Ethics

2. Aristotle
•The ultimate good of man consists of
an aggregate of goods which would
help him attain happiness in this life.
Anything which contributes to man’s
development, comfort, and well-
being.

3. Anything which satisfies a human
need.
It is identical to that which is good
defined by Aristotle as “fitting a
function”.

4. Values enrich our experience of life and
bring happiness.
Actions are values because they are the
means we employ to attain happiness.
Morally good actions bring happiness, while
immoral actions bring unhappiness.

5. Biological
• necessary
to the
survival and
growth of
man such
as food,
shelter,
work, etc.
Psychological
• necessary to
the
psychological
maturation of
man such as
companionshi
p, friendship,
marriage, etc.
Intellectual
• necessary to
the mental
fulfillment of
man such as
truth, science,
art and
religion.
Moral
• necessary for
the
development
of character.
We also speak of cultural values – those that are shared in a community such
as ideals, laws, customs, beliefs, rituals and ceremonies. Some values are
described as religious, economic, or aesthetic.

6. From the time of the Greek philosophers to the present, the moral values are
held as more important than the others.
Hierarchy of values refers to the ranking of values from lowest to highest.
A triangle, with it’s summit and middle and base, illustrates how values are
ranked.
Biological values occupy the base.
Moral values, the summit.
Psychological and intellectual values occupy respectively the mid-section.

7. Moral
Intellectual and
psychological values
Biological
• corresponds to spiritual
development.
• these values constitute
moral integrity.
• social values corresponding to our
psychological growth.
• lower middle value.
• fundamental value in this category is
love which is the foundation of
friendship, marriage, etc.
• correspond to our mental
growth.
• higher middle value.
• most fundamental value is
truth.
• correspond to our survival
and procreation.
• most fundamental value is
self-preservation or health.

8. The authenticity of values consists in their being shared with others. The higher a value
goes up the ranking the more it becomes altruistic.
The lower values are seen as competitive and egoistic because they tend towards the
accumulation of material possession which man finds difficult to share with others.
Psychological value of love lends itself to sharing with others.
The nature of intellectual value is also altruistic.
Moral values are even more meaningful because it allows man to live with others in
peaceful and harmony.
It is not good for man to be alone; I will give him a helper who
will be like him.
• Genesis 2:18

9. Moral values are those pertaining to the functions
of the intellect and the will.
Moral values relate to our spiritual growth.
In the context of integral perfection, all values
whether biological or social, acquire moral
significance.

10. They have
intrinsic
worth
They are
universally
accepted
by all
people
They are
obligatory

11. Permanent or lasting values must be preferred over temporary or
perishable ones.
Values favored by the majority must be preferred over those appealing
only to a few.
Essential values must be preferred over the accidental values.
Moral values must be preferred over the physical values.

12. Moral character is the sum of man’s good
habits.
Habit comes from the Latin word “habere”,
meaning – to have or to possess.
Habits are either entitative or operative.

13. Predispose man to acquire certain nature
or equality
Predispose man to act readily towards a
purpose.

14. Prudence
• It enables a
person to
know the best
means to
employ in
attaining a
purpose.
Justice
• Inclines a
person to give
to everyone
what is due.
Fortitude
• Gives a
person the
strength of
the will to
face dangers
and the
problems in
life.
Temperance
• Moderates a
person’s
instincts and
emotions.

15. • Habit or intuition of the first principles.
• Also called common senseUnderstanding
• Habit of proximate causeScience
• Habit of making beautiful things.Art
• Habit of the ultimate causesWisdom

16. A vice is the opposite of virtue. Vice is the habit of doing evil acquired through
the repetition of an evil act. One immortal act does not constitute a habit or a
vice for that matter. But it is no less unfortunate. The fact is every single evil
act speaks of an evil character.
A vice is evil either because of excess or of defect:
Vices opposed to
prudence by excess
Vices opposed to justice
by excess
Vices opposed to fortitude
by excess
Vices opposed to
temperance by excess

17. Moral integrity is
man’s true worth.
With it, I person is
distinguished as
“mabuting tao”.
Without it, a person
is “masamang tao”.