FINALS

LESSON 10: FORUM

 Recall a time when you said NO and feel at peace with your decision.
 Why do you think it made you at peace
There are time that we are afraid to say “no” because we think that we might hurt other people’s feelings and
afraid that they might cast us out. Howbeit, saying “no”, even though it is a form of rejection, won’t justify who
we truly are. Saying “no” doesn’t imply that we are an awful, selfish and unkind person. As for me, I am not
really afraid to say “no” to other people most especially if I know to myself that I can’t help them but when it
comes to my family I’m always hesitant to say “no” or I can’t say “no” to them at all because I’m afraid that I
might disappoint them again. I am not used of saying “no” to my parents until such time I did and that was
when I say “no” regarding to the school I am going to enter and the program that I’m going to take in college.
The moment they consider and accepted my decision, I felt at peace. It brought me peace because I was able to
decide for myself based on my own discretion, and I, also, felt free from the guilt that I’ve charged to myself.
The mere thought that my family trusted me on this one brought solace in me because I’ve been asking for them
to trust me from day one. We keep on saying “yes” because there are things that keeps on running inside our
mind such as guilt, anxiety and confusion, and by saying “no” we can free ourselves from all of these in which,
eventually, will bring us peace.

LESSON 10: ACTIVITY

List 2 actions you can start doing this week that will help you develop practice moral courage. Make sure
they are achievable, too. Discuss shortly, what these actions will help you become in the future.
In our everyday living, people constantly face unjust demands and make attempt to live up to unrealistic
anticipations. We need to have moral courage to cope with the challenges in the real world. Moral courage does
not only arise from aberrant circumstances like life-and-death situation, and exceptional individuals are not the
only one who possess such courage because moral courage emerge every day to every single individual. As for
me, there are actions that I’m going to start doing for this week such as, first, my group and I will start doing
our the material needed for our presentation in one of our subjects and, secondly, I’m going to a
department store to buy groceries as per requested by my older sister.
For my first action which is my group and I will start doing the materials for our presentation in one of
our subjects. This action needs self-discipline and we need eliminate unnecessary things in mind most
especially that we are in an online class wherein temptations are all over the place. We need to focus on our
main goal which is to finish the materials needed because the day of the presentation is near. My group and I
will decide together on what will be the content and the theme to each slides of our PowerPoint presentation.
Deciding will be tough since this is by group and so everything must be agreed and approved by the group
members. If we have to reject one’s suggestion because we feel that something is off or wrong then so be it.
Having moral courage involves deliberate planning and careful execution of plans. The second action is I’m
going to a department store to buy groceries as per requested by my older sister and she told me if I’m
going to do her request she will buy me my favourite book series that really made me euphoric. This action will
be done on Thursday morning and, unfortunately, our teacher will going to meet us for a live discussion
therefore, I have to reject my sister’s request because I don’t want to miss my class most especially that this is a
six-unit subject, a major subject. In this kind of action involves rejection for immediate delectation in favor for
something better. I must have moral courage to reject or say no to my sister’s request and the opportunity for
me to possess my favourite book because I believe that attending my class is more important than wanting my
favorate books and besides, my sister can ask our other sisters to do the groceries. The desire in me to have my
favourite book series is very tempting but I must control myself and focus on something more important.

The actions that I stated above are all academic-related. As a student, I have to focus on my studies because this
will have an impact on my future. For the first action, if we will be able to make our materials for our
presentation accurately then, during the day of presentation, we can present it smoothly and full of information.
With this, we can get a good score for the presentation. For the second action, I disregard the opportunity to
have my favorite book series and reject my sister’s request because I have a class in my major subject.
Accounting subject demands majority of our time, as BSA students. We need to be more focus on this subject
since we have retention policy to think of. Every BSA students are hoping to be CPAs in the future and by
means of this we need to pass our subjects. Having moral courage will help us to avoid future conflicts and
confusions, and, also, this will lead to something better. Having moral courage on my two given actions that I’m
going to start this week might help me to have good grades and be able to pass the retention policy that will help
me in my journey to become a CPA someday.

LESSON 11: FORUM (A)

What, for you, is the ultimate goal of life?
I remember when I was also asked the same question back then and I confidently answered, “I want to be rich so that I
can buy everything that I want”. Remembering my answer made me realize that what I wanted and what I considered
my ultimate goal in life before was never the thing that I really want. Now, if I’m going to answer that question again my
answer would be I want to simply live my life. I’m afraid that I might experience a resonating sense of emptiness or the
feel of doing things without meaning because I’ve been there before. My experiences shape me as I grow up and it made
me realized many things most especially the things that money can’t buy.

People say that our ultimate goal in life is to experience genuine happiness and, indeed, they are right. As for me, we can
never attain genuine happiness when we’re not living our life. Living our life, for me, when we are brave enough;
accepting and believing who we truly are; when we don’t need to lose our own identity to fit into the society’s mold; and
we’re able to forgive other people and ourselves. Being able to graduate, having a good job or work, earning big salary,
travelling around the world, having a nice and big family and being able to help those who are in need brought happiness
in our hearts and give us purpose but the happiness that we feel when we accept who we are and truly forgive other people
and ourselves are unmeasurable. When the time comes when I can already free myself from guilt and accept myself then I
already reach my ultimate goal in life, genuine happiness.

FORUM (B)
“HAPPINESS IS THE MEANING AND THE PURPOSE OF LIFE, THE WHOLE AIM AND END OF
HUMAN EXISTENCE”
Happiness. It is a term we throw about without much thought these day. Perhaps, you think you know what is meant by
saying someone is happy. However, do we really know what its real meaning?
Viewing happiness as something in the world as opposed to an individual feeling is not the way we usually understand the
term. Every individual has different and unique meaning of happiness. Above it all, Aristotle, a philosopher, apotheosize
happiness as a core purpose of human life and a goal in itself. He termed this eudaimonia – “activity expressing
virtue”.Everywhere we go, we see people seeking pleasure, wealth, and a good reputation. However, while each of these
has some value, none of them can occupy the place of the chief good for which humanity should aim. Aristotle claims that
nearly everyone would agree that happiness is the end which meets all these requirements. It is easy enough to see that we
desire money, pleasure, and honor only because we believe that these goods will make us happy. It seems that all other
goods are a means towards obtaining happiness, while happiness is always an end in itself. For Aristotle, happiness is
something that cannot be gained or lost in a few hours, like pleasurable sensations. It is more like the ultimate value of
your life as lived up to this moment, measuring how well you have lived up to your full potential as a human being.
FORUM (C)
VIRTUE IS NOT LEFT TO STAND ALONE. HE WHO PRACTICES IT WILL HAVE NEIGHBORS
Virtue is an important attribute in our lives we should do all we can to try to have virtue in all things that we do. Virtue
ethics does not directly provide the criterion for right action. Instead, it stresses the importance of cultivating the right
character, disposition, attitude, reason, and emotion without which a moral agent can hardly do the right thing, follow
moral rules, and do his moral duties. As for this quote, for me, means that virtue alone cannot stand without action
because no one can be with virtue when it is not even an act. If someone who is virtuous (is a good person) and performs
right acts will attract the companionship of others.

Galeon et al., 2018, Ethics: The Grounds of Morality and the Search for the Good Life, Verbum Books
LESSON 12: FORUM
What does this saying mean?
Morality is not properly the doctrine of how we may make ourselves happy, but how we may
make ourselves worthy of happiness- Immanuel Kant

Morality correctly judges between right and wrong.

In the previous lesson, the philosopher Aristotle says that the ultimate purpose in life is happiness, which he
calls the “supreme good”. Like him, there are other philosophers who connect being morally good with being
happy.
Immanuel Kant, based on what I have perceived on the quotation above, believe that, all other things being
equal, it is better to be happy than to be miserable, and he wouldn't think that looking out for our
own happiness is immoral. Looking out for people's happiness follows from their intrinsic and infinite value as
autonomous, free, rational beings. Happiness is, by far, not the most important thing when making moral
decisions. For pleasure that comes at the expense of someone's freedom, of someone's life, is not worth it.
If happiness is a matter of correlation with what one’s heart desires, then there is an unwanted difficulty in
matching perfectly moral goodness and happiness. Immanuel Kant argues that acts like lying and stealing are
absolutely prohibited even if doing them rather than their alternatives result in “happiness”. Also, he
understands that one’s goodness may not guarantee happiness, although one deserves it. Moreover, Kant argues
that any man who enjoys uninterrupted bliss that have not come from a pure and good will cannot be inspiring
to rational and impartial spectators. On the other hand, any man who meets a misfortune for doing something
out of a good will is deserving of happiness. We seem to be not particularly good at knowing what makes us
happy.
We seem to be not particularly good at knowing what makes others happy. The function of reason is not,
primarily, to make ourselves or others happy, but to live rightly, come what may.

LESSON 12: QUIZ

Using the different formulae of the categorical imperative, determine whether the following actions are
considered duties. Explain each.

1. ALMS GIVING
Alms giving involves giving to others as an act of virtue, either materially or in the sense
of providing capabilities (e.g. education) free.

First Formulation
- Alms giving is a form of charity Moreover, everyone believe that alms giving is an expression of love to
our brothers and sisters most especially those who are less fortunate. Every single individual agree that
alms giving is a moral thing to do just like during calamities wherein people unite as one to help one
another.
Second Formulation
- Giving alms may it be foods and clothes help other people to rise again. It is a sign that theirs hope in
humanity. As a Filipino, we don’t want anyone to be left behind this is why during state of calamities
donations are being conducted. We help those who are less fortunate because life is precious and they
deserve to live.
Third Formulation
- There are some part of the Philippines that are under state of calamity. Filipinos all over the country are
sending donations to those who are affected. In this way, giving alms, is a sign that we are united despite
of the conflict that’s happening we still do our responsibility as a citizen of the Philippines.

2. BLOOD DONATION
First Formulation
 - In the Philippines, Filipinos are encouraged to donate blood to ensure the reliability of the blood banks.
Every now and then, the Philippine Red Cross are conducting blood donations wherein people can
voluntary donate bloods so that it can be used by those who are in need most especially those who have
blood-related disease.
Second Formulation
- The blood that we donated will greatly help those people who are in need of blood. It will improve their
health condition and might lengthen their life. It will help them to recover and escape from critical
conditions.
Third Formulation
- Everyday there are people who needs blood. A blood donation truly is a “gift of life” that a healthy
individual can give to others in their community who are sick or injured. It is a good way of saving
lives implemented anywhere in the country.

3. FIGHTING BULLIES
First Formulation
- Bullying is very famous problem occurring in the country. However, fighting bullies is not a good way
of resolving the case because this might cause further injuries and make everything worst. It’s not all the
time to solve problems through violence this is why there are rules and laws everywhere to conduct
moral engagement.
Second Formulation
- We must treat everybody with kindness despite of their bad attitude. We may got hurt because of their,
bullies, doings but it’s not right to do the same to them. We can have revenge by throwing goodness at
them. This goodness that we’ll give to them will eventually make them realize about life.
Third Formulation
- Since bullying cases arise, the government implemented laws for anti-bullying and there’s a need of
moral engagement. It was encouraged everywhere that there should be no fighting. By means of this,
there’s no need to fight those who bullied you.

4. WAGING WAR
First Formulation
- Philippines is a democratic country and it’s a country where people treasure human rights. War is
a bad thing because it involves deliberately killing or injuring people, and this is a fundamental wrong -
an abuse of the victims' human rights. Therefore, it cannot be universally accepted.
Second Formulation
- Some people say that waging war is a way to keep everything in place but, for me, it’s a selfish way,
could harm lots of people and steal people’s life . Moreover, one of the Ten Commandments stated,
“Thou shall not kill”. Therefore, this is not a good way of treating people.
Third Formulation
 - Waging war could harm many people. This is could make everything worst and will lose the unity
among all men which eventually will lose the order. As a human being and as a citizen of the country,
we must think of ways that could help people and solve problems without killing and hurting people.
With this, waging war is morally wrong.

5. TELLING A LIE
First Formulation

- Telling a lie corrupt corrupts the most important quality of being human: the ability to make free,
rational choices. Each lie that people tell contradicts the part of them that gives them moral worth.
Telling lies rob others of their freedom to choose rationally. When lie leads people to decide other than
they would had they known the truth, people have harmed other people’s human dignity and autonomy.
Moreover, telling lies can hurt people that will lead to a broken trust. Therefore, telling a lie is morally
wrong and cannot be universally accepted.
Second Formulation

- Telling a lie, for me, is a way to deceive others. To value ourselves and others as ends instead of means,
we have perfect duties to avoid damaging, interfering with, or misusing the ability to make free
decisions in other words - no lying.
Third Formulation

- Telling a lie can create problems not only within ourselves but also to other people. It’s easy for us,
humans, to tell a lie but its consequences runs too deep that we can hardly recover most especially if we
lost this so called trust. Lying can be cognitively depleting, it can increase the risk that people will be
punished, it can threaten people's self-worth by preventing them from seeing themselves as
“good” people, and it can generally erode trust in society.

LESSON 13: UTILITARIANISM

There is a runaway trolley barrelling down the railway tracks. Ahead, on the tracks, there are five people tied
up and unable to move. The trolley is headed straight for them. You are standing some distance off in the train
yard, next to a lever. If you pull this lever, the trolley will switch to a different set of tracks. However, you
notice that there is one person on the side tracks. You have two options:
a. Do nothing and allow the trolley to kill the five people on the main track
b. Pull the lever, diverting the trolley onto the side track where it will kill one person.

No life is more valuable than another. Choosing who to save whether the five people or one person is not as
easy as people think it is because whatever I’m going to choose there will still life to lose. Perhaps, not the same
in the situation stated above but there will always be an instance or dilemma in our life that we have to choose
and sacrifice.
For this kind of situation, I’m going to choose the second option wherein I’m going to pull the lever and
sacrifice one life. My decision is brutal and selfish but if these are the only options that I have then I’ll choose
to sacrifice one for the greater good or act the one that achieves the greatest good for the greatest number.
At some point, we have to let go and sacrifice in order to learn and change for the better. I may made a selfish
decision at this scenario but I won’t do the same ever again in the future. I will make sure to avoid this kind of
scenario to arise again by making things better. Mistake must be learnt and should not be ignored.