MORAL PRINCIPLES 1. A certain conscience is to be obeyed, even when invincibly erroneous. 2.

it is never lawful to act while in practical doubt; moral certainty must be acquired 3. when in doubt one must first study or investigate to resolve the doubt. 4. Only when direct means are unavailable, or fail to lead to certainty, may one employ the reflex principle: a doubtful law does not bind 5. When lawfulness or unlawfulness of an act to be performed or omitted is in question one may follow solid probable reason (opinion) 6. One may not follow a probable opinion, even a most probable opinion, when there is question of a definite end to be achieved, and sure means to its achievement exist TELEOLOGY is the ethical theory stating that the value of a situation is determined by its consequences. - also called consequentialist theory - the principle of utility is a basic concept of teleology; utility states that an act must result in the greatest amount of good for the greatest number of people involved in a situation. DEONTOLOGY is the ethical theory that considers the intrinsic significance of the act itself as the criterion for determination of the good. - in determining the ethics of a situation, a person must consider the motives of the action, not the consequences of the act. NIHILISM this philosophy believes that there are no moral truths, no moral facts, no moral facts, no moral knowledge or responsibilities; therefore, nothing can truly be right or wrong in a moral sense. Heinous acts such as rape and torture of children would not necessarily be wrong. RELATIVISM morality is relative to the society in which one is brought up. Nothing can truly be right or wrong without consideration of the culture and social context. Culture determines the what is morally right or wrong. HEDONISM the major guideposts for decision-making are desire and aversion and nothing can be right or wrong apart from them. An attitude of self-absorption characterizes this worldview.

STATES or TYPE of CONSCIENCE o Correct or True Conscience judges as good what is really good and evil that which is really evil. o Erroneous Conscience conscience that is not true Invincibly or inculpably erroneous conscience that is erroneous without knowledge or fault of the agent Vincibly or culpably erroneous error through agents fault o Certain Conscience firm and assured without fear of being in error. o Doubtful Conscience conscience that is not certain or is hesitant o Probable Conscience conscience is doubtful, but grounded upon solid reason ETHICAL PRINCIPLES AUTONOMY respect for an individuals right to self-determination; respect for individual liberty. NONMALEFICENCE obligation to do or cause no harm to others. BENEFICENCE duty to do good to others and to maintain a balance between benefits and harm. JUSTICE equitable distribution of potential benefits and risks VERACITY obligation to tell the truth FIDELITY duty to do what one has promised. BASIC ETHICAL PRINCIPLE 1. STEWARDSHIP i. Our bodies, our life our human nature and everything in this earth are gifts we have dominion over. We are responsible for them, and should improve and care for them. ii. This principle requires us to appreciate 2 great gifts: - the earth with all its natural resources - our own human nature with its biological, psychological, ethical and spiritual capacities. iii. The primary responsibility for a persons health rests on the individual, not on the community. iv. A person must make a commitment to life and health over death.

v. Each person, in his commitment to life, must practice a stewardship of the body and the mind. 2. TOTALITY i. Totality refers to the whole. Every person must develop, use, care for and preserve all his parts and functions for themselves as well as for the good of the whole. ii. If a part or lower function harms the whole, this part or lower function may be sacrificed for the good or better function of the whole. iii. To be a complete human being, is not merely to have the higher level of functions but to have all the basic human functions in harmonious order. 3. DOUBLE EFFECT - When an act is foreseen to have both good and bad effects CONDITIONS TO BE MET: The direct freely chosen effect of the act must be morally good while the other indirect not freely chosen effect may be physically harmful. The action itself must be good or at least neutral. The foreseen beneficial effect must be equal or greater than the foreseen harmful effect. 4. COOPERATION Cooperation is the participation of one agent with another agent to produce a particular effect or joint effect. Cooperation becomes a problem when the action of the primarily agent is morally wrong. Cooperation may be: 1. A. FORMAL when the second agent willingly participates as when one agrees, advices, counsels, promotes. B. MATERIAL when the second agent does not willingly participates. 2. A. IMMEDIATE when the action of the secondary agent is inherently bound to the performance of the evil action; coincides in the same act as the one committing the evil act B. MEDIATE when the action of the second agent is not inherently bound to the performance of the evil action; one provides the means utilized by another person to do the evil. 5. SOLIDARITY - Means to be one with others. - In the provision of health care, it is the most important for the provider to be in solidarity with the patient when seeking; always the latters best interest. - In the Philippines, this is the most important while dealing with the poor, the uneducated, the disadvantaged and the marginalized. They are the ones most in need or the concern of the health care provider.

BASIC ETHICAL and BIOETHICAL PRINCIPLES STEWARDSHIP (Personal Responsibility for Health) - Our bodies, our life, our human nature and everything in this earth are gifts we have dominion over. We are responsible for them, and should improve and care for them. This principle requires us to appreciate the two great gifts that a wise and loving God has given us. a. the earth with all its natural resources we have come to recognize that our earthly environment is a marvellously balanced ecological system without which human life could never have evolved. Although certainly have a need and a right to cultivate and perfect our earthly home, to till and irrigate its soil, build cities, etc. We should not do this ruthlessly but must take the utmost care to conserve our ecological system unpolluted and unravished, and to cycle its raw materials and its energy supplies. There is so much damage and thoughtless exploitation of natural resources can do to our own lives. b. Our own human nature (embodied intelligent freedom) - with its biological, psychological, ethical and spiritual capacities. Our own human nature, our bodies, and our minds are wonderfully constructed. We have the need and right to improve our bodies and to develop medical technologies that prevent and remedy the defects to which they are liable. But we must do so with the greatest respect for what we already are as human beings. Our bodily and mental functions have natural tendencies which cannot be eliminated or misdirected without injury to our humanness. c. TOTALITY DOUBLE EFFECT COOPERATION SOLIDARITY ORDINARY vs. EXTRA-ORDINARY MEANS