Lesson 3 - ETHICS Lesson 3 - ETHICS: Ethics (Bicol University) Ethics (Bicol University)

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Lesson 3 - ETHICS

Ethics (Bicol University)

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SOURCES AUTHORITY From the reality of diversity, it is possible for someone to


jump to the further claim that the sheer variety at work in the
Several common ways of thinking about ethics are based on different ways of valuation means there is no single universal
the idea that the standards of valuation are imposed by a standard for such valuations, and that this holds true as well
higher authority that commands our obedience. in the realm of ethics.
In this lesson, we will explore three of such ideas: the - Therefore, what is ethically acceptable or
authority of the law, the authority of one’s religion, and the unacceptable is relative to, or that is to say,
authority of one’s own culture. dependent on one’s culture. This position is referred
to as cultural relativism.
LAW

- It is supposed that law is one’s guide to ethical There is something appealing to this way of thinking because
behavior. cultural relativism seems to conform to what we experience,
- In the Philippines, Filipinos are constrained to obey which is the reality of the differences in how cultures make
the laws of the land as stated in the country’s their ethical valuations.
criminal and civil codes. - By taking one’s culture as the standard, we are
provided a basis for our valuations.
Positive Law – refers to the different rules and regulations
- This teaches us to be tolerant of others from
that are posited or put forward by an authority figure that
different cultures, as we realize that we are in no
require compliance.
position to judge whether the ethical thought or
-We recognize that there are many acts that we immediately practice of another culture is acceptable or
consider unethical (e.g., murder or theft), which we also know unacceptable.
are forbidden by law. - Thus, our culture’s moral code is neither superior to
nor inferior to any other but would provide us the
- Law is enforced by way of a system of sanctions standards that are appropriate and applicable to us.
administered through persons and institutions, which all help
in compelling us to obey. “Ethics? It is simple. Just follow whatever your culture says.”

“Ethics? It is simple. Just follow whatever the law says.” - Tempting as this idea, there are problems.
- James Rachels, he presents some of these
- This statement has some problems although we do difficulties. The first 3 points in the following are a
maintain that generally speaking, one should obey brief restatement of some of his criticisms of cultural
the law. relativism; followed by an additional fourth point of
- One point to be raised is the prohibitive nature of criticism based on more recent and more
the law. contextualized observations.
- The law does not tell us what we should do; it works
by constraining us from performing acts that we 1. The argument of cultural relativism is premised on the
should not do. reality of difference. Because different cultures have
- Simply put, law does not tell us what to pursue, only what to different moral codes, we can’t say that any one moral
avoid. code is the right one.
2. We are in no position to render any kind of judgement
Think about this example: on the practices of another culture. This seems to be a
generous and an open-minded way of respecting
- Companies hiring contractual workers. others. But what if the practice seems to call for
- Boy run over by a couple of vehicles. comment?
3. We are in no position to render judgement on the
CULTURE practices of even our own culture. If our culture was
the basis for determining right and wrong, we would be
Our exposure to different societies and their cultures
unable to say that something within our cultural
makes us aware that there are ways of thinking and valuing that
practice was problematic, precisely because we take our
are different from our own, that there is in fact a wide diversity
culture to be the standard for making such judgment.
of how different people believe it is proper to act.
4. Perhaps the most evident contemporary difficulty with
- There are aesthetic differences (Japanese art vs. cultural relativism is that we can maintain it only by
Indian art), religious differences (Buddhism vs. following the presumption of culture as a single, clearly
Christianity), and etiquette differences (conflicting defined substance or as something fixed and already
determined.
behaviors regarding dining practices).
- Various examples also include: nudity can be more Finally, we can conclude this criticism of cultural relativism by
taboo in one culture than in another; relations pointing out how it is a problem in our study of ethics because it
between men and women can show a wide variety tends to deprive us of our use of critical thought. On the
across different cultures, ranging from greater positive side, cultural relativism promotes a sense of humility,
liberality and equality on one hand, to greater that is urging us not to imagine that our own culture is superior
inequality and a relation of dominance vs. to another.
submission on the other.
Dianna Rose O. Belen, RN, LPT GE 8 ETHICS 2nd Sem
2018-2019

Downloaded by Roger Paul Fuentes (fuentesrogerpaul@gmail.com)


lOMoARcPSD|7153427

Dianna Rose O. Belen, RN, LPT GE 8 ETHICS 2nd Sem


2018-2019

Downloaded by Roger Paul Fuentes (fuentesrogerpaul@gmail.com)

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