INTRODUCTION Lesson 1.

Why Do You Need To Study Ethics and

the Importance of Rules
Relevance of Studying Ethics in your Chosen
Profession A moral experience is any encounter wherein a
person understands that the values he or she
Ethics is a universal decision making tool that
believes to be important are either realized or
may be used by any person from any religion and
thwarted (Hunt and Carnevale, 2011). This
even atheists.
concept of moral experience; however, asserts
Ethics is not dependent on religion because that the encounter is not limited to situations
religion (Hopkins, et. al 2001) is a system of fraught with ethical questions, but that moral
beliefs and practices that promotes proper social experience happens even in mundane (very
behavior based on the teachings of a deity or a ordinary) everyday settings wherein you take
Supreme Being. action based on your moral standards. For
instance, when you decide to give a poor person
Ethics ensures a generally agreed work related some money because you feel that it is the right
behavior that empowers professional to foster to do, is a moral experience.
moral values through their work. Ethics gives a
sense of justification in one's judgment, and
helps ensure that decision at work are not made
Lesson 2. Moral vs. Non-Moral Standards
based on purely subjective factors. Without the
study of ethics, the practice of one's profession Moral standard is a code of what is right or
will prey to vastly conflicting individual wrong without reference to specific behaviors or
interpretations. beliefs (O'Connor, Lynn, 1997). It has been
observed that that this intrinsic code of honor is
Ethics is closely related to morals. While ethics
already present in children and it continually
refers to specific rules, actions and behaviors,
undergoes revisions as the child matures and
morals refers mainly to guiding principles.
influenced by his/her surroundings.
Morality is a system of beliefs about what is right
Moral standard deals with matters that the
behavior and wrong behavior (Rubin, 2015).
person thinks have serious consequence.
Morality deals with how a person relates with However, these standards are not hinged on
others and with the world to promote what is external authority or rules, but based on good
good (Thiroux and Krasemann, 2009). reason and impartial considerations overriding
interest. Feelings of guilt and shame are often
Morality is the effort to guide one's conduct by associated when the person goes against his or
reason to act based on the best reasons for doing her moral standards (Mandal, 2010; Velasquez,
while giving equal weight to the interests of each 2012).
individual affected by one's decision

(Dr. James Rachels, 2015, Elements of Moral

Philosophy). Characteristics of Moral Standards

Moral standards have six characteristics that set it

apart from non-moral standards(Velasquez, 2012). he/she feels guilty, remorseful, or ashamed. The
These are as follow: behavior is described as immoral or sinful. Thus,
when a person goes against moral standards, we
1. Moral standards involve behaviors that
feel indignant and disgusted with that person.
seriously affect other people's well-being. It can
either profoundly injure or benefit a person or Moral vs. Non-moral Standards
persons such as lying, stealing, and killing. These
When judgment is founded on the rightness or
actions hurt people; whereas, treating people
wrongness of an action the criteria is based on
with respect and kindness uplifts them.
one's moral standards.
2. Moral standards take a more important
Examples: downloading a movie from the
consideration than other standards including self
internet is a factual question; pirating movies
-interest. Trust is important to us than revenge.
from the internet is a moral question; taking a
Never expose your friend's terrible secret even
picture in the dark with no flash; wearing a
though he/she offended you.
sleeveless shirt and shorts on very formal
3. Moral standards do not depend on any external occasion; or writing a grammatically incorrect
authority but in how the person perceives the essay is violating certain standards. These
reasonableness of the action. A good example is violations are non-moral standards in: technique,
on cheating. Do not copy your classmate's fashion, and grammar.
answer during examinationsnot because your
teacher will fail you if you do, but because you
personally believe cheating is wrong and Non-moral standards can be considered as
demeaning to students (Film showing of The Bad relative standards by which something or
Genius and writing of Reflection Paper). someone is judged as either good or bad. The
rules of non-moral standards vary because these
4. Moral standards are believed to be universal.
rules depend on the guidelines agreed by a
An act is right/wrong if other people believe it to
particular group.
be such; if an action is morally right and you
support other people doing such acts; and to
trust the person whom you know as someone
who is true to his/her words. Moral Standards versus Other Rules in Life

5. Moral standards are based on objectivity. This Etiquette, Policy, Law, and Commandment
means what one considers as right or wrong does Etiquette is a set of rules on how an individual
not depend on whether the action advances the should responsibly behave in the society (Taylor
interest of a particular person or group, but your and Williams, 2017).
action depends on a universal standpoint where
everyone's interest is counted as equal. Example: table manners

6. Moral standards are associated with Policy is a clear, simple statement of how an
vocabulary that depicts emotions or feelings. organization plans to handle its services, actions,
When one goes against his/her moral standards or business. Policies are guiding rules to help with
decision making (The University of Sydney, 2002-
2017).

Example: No uniform, No ID, No entry.

Law is a rule created and enforced by the

government and its agencies to maintain order,
resolve disputes, and protect a person's liberty
and rights (Robertson, 2008; Brickley and
Gottesman, 2017).

Example: Ignorance of the law excuses no one.

Commandment is a rule that is to be strictly

observed because it was said to be set by a divine
entity such as those in the Ten Commandments
(Stahl, 2009)

The Ten Commandments

1. Thou shalt have no other GODS before me.

2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven

image.

3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy

GOD in vain.

4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.

5. Honor thy father and thy mother.

6. Thou shalt not kill.

7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

8. Thou shalt not steal.

9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy

neighbor.

10. Thou shalt not covet.