170 likes | 622 Views
HRE 4M1 – GRADE 12M RELIGION. ETHICS AND MORALITY Chapter 1: why be ethical?. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ETHICS AND MORALITY. Ethics comes from the Greek word “ ta ethickas ” – means having to do with good character
E N D
HRE 4M1 – GRADE 12M RELIGION ETHICS AND MORALITYChapter 1:why be ethical?
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ETHICS AND MORALITY • Ethics comes from the Greek word “taethickas” – means having to do with good character • Ethics is more interested in the good that humans tend toward. Ex. Include happiness and freedom • Ethics is also interested in that search for the good
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ETHICS AND MORALITY • Morality comes from the Latin word ‘moralitas’ - means having to do with the customs, manners, and habits shaping human life • Morality is translating that search for the good in the way we conduct our everyday lives
Ethics guides morality – it gives us the vision of our action (we can’t paint without our paintbrush) • Ethics gives us an understanding of the essential principles underlying our activity
LETS IMPROVE YOUR UNDERSTANDING... • Example: Music • Ethics is understanding the musical theory, reading music, understanding technique • Morality is playing music, hitting the right notes, performing • People can still play music without musical theory • You may/may not make good decisions in a musical arrangement or performance
What does Ethics give us? • Our society is filled with many norms, duties and many important laws and commandments • The purpose of ethics is to find the highest possible good in various circumstances and under certain conditions (i.e. self defense vs. Thou shall not kill) • Goods beat out the rules and norms • If the rules don’t contribute to that highest good - the rules need to be reconsidered
4 Types of Ethical Experiences:#1 The Scream – The Personal Response • There is a scream from someone in trouble • There is a spontaneous decision to help • There is a drive to move and act – an automatic response Video Clip: Spider Man 3
4 Types of Ethical Experiences:#2 The Beggar – The Experience of the Other • This can happen when you are face-to-face with another person • You are responsible to the other • The other’s face takes hostage and elicits a responsibility from you (can become guilt) • The face stays with you until you decide – it causes an impact • May not always begin this way – there are a number of emotions and many questions you ask yourself Video Clip: The Fisher King
4 Types of Ethical Experiences:#3 “I have to...” – The Obligation Experience • There is an intrinsic duty (i.e. To follow parent’s rules) • If you choose to ignore the ethical response, the unrest stays with you • The order or wish from an authority figure can invade our consciousness, change our ethical framework and demand a response Video Clip: Trailer for Grey’s Anatomy ‘Tainted Obligation’
4 Types of Ethical Experiences:#4 “This isn’t fair!” – The Contrast Experience • One has a built-in capacity of what the world should look like • These experiences lead us to the thought of “That is not fair!” • This is a response to a terrifying event that contrasts greatly with how we think humans should be acting • Can cause a change that opposes this destruction Video Clip: Hotel Rwanda
4 Types of Ethical Experiences • It is important for us to understand that there is no real ethical theory • Our Catholic faith hopes that we use our conscience and search for the good in every ethical dilemma we face • What one person believes is duty, guilt, intolerable contrast, etc. will be different for every person in every circumstance
Ethical Relativism Any view that denies the existences of a single universally applicable moral standard. In other words, morality is “relative” from person to person.
Ethical Absolutism • The view that affirms the existences of a single correct and universally applicable moral standard • Moral Absolute/Universal • Believe that morals are inherent in the laws • of the universe, the nature of humanity, and • the will or character of God, or some other • fundamental source • The regard actions as essentially moral or • immoral • For example, slavery, dictatorships, child • abuse is absolutely immoral regardless of the • beliefs and goals of a culture that engages in • these practices • They believe that moral questions can be • judged regardless of the context of the act
INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY • PHILOSOPHY IS: • Love and pursuit of wisdom by intellectual means and moral self-discipline. • Investigation of the nature, causes, or principles of reality, knowledge, or values, based on logical reasoning rather than empirical methods. • A system of thought based on or involving such inquiry.
Catholic Approach to Ethics • There is a philosophical understanding of the human person as ethical. • Tradition as the “Book of Nature”. • We have an innate (born with) search for the good.
Judeo-Christian Tradition – Search for Good • Sacred scripture is the foundation in our understanding of what is good and understanding ourselves at ethical beings (Remember Grade 10 – What does it mean to be human?) How do these goods impact our lives? • Revelation and Reason • Good of freedom, of love, of justice, of love of community, of forgiveness