LACHICA, ERIKA NELL S.

HUM 003 – Ethics

When I entered this school, I had no intention of even taking a philosophy course
much less pursuing an Ethics Minor. However, after taking the intro to Ethics class with Sir
Dela Cruz for a general education requirement, I was utterly intrigued. The Ethics courses
are incredibly eye-opening.
During such class, I have been enlightened to a myriad of topics, from plights of
minority groups to the care we should take to preserve our environment along with the
theoretical perspectives that defend our moral responsibility towards other human and the
world at large. Another beneficial component of this course is the opportunity to improve one’s
ability to support her/his opinion both in written for through homework, assignments and
exams as well as orally during class discussion. Furthermore, this class has significantly
improved my view about the social issues happening in the world right now and how to deal
with it. Ethics is also concerned with society. Society is a group of people living or working
together. Societies can also be organized according to their political structure: in order of
increasing size and complexity, there are band societies, tribes, chiefdoms, and state societies.
But the most important part of the society is the family. Family is a natural and social
institution, founded on the conjugal union that binds together the individuals composing it.
The Family is thus an indispensable element of social cohesion and equilibrium. The vitality
and strength of the state depends upon the solidarity of its nucleus, the family.
Turn right, keep right, no left turn, which means keep it right. Keep what is proper,
while we keep what is right. Ethics means living in proper way and it is in the development of
a good moral character and virtues that man finds perfection and understands his purpose
of existence. Let say that an arresting officer informs the other man of his right as suspect.
What is ought to be, is right. It is due to everyone. Even a condemned man has a right and in
his single minute on Earth has the right to exercise what is due to him or what is his right. In
Ethics, everyone has the power to do, to say, to defend, to receive, to give, to hold, and not hold
or not to do. But of course, every right given there is a corresponding duty. Duty is also what
ought to be or to be done. It is the obligation of a person to respect right, the right of others.
I learned that ethics is also concerned with human conduct, the conduct that is
becoming to a man of morality. Of all creation in the universe only man has morality which
is to say only man has religion. Religion means connection of man to God. In this course, I
realized that what they mean about religion is often the institutionalized set of dogmas and
rituals that were imposed by our ancestors. If one where to believe that being religious or not
is simple matter of human choice, the one is acknowledge that all religions are ultimately
mere inventions of human minds to improve their way of life and to promote harmonious
environment. However, if one were to believe that creator is real, and all humans are living
temporarily on earth, then being religious cannot be a matter of choice because seeking and
acquiring truth and living in such a way as to promote our true being should be the highest
purpose of our life on earth. One of the advantages of studying ethics is that your eyes will
be opened on the social issues happening right now. You will be more sensitive about the
importance of one’s life. A simple exercise, avoiding alcohol and tobacco and illegal drugs,
proper hygiene are few things that we can do for our body. We must think more on prevention
not on cure. Abusing one’s body violates Gods commandment. Our body is owned by God and
it is for our love one and fellowmen. Another importance of studying ethics is that Ethical
standards play an important role in personal decision-making process. People’s ethical
standards are invariably influenced and shaped by many factors such as their families,
friends, the culture they live in and internal reflection. Critical thinking is very necessary when
people faces an ethical dilemma.
Each individual has that personal values. Ethics and social responsibility are two
extremely important components for every person to think about. According to Aristotle,
Ethics is concerned with questions of how people ought to act, and the search for a definition
of right conduct identified as the one causing the greatest good and the good life in the sense
of a life worth living or a life that is satisfying or happy. This is all fine and good, but it
only gives a very general idea of what ethics is and not how to identify what actions are
ethical. Also, Ethics is a logical understanding of right and wrong that sets out what people
should do and should not do whether it is in fairness, virtues, obligations, or rights. Ethics is
necessary to continuously examine our standards to ensure that they are reasonable and
should have a continuous effort within our own moral beliefs, to make us the better person
all around.
There are many been bumps and turns in the road, but the journey is often as
important as the destination and ultimately we need to remember to not only keep our eyes on
the destination as we travel, but to realize that in some and limited way that we can live and
enjoy the beatific Vision even this side of death and learn to be content in all circumstances.