CHAPTER 3: THE PHILOSOPHICAL BACKGROUND OF BUSINESS ETHICS
A. Ethics and Philosophy
What is Philosophy?
Philosophy, etymologically, came from two Greek words “philos,” which means love, and
“sophis,” which means wisdom. Philosophy means “love of wisdom.” As a science, philosophy is
interested with the meaning of reality, including our human experiences.
B. Definition of Ethics
Ethics is a practical science of the morality of human acts.
Ethics is the study of conduct from the standpoint of morality.
Ethics is a practical science that guides us in our actions that we live rightly and well.
Ethics is the science which lays down the principles of right living.
C. Ethics and Morality
Morality
-it refers to the quality of goodness or badness in human act. Good is described as moral and bad is
described as immoral. It means conformity to the rules of the right conduct.
D. Ethics as Normative Science
Ethics is a branch of philosophy and it is considered as a normative science because it is concerned with
the systematic study of norms of human conduct. Ethics is a normative science because it involves a
systematic search for moral principles and norms that are used to justify our moral judgments.
1. Descriptive Ethics
consists of studying and describing the morality of people, culture, or society
Examples:
Psychological Egoism
Cultural Relativism
A. Ethics and Philosophy
What is Philosophy?
Philosophy, etymologically, came from two Greek words “philos,” which means love, and
“sophis,” which means wisdom. Philosophy means “love of wisdom.” As a science, philosophy is
interested with the meaning of reality, including our human experiences.
B. Definition of Ethics
Ethics is a practical science of the morality of human acts.
Ethics is the study of conduct from the standpoint of morality.
Ethics is a practical science that guides us in our actions that we live rightly and well.
Ethics is the science which lays down the principles of right living.
C. Ethics and Morality
Morality
-it refers to the quality of goodness or badness in human act. Good is described as moral and bad is
described as immoral. It means conformity to the rules of the right conduct.
D. Ethics as Normative Science
Ethics is a branch of philosophy and it is considered as a normative science because it is concerned with
the systematic study of norms of human conduct. Ethics is a normative science because it involves a
systematic search for moral principles and norms that are used to justify our moral judgments.
1. Descriptive Ethics
consists of studying and describing the morality of people, culture, or society
Examples:
Psychological Egoism
Cultural Relativism
