chara
cter

A science that aims to

clarify from a rational
point of view, the
nature of mans moral
life, i.e, what makes a
persons life good or
bad.

Ethics
definition

A part of philosophy
that studies the right
and wrong in human
conduct . It seeks to
examine the meaning
and value of moral
life.

Ethics
definition

 Ethics

is the attempt to clarify how people

ought to live. It elucidates the nature of the
good person and the good life, telling us how
to flourish or live well, and it characterizes
the obligations we have, enabling us to
identify what we must to. Is the wide range
study of right and wrong , as well as good
and bad, insofar as these pertain to conduct
and character. Luper (2002) pp 15.

 The

subject matter of Ethics is the concept

of good.
Aristotle says that the good is that at which
all things aim teleological- ( end based)
view. Good actions should lead to a good
end.

 Ethics

is not the same as feelings. Feelings

provide important information for our ethical
choices. Some people have highly developed
habits that make them feel bad when they
do something wrong, but many people feel
good even though they are doing something
wrong

 Ethics

is not religion. Many people are not

religious, but ethics applies to everyone.
Most religions do advocate high ethical
standards but sometimes do not address all
the types of problems we face.

 Ethics

is not following the law. A good system

of law does incorporate many ethical
standards, but law can deviate from what is
ethical. Law can become ethically corrupt,
as some totalitarian regimes have made it.
Law can be a function of power alone and
designed to serve the interests of narrow
groups. Law may have a difficult time
designing or enforcing standards in some
important areas, and may be slow to address
new problems.

 Ethics

is not following culturally accepted

norms. Some cultures are quite ethical, but
others become corrupt -or blind to certain
ethical concerns

 Ethics

is not science. Social and natural

science can provide important data to help
us make better ethical choices. But science
alone does not tell us what we ought to do.
Science may provide an explanation for what
humans are like. But ethics provides reasons
for how humans ought to act. And just
because something is scientifically or
technologically possible, it may not be
ethical to do it.

 Ethics

Studies two Objects:

-The Material Object; which are the human
acts. These are acts carried out consciously
and willingly.
Acts of man are those carried by us without
our control
- Ethics studies the formal object which the
morality of human acts. It studies the view
point of perspective form which one deals
with something. Human acts studied from
the perspective of the final goal.

 As

a theoretical science it studies human acts

so as to reflect on the morality of these acts.
As a practical science it aims at changing the
lives of those who study it.
Normative science , it establishes norms,
rules of conduct to help people choose what
is good.

 Morality;

Descriptive Definition: is the code

of conduct put forward by society or group or
as accepted by an individual for his/her own
behavior .
Normative definitive: code of conduct that
given specified conditions would be put
forward by all rational persons.

 Ethics

and Morality are both normative

because they both; Judge conduct as good or
bad
Balance what ought to be done and what
ought not to be done
Consider the good , the self and the other
Apply to day to day living and are applicable
to all areas of social life

 Students

to brain storm

 Psychology
Agriculture
Economics
Law
Sociology

and Business

 Supernatural
Human

world

Being
Non-human ( living and Non living, natural
and unnatural)
N.B The way we relate with these three worlds
determines how we are judged. i.e.
Right/wrong or good/bad or as responsible or
irresponsible.

Firstly; We judge our selves. Through societal practices

and norms and through the conscience.
Conscience understood in three ways:
As an act: it is the ability of the faculty to distinguish
whether ones actions are right or wrong.
As a state: It is also conformity to ones sense of right
conduct.
As an object: it is the inner sense of what is right or wrong
in ones conduct or motives, impelling that person to act
accordingly.
N.B The conscience is the intellects practical judgment
about individual acts as good to be done or evil to be
avoided. The conscience therefore helps us in the
reasoning process to evaluate whether the acts are right
or wrong.
A conscience can be correct or erroneous, certain or
doubtful.

A conscience can be correct or erroneous,

certain or doubtful.
A correct conscience judges what is right as good
and what is evil as evil.
An erroneous one judges what is evil as good and
what is good as evil. Leads to mistaken or
incorrect judgment
A certain conscience; A state of mind which has
no prudent fear of being wrong about its
judgment on some moral issue and firmly
decides that some action is right or wrong.
A doubtful Conscience makes us hesitate to make
judgments.

 N.B

Conscience, does not invent truth, nor

does it construct truth; rather, conscience
can only discern, discover and detect the
truth.
Secondly; we are judged by Society.
Thirdly we are judge by God

 Pre-conventional

Stage
right and wrong is learned from the parents.
Conventional stage
Post

Conventional stage
Right and wrong seen from a universal point
of view as ideally found in principles that
would apply to any reasonable person.

 Human

acts have both positive and negative

effects on the actor.
They are self referential. The actor suffers
the consequences of his/her actions.
Creates a habit or character in the actor. A
habit is Disposition that allows us to do
things more easily and readily. We become
what we will.
Amoral experience is attained which
influences all future actions.

 Man

being born inherently free, means that

human freedom is responsible freedom.
Responsibility means that we are then
accountable for the effects of our actions.
Dignity means the respect one earns through
his/her actions. We are the measure of our
own dignity.

 Man

being a free and rational being, who

wills what he/she wants, should act
responsibly/in an acceptable manner
because he/she is accountable for the
outcome of his/her actions in that society
respects, despises us according how we
act. Our freedom is meant to perfect us,
lead us o self realization and determination;
because mans actions expresses what you
want to become. Man can use freedom to be
happy and get self fulfillment or use it to get
frustrated and get to self degradation.

Respect for humanity and environment

Honesty: to uphold and defend the truth at all
times
Justice and fairness
Hard work for self reliance
Integrity, moral uprightness and sound character
Creativity and innovativeness
Social responsibility
Social Harmony
National Unity
National consciousness and patriotism.