Ethics
III BSE ENGLISH B
STUDY GUIDE FOR MODULE NO. 3
THE ACT
Introduction:
Some ethicists believe that ethics is also a matter of emotion. “Feelings are seen as also
necessary in ethical judgment as they are even deemed by some as instinctive and trained
response to moral dilemmas”(De Guzman, 2018). In this Module, “The Act” simply means the
action performed by the agent (as deliberate and free). When you perform whatever kind of action,
you need to consider three important things: 1) feelings, 2) reason and impartiality, and 3) will.
You will learn in this module the role of feelings in making the right decisions and further assent that
no matter what type of moral dilemma we encounter, our moral decisions must be based on reason
and impartiality as minimum standards for morality. Lastly, you will also learn that the “will” is as
important as reason.
Topic 1. Feelings and Moral Decision Making
Sub-Topic 1.1. Feelings can be Obstacles in Making the Right Decisions
What are feelings?
Feelings are instinctive responses to moral dilemmas. According to David Hume, “a
person gains awareness of moral good and evil by experiencing the pleasure of approval and
uneasiness of disapproval. Reason alone is insufficient to yield a judgment that something is virtuous
or vicious” (plato.standford.edu, 2018).
Feelings as obstacles in making the right decisions.
Feelings can be obstacles in making the right decisions because of its three central features,
they are: 1) their non-deliberate nature, 2) their partial nature, and 3) they are capricious
(Gallinero, 2018).
Sub-Topic 1.2. Feelings can Help in Making the Right Decisions
As mentioned by Gallinero, there are at least three ways that feelings help in making the
right decisions, namely: 1) it signals the need to adjust behavior, 2) it can help us learn from our
mistakes, and 3) emotional responses can be reshaped as time pass by (Gallinero, 2018).
Topic 2. Reason and Impartiality and Minimum Requirements for Morality
Sub-Topic 2.1. Reason and impartiality defined
According to Merriam-Webster, reason is “the power of the mind to think, understand and
form judgments by a process of logic”. Furthermore, Emmanuel Kant claims that reason alone is the
, basis of morality; hence, acting morally is acting rationally. Impartiality “involves the idea that
each individual’s interests and point of view are equally important. It is the principle of justice
holding that decisions ought to be based from objective criteria, rather than on the basis of bias,
prejudice, etc.”(De Guzman, 2018).
Sub-Topic 2.2. The Seven-Step Moral Reasoning Model
Scott Rae suggested a 7-step model which can be used in making moral decisions.
These steps are: 1) gather the facts, 2) Determine the ethical issues, 3) what principles have
bearing on the case, 4) list the alternatives, 5) compare the alternatives with the principles, 6)
weigh the consequences, and 7) make a decision.
Model for Making Ethical Decisions
Scott B. Rae, Ph.D.
CASE #1--"PLEASE DON'T TELL!"
A twenty year old Hispanic male was brought to a hospital emergency room, having
suffered abdominal injuries due to gunshot wounds obtained in gang violence. He had no
medical insurance, and his stay in the hospital was somewhat shorter than expected due to his
good recovery. Physicians attending to him felt that he could complete his recovery at home
just as easily as in the hospital and he was released after only a few days in the hospital.
During his stay in the hospital, the patient admitted to his primary physician that he was HIV
positive, having contracted the virus that causes AIDS. This was confirmed by a blood test
administered while he was hospitalized. When he was discharged from the hospital, the
physician recommended that a professional nurse visit him regularly at home in order to
change the bandages on his still substantial wounds and to insure that an infection did not
develop. Since he had no health insurance he was dependent on Medicaid, a government
program that pays for necessary medical care for those who cannot afford it. However,
Medicaid refused to pay for home nursing care since there was someone already in the home
who was capable of providing the necessary care. That person was the patient's twenty-two
year old sister, who was willing to take care of her brother until he was fully recovered. Their
mother had died years ago and the sister was accustomed to providing care for her younger
siblings.
The patient had no objection to his sister providing this care, but he insisted that she not
be told that he had tested HIV positive. Though he had always had a good relationship with his
sister, she did not know that he was an active homosexual. His even greater fear was that his
father would hear of his homosexual orientation and lifestyle Homosexuality is generally
looked upon with extreme disfavor among Hispanics. The patient's physician is bound by his
code of ethics that places a very high priority on keeping confidentiality. That is,
information about someone's medical condition that he or she does not want known
III BSE ENGLISH B
STUDY GUIDE FOR MODULE NO. 3
THE ACT
Introduction:
Some ethicists believe that ethics is also a matter of emotion. “Feelings are seen as also
necessary in ethical judgment as they are even deemed by some as instinctive and trained
response to moral dilemmas”(De Guzman, 2018). In this Module, “The Act” simply means the
action performed by the agent (as deliberate and free). When you perform whatever kind of action,
you need to consider three important things: 1) feelings, 2) reason and impartiality, and 3) will.
You will learn in this module the role of feelings in making the right decisions and further assent that
no matter what type of moral dilemma we encounter, our moral decisions must be based on reason
and impartiality as minimum standards for morality. Lastly, you will also learn that the “will” is as
important as reason.
Topic 1. Feelings and Moral Decision Making
Sub-Topic 1.1. Feelings can be Obstacles in Making the Right Decisions
What are feelings?
Feelings are instinctive responses to moral dilemmas. According to David Hume, “a
person gains awareness of moral good and evil by experiencing the pleasure of approval and
uneasiness of disapproval. Reason alone is insufficient to yield a judgment that something is virtuous
or vicious” (plato.standford.edu, 2018).
Feelings as obstacles in making the right decisions.
Feelings can be obstacles in making the right decisions because of its three central features,
they are: 1) their non-deliberate nature, 2) their partial nature, and 3) they are capricious
(Gallinero, 2018).
Sub-Topic 1.2. Feelings can Help in Making the Right Decisions
As mentioned by Gallinero, there are at least three ways that feelings help in making the
right decisions, namely: 1) it signals the need to adjust behavior, 2) it can help us learn from our
mistakes, and 3) emotional responses can be reshaped as time pass by (Gallinero, 2018).
Topic 2. Reason and Impartiality and Minimum Requirements for Morality
Sub-Topic 2.1. Reason and impartiality defined
According to Merriam-Webster, reason is “the power of the mind to think, understand and
form judgments by a process of logic”. Furthermore, Emmanuel Kant claims that reason alone is the
, basis of morality; hence, acting morally is acting rationally. Impartiality “involves the idea that
each individual’s interests and point of view are equally important. It is the principle of justice
holding that decisions ought to be based from objective criteria, rather than on the basis of bias,
prejudice, etc.”(De Guzman, 2018).
Sub-Topic 2.2. The Seven-Step Moral Reasoning Model
Scott Rae suggested a 7-step model which can be used in making moral decisions.
These steps are: 1) gather the facts, 2) Determine the ethical issues, 3) what principles have
bearing on the case, 4) list the alternatives, 5) compare the alternatives with the principles, 6)
weigh the consequences, and 7) make a decision.
Model for Making Ethical Decisions
Scott B. Rae, Ph.D.
CASE #1--"PLEASE DON'T TELL!"
A twenty year old Hispanic male was brought to a hospital emergency room, having
suffered abdominal injuries due to gunshot wounds obtained in gang violence. He had no
medical insurance, and his stay in the hospital was somewhat shorter than expected due to his
good recovery. Physicians attending to him felt that he could complete his recovery at home
just as easily as in the hospital and he was released after only a few days in the hospital.
During his stay in the hospital, the patient admitted to his primary physician that he was HIV
positive, having contracted the virus that causes AIDS. This was confirmed by a blood test
administered while he was hospitalized. When he was discharged from the hospital, the
physician recommended that a professional nurse visit him regularly at home in order to
change the bandages on his still substantial wounds and to insure that an infection did not
develop. Since he had no health insurance he was dependent on Medicaid, a government
program that pays for necessary medical care for those who cannot afford it. However,
Medicaid refused to pay for home nursing care since there was someone already in the home
who was capable of providing the necessary care. That person was the patient's twenty-two
year old sister, who was willing to take care of her brother until he was fully recovered. Their
mother had died years ago and the sister was accustomed to providing care for her younger
siblings.
The patient had no objection to his sister providing this care, but he insisted that she not
be told that he had tested HIV positive. Though he had always had a good relationship with his
sister, she did not know that he was an active homosexual. His even greater fear was that his
father would hear of his homosexual orientation and lifestyle Homosexuality is generally
looked upon with extreme disfavor among Hispanics. The patient's physician is bound by his
code of ethics that places a very high priority on keeping confidentiality. That is,
information about someone's medical condition that he or she does not want known
