Moral dilemmas present situations where an individual must choose between two or more conflicting options, neither of which fully satisfies moral principles. A moral dilemma involves compromising some moral values no matter the choice. Examples include deciding whether to continue a risky pregnancy or have an abortion, or allocating a limited healthcare budget. Moral dilemmas are challenging because the individual feels morally condemned regardless of the choice.
Moral dilemmas present situations where an individual must choose between two or more conflicting options, neither of which fully satisfies moral principles. A moral dilemma involves compromising some moral values no matter the choice. Examples include deciding whether to continue a risky pregnancy or have an abortion, or allocating a limited healthcare budget. Moral dilemmas are challenging because the individual feels morally condemned regardless of the choice.
Moral dilemmas present situations where an individual must choose between two or more conflicting options, neither of which fully satisfies moral principles. A moral dilemma involves compromising some moral values no matter the choice. Examples include deciding whether to continue a risky pregnancy or have an abortion, or allocating a limited healthcare budget. Moral dilemmas are challenging because the individual feels morally condemned regardless of the choice.
Moral dilemmas present situations where an individual must choose between two or more conflicting options, neither of which fully satisfies moral principles. A moral dilemma involves compromising some moral values no matter the choice. Examples include deciding whether to continue a risky pregnancy or have an abortion, or allocating a limited healthcare budget. Moral dilemmas are challenging because the individual feels morally condemned regardless of the choice.
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DILEMMA AND MORAL DILEMMA • No matter what course of action is taken, some
moral principles are always compromised.
The term ‘dilemma’ refers to a situation in • There is no perfect solution in Moral which a person is forced to choose between Dilemmas. two (or more) conflicting options, neither □ Whether Mary continue her pregnancy or to of which is acceptable to her. have an abortion, the basic moral principle of protecting life (hers or her baby’s) will be Always remember that not all dilemmas compromised. are moral dilemmas. In a moral dilemma, the agent seems to Moral dilemmas, also called ‘ethical be condemned to moral failure; no dilemmas’, refers to a situation in which a matter what he does, he will do person is forced to choose between two (or something wrong, or fail to do more) conflicting options, neither of which something that he ought to do. solves the situation in a morally acceptable way. LEVELS OF MORAL DILEMMAS Example of a moral dilemma: Moral Dilemma: a. PERSONAL DILEMMAS 1. Continue her pregnancy and put her and her baby’s life in danger. These include those that are experienced and 2. Have an abortion and destroy her religious resolved on the personal level. and moral integrity. Examples of personal dilemma: If a person Moral Dilemma are not your everyday makes conflicting promises, he/she faces a moral moral problems. conflict. When an individual has to choose between the life of a child who is about to be THREE CONDITIONS THAT MAKE A delivered and the child’s mother, he faces an MORAL DILEMMA ethical dilemma.
• The person or the agent of the moral b. ORGANIZATIONAL DILEMMAS
action is obliged to make a decision about which course of action is best. (In Mary’s case, having These include those ethical cases encountered an abortion is perhaps her best course of action) and resolved by social organizations focused on business, medical field, and • There must be different course of action to public sector. choose from. (In Mary has at least two options: to continue her pregnancy or to have an If a medical institution believes that human life abortion. should not be deliberately shortened and that unpreventable pain should not be tolerated, it will encounter a conflict in resolving whether to withdraw life support from a dying patient. This is a common moral dilemma faced by healthcare efficient, equitably distributed, adequately organizations. funded, fairly financed, and appropriately used by an informed and empowered public. Businesses can face moral dilemmas in the Regarding this program, the biggest issue is the form of issues about corporate practices, budget allocation. The government can policies, business behaviors, and the conducts allocate a bigger budget for health services, but and relationships of individuals in the this would mean that the budget for other organizations. Other business-related dilemmas sectors will be cut down. pertain to the social responsibility of business, employee’s rights, harassment, labor unions, Some questions that are ethical in nature misleading advertising, job discrimination, and are… whistle blowing. 1. What is good? 2. Who is a moral person? In the public sector, government leaders and 3. What are the virtues of a human being? employees have a moral responsibility to act in a 4. What makes an act right? manner that is fair and unbiased, that is loyal to 5. What duties do we have to each other the public by putting public interest before personal gain, and that fulfills duties of ‘ONLY HUMAN BEINGS CAN BE competency, integrity, accountability, and ETHICAL’ transparency. Public officials may face situations when they will have to decide whether Most philosophers hold that unlike animals, or not to favor a family, friends, or campaign human beings possess some traits that make it contributors over other constituents, political possible for them to be moral. party’s agenda over the good of the majority, and accepting gifts if it is legally permitted but Why are humans considered the only creates the impression of impropriety. ethical species? 1. Only human beings are rational, c. STRUCTURAL DILEMMAS autonomous, and self-conscious. 2. Only human beings can act morally or These include cases involving network of immorally. institutions and operative theoretical paradigms. 3. Only human beings are part of the moral community. Why are humans considered the They usually encompass multi-sectoral only ethical species? institutions and organizations, and they are larger in scope and extent than FREEDOM AS A FOUNDATION OF organizational dilemmas. MORALITY
One example of structural dilemmas is the Basically, morality is a question of choice.
“Kalusugan Pangkalahatan” or the Morality is practically choosing ethical “Universal Health Care” wherein every codes, values, or standards to guide us in Filipino is entitled of the highest possible quality our daily lives. Philosophically, choosing is of health care that is accessible, impossible without freedom. MINIMUM REQUIREMENT FOR ❑ Have moral sentiments such as capacity for MORALITY: REASON AND remorse or concern for others. IMPARTIALITY • Moral agents, is therefore someone who is Reason as a requirement for morality entails that capable of doing things rightfully or wrongly. human feelings may be important in ethical • It sometimes also includes the idea of being decisions, but they ought to be guided by reason. aware of the concepts of the rightness and wrongness, or of what actions are considered Sound reasoning help us to evaluate whether our right and wrong. feelings and intuitions about moral cases are correct and defensible. A. CHARACTERISTICS OF MORAL AGENTS Impartiality, on the other hand, involves the idea ❑ Human being is a moral agent endowed that each individual’s interests and point of view with all possibilities and capabilities to act are equally important. Also called even upon actions with moral considerations. handedness or fair- mindedness, impartiality is a ❑ He is a person who has the ability to principle of justice holding that decisions ought discern right from wrong and to be held to be based on objective criteria, rather than on accountable for his or her own actions. the basis of bias, prejudice, or preferring the ❑ He has moral responsibility not to cause benefit to one person over another for improper unjustified harm. reasons. • CULTURE is an aggregate of the learned THE MORAL AGENT AND CULTURE beliefs, attitudes, values, norms and customs of a (NEW CHAPTER) society or group of people, shared by them and transmitted from generation to generation within • MORAL AGENT is “a being who is capable that society. of acting with reference to right or wrong. • They are those agents expected to meet the • TYPES OF CULTURE demands of morality (choosing between good and evil). ● High Culture – is linked with the elite, ❑ The agent has the capacity to conform to upper class society, those families and some of the external requirements of morality individuals with an ascribed status ❑ The agent is a knower position. ❑ The agent should have the capacity to rise ● Cultural diversity – is a concept relating above their feelings and passions and act for the to culturally embedded differences sake of the moral law within society, it’s the fact that different ❑ Have an enduring self with free will and an cultures exist alongside each other. inner life. ● Subculture – culture enjoyed by a small ❑ Have an understanding of the relevant facts group within society. In this sense it is a as well as moral understanding. minority part of majority culture. They have distinct norms and values which make them sub-section of society. ● Popular Culture – it borrows the idea our behaviour. Moreover, our environment, from high culture and popularizes it, which has cultural influences, shapes our making it available for the masses; a behaviour. What our culture teaches is affects product of the media dominated world, the way we interact socially as much as it also it is a positive force for it brings people affects our moral behaviours toward others. of different backgrounds together in a People from some cultures are found to be more common culture. open in communicating even with strangers or ● Multiculturalism – it is depicted to be new acquaintances, while those from very similar to cultural diversity, other conservative culture may not be so open. definition align multiculturalism with different ethnic groups living alongside c. Culture Shapes Personalities. each other. ● Global Culture – A global culture is a Our culture defines people’s key feature of globalisation, they expectations from us. In the attempt to fulfill emerged due to patterns of migration, them, we shape our behaviour and personality to trends in international travel and the suit our culture. Our religions, traditions, spread of the media, exposing people to customs, all part of our culture, play a major role the same images of the same dominant in shaping our personalities. The way we world companies. perceive a situation and react to it depends largely on what we have learned from the • IMPORTANCE OF CULTURE environment and the way we have been brought up. These factors are closely linked to our a. Culture affects perceptions. cultural values. Though our nature and education also play a part in developing our personalities, How we perceive things is largely the culture we belong have a dominant role to affected by our judgement skills, preconceived play. People born and brought up in the same notions, attitude, and emotions. These factors culture are often found to share certain are closely linked with our culture. In perceiving personality trait. something as good or bad, our biases play a role and so does our way of thinking. In judging d. Our Culture shapes our value and something as easy or difficult, our attitude and belief system, which influences our our motivation levels play a key role. Our personalities. culture determine the structure of our thinking In a culture where children are taught to which influences our perceptions on the good or be independent early in life, they grow up to be bad. individualistic. In a culture where boys and girls are not treated as equal, children may become b. Culture Influences Behaviour. aggressive and look at the opposite gender as their enemy, or those treated as inferior may Culture affects perception and grow up to be submissive. People from cultures perceptions drive behaviour. Thus, the culture that take a more holistic approach are seen to be we belong to, has direct impact on more capable of understanding other point of view. People from cultures that promote • Cultures is learned as children grow up in individualism are found to be less capable of society and discover how their parents and understanding someone else’s perspective. others around them interpret the world. • Many aspects of morality are taught. People MORAL BEHAVIOUR learn moral aspect of right or wrong from Critically, no one can simply say which transmitters of culture: behaviour is a moral one because all behaviours are. Relatively, it is the morals if the person or • CULTURE RELATIVISM is the principle the society that make them adopt those regarding the beliefs, values, and practices of a particular behaviours. Morals are the prevailing culture from the viewpoint of the culture itself. standards of behaviour that people have to This is understood as uniqueness of every follow and act in accordance with one’s beliefs culture from each other. Besides even under one in order to live cooperatively in groups. For general culture. No one can really say in example, following your society’s rules of categorical term that a particular culture is much good behaviour where honesty is highly valued, better or civilized than the others. Culture telling the truth is important. In a society where emanates from how the people in the territory helping the poor is highly valued, giving money appreciate, understand and interpret their to the poor is very much appreciated. respective communities in response to their relative needs, goals, challenges and seen Moral behaviours are what one believes opportunities to sustain their existence to be the right things to do. No doubt cultural and religious beliefs play a role in what one • ETHICAL RELATIVISM is the theory that thinks to be right and wrong. However, one may holds that morality is relative to the norms of believe that an individual can decide or act one’s culture. That is, whether an action is right morally even in the absence of religion. In this or wrong depends on the moral norms of the case, no objectively moral behaviour exists. society in which it is practiced. (https://www.scu.edu/ethics/) ROLE OF CULTURE IN MORAL BEHAVIOR Cultural relativism is an affirmation that holds that societies are dissimilar in their moral How important is culture in shaping our standards, their laws and cultural protocols. To moral behaviour? expand, cultural relativism holds that what one • A culture is a “way of life” of a group of culture believes is immoral, another culture may people and this so called “way of life” actually believe is moral (Vasquez). In essence, cultural includes moral values and behaviour, along with relativism is the view that morality is culture knowledge, beliefs, symbols that they accept, dependent. “generally without thinking about them, and that Moreover, ethical relativism denies the existence are passed along by communication and of one universal moral law. Ethical relativism imitation from generation to the next. supports the idea because cultures of societies are dissimilar in astronomical ways they accept, it follows that there is not one correct set of precepts everyone should adopt. According to the c. Normative Moral Relativism is the idea definition, instead, people should follow the that all societies should accept each other’s moral laws and protocols that their own unique differing moral values, given that there are no society sets forth or accepts. For instance, how universal moral principles. Most the Western world is governed may not be philosophers disagree however. For appropriate for cultures in different cultures example, just because bribery is okay in some outside of the west. cultures doesn’t mean that other cultures cannot rightfully condemn it. Moral relativism • MORAL RELATIVISM is on the opposite end of the continuum from moral absolutism, which says that there is Are standards of right and wrong mere products always one right answer to any ethical; question. of time and culture? Is morality really a neutral Indeed, those who adhere to moral concept? Moral relativism is the view that moral relativism would say, “When in Rome, do as judgments are true or false only relative to some the Romans do.” Meanwhile, Jeff particular standpoint and that no standpoint is Landauer and Joseph Rowlands uniquely privileged over all others. Moral (2001) believed that Moral Relativism relativism is the idea that there is no universal or is an ethical judgment which claims that no absolute set of moral principles. It’s a version of ethical system is better than another. It stems morality that advocates “to each her own,” and from the fact that to judge an ethical system, it those who follow it say, “Who am I to judge?” must be judge by a moral standard. Since every ethical system should evaluate itself as Moral Relativism can be understood in the best and only moral system, and every several ways: other system is flawed and immoral, it is assumed that moral judgments about ethical a. Descriptive Moral Relativism, also systems are meaningless. known as cultural relativism, says that moral standards are culturally defined, which is THE MORAL AGENT: DEVELOPING generally true. Indeed, there maybe a few values VIRTUE AS A HABIT (NEW CHAPTER) that seem nearly universal, such as honesty and respect, but many differences appear across • VALUE comes from the Latin word cultures when people evaluate moral standards ‘VALERE’ which means ‘to be of worth.’ around the world. • VALUE means primarily, to price, to esteem, to appraise, to estimate. b. Meta-ethical moral relativism states that • It is an act of cherishing something holding it there are no objective grounds for preferring the clear and also the act of passing judgment upon moral values of one culture over another. the nature and amount of its value as compared Societies make their moral choices based on with something else. their unique beliefs, customs, and practices. • VALUES or good moral values once they And, in fact, people tend to believe that the are habitually practiced, they turned into virtues. “right” moral values that exist in their own culture. • HUMAN VALUES are the virtues that guide us to take into account human element when one interacts with another human n. Self-control: staying in control of being. They are our feelings for the human your words and behavior. essence of others. It’s both what we expect others to do to us and what we aim to give to FORMATION OF MORAL VALUES other human beings. These human values give Moral values are the standards of good the effect of bonding, comforting and reassuring. and evil, which govern an individual's behavior and choices. Individual's morals may derive TYPES OF MORAL VALUES from society and government, religion or self. Everybody wants to lead a happy and When moral values derive from society and good life. But achieving one is not just a government, they, of necessity , may change as personal or individual practice of the moral the laws and morals of the society change. values, but being good to oneself and living Upon discernment of an individual on moral values with the other selves the importance of people, things or beliefs; one a. Acceptance: having an objective acts relative to extent significance that he/she attitude toward others’ ideas and practices that may draw from them. It is in fact free to choose differ from your own. which to value among the various alternatives. b. Compassion: understanding the The choice made is believed to inspire and suffering of others or self and wanting to do encourage human being to achieve one's goal in something about it. life. c. Courage: willingness to do difficult things. VIRTUE AND ITS FORMATION d. Equality: believing everyone Human beings are aware of various deserves equal rights and to be treated with moral values of which they have the option to respect. practice. Once these values are applied in order e. Fairness: acting in a just way, to lead a good life, one is living in virtue, a sharing appropriately. habitual good character. In essence, values and f. Generosity: willingness to give virtues are inversely related. If one intends to resources, help or time to others. live a virtuous life, he/she must nurture that g. Honesty: being truthful and value leading to attaining the relative virtue by sincere. habitually practicing the same value. with this h. Integrity: sticking to your moral we can say that virtues are good moral habits and ethical principles and values. which make the person even better to perform i. Kindness: being considerate and those good actions well and consequently treating others well. function well as human beings. j. Perseverance: persisting in a For the Greek wisdom, knowledge is course of action, belief or purpose. inborn, while virtue is the knowledge and k. Politeness: using good manners, practice of good habit, virtue is likewise a acting in socially acceptable way. natural endownment. Since virtue is inborn in l. Respect: showing consideration for the mind and knowing is the source of all the worth of someone or something. wisdom, so the only way to acquire virtue is m. Responsibility: being reliable in simply to recall good restored in the mind. your obligations. Formation of virtue then is the acquisition of the Moral character is formed by one’s true knowledge in the mind which is the “good.” actions. The habits, actions, and emotional Knowing and practicing virtue is knowledge for responses of the person of good character all are one's self. united and directed toward the moral and the good. Because human beings are body/soul CARDINAL VIRTUES unities, actions of the body are actions of the a. Prudence is the virtue of knowing self, that is, human beings are self/possesing, what to do under peculiar circumstances which self governing, and self determining. In order to enables one to see the best means to approach a be of good character, one must know the good, given situation. act in morally good ways and be disposed and b. Justice is a virtue of giving anyone inclined toward the good through the his/her due under no condition. development of virtues. c. Temperance is the virtue of Character and action are intertwined so curbing or managing the sensitive appetites. intimately that one’s professional duties, or ven d. Fortitude is a virtue of keeping resolute in the what is perceived by others as one’s duties, face of overwhelming odds. cannot override one’s conscience without negatively affecting (and changing) one’s THEOLOGICAL VIRTUES character. For the physician to be of good a. Faith is the virtue of believing in character, it is vital that he or she follow his or God’s word without seeing. her conscience in all things: in private life and b. Hope is the virtue of keeping trust in also in his or her profession, i.e, in the treatment Divine Providence. of patients (Mitchell, 2015) c. Charity is the virtue of loving God and His creatures. MORAL DEVELOPMENT Moral development occurs as we grow MORAL CHARACTER AND ITS and helps us choose between right and wrong. FORMATION The theory of Lawrence Kohlberg states that the At the heart of one major approach to moral development of most people begins with a ethics- an approach counting among its desire to avoid personal punishment and may proponents Plato, Aristotle, Augustine and evolve over time to a desire to make the world a Aquinas- is the conviction that Ethics is better and more just place for all people. It is fundamentally related to what kind of person we also a process through which we develop proper are. Many of Plato’s dialogue, for example, attitudes and behaviors towards other people in focus on what kind of persons we ought to be. society based on the existing norms, rules or On the assumption, that what kind of laws, Moral decision is relative to actual person one is constituted by one’s character, the experiences that we are confronted with linK between moral character and virtue is clear. particularly on moral issues that we encounter in We can think of one’s moral character as our lives. With that, we gradually develop our primarily a function of whether he/she has or moral skills in deciding upin difficult moral lacks various moral virtues and vices. situations in refernce to what one has experiencd FORMATION OF MORAL CHARACTER through which one’s moral principle is provides a more distinct traits and characters that challenged. are mostly Buddhism and Confucianism. Southeast Asians generally don’t like ASIAN MORAL CHARACTER/BEHAVIOR confrontation and rarely show visible signs of anger. They have traditionally valued cool- Asia possesses a distinct moral/ethical headedness, placidity and soft words. Outward behaviour that make us unique in our expressions of anger are considered boorish and culture, dealing with socio-political- crude. Southeast Asians rarely loose their temper cultural difficulties and challenges. and if they do it doesn’t help them get their way. ❑ Asians stress personal orientation rather than People just think they are crazy. Anger is usually task orientation, the needs of the group is given expressed through a third person so face-to-face priority than for the individual. confrontation is avoided. ❑ The value of modesty is also emphasized. ❑ Generosity and sharing are greatly valued. Southeast Asians smile a lot. Smiles are often a genuine way of expressing happiness and Another distinct and prevalent influence friendliness but they can also be a way of of Asian behaviours/moral traits can be masking true emotions. People from Southeast attributed to Confucianism that has deeply Asia often smile or laugh when they hear bad influenced East Asian Behaviour. news. That is how they hide their sorrow. As a ❑ The East Asian lack of “personality” is rule, feelings are not expressed directly. traced to the Confucian social institution of Li- Showing disappointment in public is especially rules of propriety. frowned upon. ❑ The East Asian’s lack of principles moral Southeast Asians have a reputation for thinking is link to dyadic, relation-based being fun loving, compassionate, gentle, character of the Confucian ethic, its lack of hospitable, open-minded, laid-back, smiling and hypothetical reasoning on its hierarchical view friendly; there is a prevailing sentiment that life of human relationships. should be enjoyed at the moment and problems ❑ The East Asian’s lack of assertiveness is should not be taken so seriously that disrupt rooted in the Confucian ideal of man as a enjoyment and they have strongly developed reflection of harmony in the cosmos and the sense of courtesy and respect with values that Confucian ideal of society as based on the include respect for elders, loyalty to friends and fulfilment of duties rather than the assertion of family. rights. These characters kept establishing our Asian identity, which makes us more resilient in a. BUDDHISM CHARACTER facing challenges such as inflation, climate Buddhism change, domestic problems and even political shaped character in Southeast Asia as difficulties in the region. Christianity does in Europe. Theravada Buddhism encourages its practitioners to keep In the Southeast Asia which the their emotions and passions in check and Philippines is a part of, Jeffrey Hay (2013) stresses Karma over determination, which often means people are more willing to accept their lot in life and sometimes is strong emphasis on teachers, superiors, family viewed by Westerners as a lack of ambition or members and elders. Love and respect are unwillingness to work hard to improve their principals that were practiced mor ein the position in life. Just like many Filipinos, this context of the family than in society and character is explicit in time of conflict where we humanity as a whole. tend to be calm and euphemistic; Filipinos avoid conflict with fellow Filipinos. Confucianism is a social code based on morality Moreover, like most Filipinos, rather than laws; recognizes five cardinal Buddhism also provides guidelines for village virtues: justice, namely in the form of five basic moral 1. Benevolence in terms of prohibitions: sympathy for others (jen) ❑ Refrain for taking life 2. Duty reflected in the shame felt ❑ Don’t steal after doing something wrong (yi); ❑ Avoid illicit sexual activity 3. Manners, propriety and feelings of ❑ Don’t speak falsely defence (li) ❑ Refrain from consuming inebriating substances. 4. Wisdom, in terms of discerning right and wrong (chih) These guidelines are most prevalent to be 5. Loyalty and good faith (hsin) followed on Philippine communities. Buddhist believe that humans want many things and want A. FILIPINO MORAL CHARACTER to keep them forever, which is impossible and creates a constant state of desire, which in turn 1. Filipino character and Personality Filipinos causes suffering and fear further loss. Buddhist have been described as friendly, outgoing, have also taught us to practice non violence, do sensitive, easily offended, nosy, garrulous. good deeds, present gifts to monks, aspire to Direct, hospitable, feisty, irreverent, good have gentle taught, meditate, and have respect natured, clever, witty, gregarious, happy, for the sanctity of life. The basic tenets of generous, easy to laugh, gracious, easy to Buddhism influenced Gandhi and Martin Luther befriend, casual, fun loving, sensitive and King. hospitable. Personal and family honours are 2. CONFUCIAN CHARACTER stressed, as well as dignity and pride. Education Confucian value include love and is highly valued and families make great respect for the family, integrity, loyalty, honesty, sacrifice to educate their children. Hiya (Shame) humility, industriousness, respect for elders, is instilled in Filipinos at an early age. To be patience, persistence, hard work, friendship, shamed is the greatest form of disgrace. Filipino commitment to education, belief in order and culture developed over centuries in tandem with stability, emphasis on obligations to the and in response to Western Culture introduced community rather just individual rights and by the Spanish and later American. preference for consultation rather than open Filipinos are generally more easy- confrontation. Hence, the same characters are going than other Asians. A survey conducted by also unique in Filipino communities. They the Hongkong-based Political and Economic also give Risk Constituency (PERC) ranked Filipinos a “the easiest people in Asia to get along with. b. Strong Family Ties Filipinos have strong sense of family ❑ Filipinos possess a genuine and deep love and community. They are very gregarious and for family-source of personal identity, emotional like to talk and hang out with family and friends. and material support. They love to fool around, gossip, make jokes ❑ Honour and respect given to parents and and tease one another. Rumors spread quickly. elders. Some say Filipinos are happy-go-lucky people ❑ Care given to the children. who are often pessimistic about today by always ❑ The generosity towards kin in need. optimistic that tomorrow will be better. ❑ Great sacrifices that one can endures for the (Krutovsky, 2009) welfare of the family. ❑ Sense of family results in a feeling of 2. Strength and Weaknesses of Filipino belongingness and rootedness in a basic sense of Moral Character security. Every country has its differing values c. Joy and Humour and stereotypes, and the Philippines is no ❑ Filipinos have a cheerful and fun-loving exception. We Filipinos firmly believe and show approach to life and its ups and down; pleasant values to the world that make us one of the disposition, a sense of humour and propensity many individuals loved and appreciated by for happiness that contribute not only to the people across nations. Although we have been Filipino charm but also to the indomitability of colonized by several countries, many core the Filipino spirit. values from our ancestors remained intact and ❑ Laughing at ourselves and the mess we are still honored to this day. Filipinos are not are in is an important coping mechanism; perfect, but we have great characteristic and playful, sometimes, disrespectful, we laugh at qualities every one of us should be proud of. those we love and at those we hate and we make (https://owlcation.com>socialscience.anthro jokes about our good fortune. pology) d. Flexibility, Adaptability and Creativity We can adjust and to adapt to B. Strengths of the Filipino Character a. circumstances and the surrounding environment, Pakikipagkapwa-tao both physical and social; adjusts to whatever ❑ Pakikipagkapwa-tao – basic sense of happens even in unplanned or anticipated events. justice and fairness, concern for others and We possess a tolerance for ambiguity that ability to empathize with others. enables us to remain unfazed by uncertainty or ❑ Sensitivity to people’s feelings lack of information. (Pakikiramdam) ❑ Pagtitiwala or trust ❑ Sense of gratitude or utang na loob. e. Hard Work and Industry ❑ Very dependent or interpersonal ❑ We have the capacity for hard work given relationship; give sense of security. proper conditions; to raise one’s standard of ❑ Camaraderie and feeling of closeness to one living and to possess the essentials of a decent another. life for one’s family. ❑ We are willing to take the risks with jobs abroad, and while there, to work at two or three jobs. The result is productivity and e. JOLLINESS AND SENSE OF entrepreneurship for some and survival despite HUMOR f. DISCRETION AND DIGNITY poverty. g. GRATEFULNESS h. HONESTY AND COMMITMENT f. Faith and Religiosity i. HELPFULNESS ❑ Our innate religiosity enable us to j. FAMILY ORIENTED comprehend and genuinely accept reality in the k. ADAPTABILITY context of God’s will and plan. AND RESILIENCY ❑ Religious expression is very tangible l. RESOURCEFULNESS AND expressed everyday; we relate to God like a CREATIVITY human being- threaten, thank, ask forgiveness, m. FAITHFULNESS appease. n. THRIFTINESS ❑ Tragedy and bad fortune are accepted and optimism characterizes even the poorest lives D. WEAKNESSES OF FILIPINO are related to bahala na which may be CHARACTER considered positively as a reservoir of psychic a. EXTREME PERSONALISM energy, a psychological prop on which we can b. EXTREME FAMILY CENTEREDNESS c. lean during hard times. This pampalakas loob allows us to act despite uncertainty. LACK OF DISCIPLINE d. PASSIVITY AND LACK OF INITIATIVE FILIPINO POSITIVE VALUES e. COLONIAL MENTALITY f. KANYA KANYA SYNDROME Filipino values shape our relationships, g. LACK OF SELF ANALYSIS AND SELF behaviors, choices and sense of who we are. REFLECTION Although positive values help guide their day to day actions and interactions. Thus, values IDENTIFIED FILIPINO NEGATIVE VALUES inspire, not just prohibit. Consequently, people 1. FATALISM who have positive values are more likely to 2. CRAB MENTALITY listen to their conscience, help others, be 3. NINGAS-COGON independent, tell right from wrong and feel 4. FILIPINO TIME happy. Ultimately, positive values help people 5. COLONIAL MENTALITY make their own decisions in upholding them to 6. GENERAL DISREGARD FOR RULES live in harmony with their respective 7. PROCRASTINATION OR communities. Some of these values are as MAÑANA HABIT follows: 8. CORRUPTION a. HOSPITABILITY 9. GOSSIPING b.HELPFUL TO 10. PASSIVITY (lack of leadership) OTHERS/BAYANIHAN c. RESPECTFUL (mano po, po and Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development opo, halik sa kamay) (NEW CHAPTER) d. BRAVERY HEINZ CASE
In Europe, a woman was near death from
cancer. One drug might save her, a form of radium that a druggist in the same town had Stage #1:Obedience and Punishment recently discovered. The druggist was charging Orientation (age 2 – 5) $2,000, ten times what the drug cost him to Morality is based upon the physical punishment make. The sick woman’s husband, Heinz, went that follows an action, rather than right or to everyone he knew to borrow the money, but wrong. The concern is for self - "Will I get into he could only get together about half of what it trouble for doing (or not doing) it?" Good cost. He told the druggist that his wife was dying behavior is associated with avoiding and asked him to sell it cheaper or let him to sell punishment. EX: The child won’t grab the candy it cheaper or let him pay later. But the druggist at the supermarket for fear of being spanked. said, “No.” The husband got desperate and broke Stage #2: Relativist Orientation (age 5 – into the man’s store to steal the drug for his 7) The concern is "What's in it for me?" Action wife. Should the husband have done that? Why? is judged right if it helps in satisfying one's needs or involves a fair exchange. EX: A mother tells her child: “If you are quiet at the mall, I KOHLBERG THEORY OF MORAL will buy you an ice cream.” DEVELOPMENT Level 2 (Conventional) • Stage #3: Good Boy/Nice Girl PRE CONVENTIONAL LEVEL Orientation (age 7 – 12) People should live STAGE 1 OBEDIENCE AND up to the expectations of the family and PUNISHMENT: Behavior driven by community and behave in "good" ways. Good avoiding punishment. behavior means having good motives and STAGE 2 INDIVIDUAL INTEREST: interpersonal feelings such as love, empathy, Behavior driven by a self interest and trust, and concern for others. EX: Volunteering rewards. at a nursing home is the right thing to do. • Stage #4: Law and Order Orientation CONVENTIONAL LEVEL (age 12 – 15) While stage three actions are STAGE 3 INTERPERSONAL: Behavior more concerned with pleasing your family, driven by social approval. stage four is associated with following society as a whole. Emphasis is spent on STAGE 4 AUTHORITY: Behavior driven obeying laws to maintain social order. EX: If by authority and conforming to social you drink and drive you're endangering the lives order. of others on the road, not just yourself. Level 3 (Post-Conventional) (15 – POST CONVENTIONAL LEVEL onwards) STAGE 5 SOCIAL CONTRACT : Behavior • Stage #5: Social Contract Orientation At driven by balance of social order and stage 5, people begin to ask, "What makes for individual rights. a good society?" They begin to think about society considering the rights and values that a STAGE 6 UNIVERSAL ETHICS: Behavior society ought to uphold. EX: It is important for driven by internal moral principles. the world to stop the killing in Darfur because we are morally obligated to stop genocide. Level 1(Pre-Conventional) • Stage #6: Universal Ethical Principle Orientation (adulthood) As human beings we are obliged to live by the principle that “all men are created equal” regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, or political belief. Justice is universal, so unjust laws must be broken. EX: Rosa Parks refused to sit in the back of the bus because it was an unjust law discriminating against African Americans.