CHED-GET-XU

May 8-26, 2017

Xavier University
TOPIC OUTLINE*
1.Why Rules
2.Difference between Moral
and Non-Moral Standards
Morality and Ethics
3.Dilemmas

*Content presented by Dr Manny Dy, Jr. of the

Ateneo de Manila University during the
First Generation CHED-GET Training
1. WHY RULES?
The usual rules of our lives
 ETIQUETTE—standards by which we judge manners to be good or bad; normally
dictated by a socio-economic elite
 LEGAL—standards by which we judge legal right and wrong; in a democracy,
formulated by representative of the people
 LANGUAGE—standards by which we judge what is grammatically right or wrong;
evolve through use
 AESTHETICS—standards by which judge good and bad art; usually dictated by a
small circle of art connoisseurs
 ATHLETIC—standards by which we judge how good or bad a game is played;
usually formulated by governing bodies.
1. WHY RULES?
Some Reasons why rules:
 Sense of Order
1. WHY RULES?
 Get Things Done
1. WHY RULES?
 We are beings with others. Esse est co-esse
2. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MORAL AND NON-
MORAL STANDARDS OF MORALITY
What distinguishes moral standards from amoral standards?
1. Moral standards deal with matters that can seriously injure or benefit human
beings.
 E.g. theft, rape, fraud, slander, murder
2. The validity of moral standards rests on the adequacy of reasons to support and
justify them, not on decision of majority or authoritative bodies.
 E.g. that one ought to tell the truth does not depend on how many people will
vote on it nor on the legislature. One indication of justification is the
consensus of participants in communication. (Habermas)
3. Moral standards are to be preferred to other values, including self-interest.
 E.g. honesty is to be preferred than cheating, although cheating can make me
graduate
2. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MORAL AND NON-
MORAL STANDARDS OF MORALITY
4. Moral standards are based on impartial considerations. Another way of
expressing this is “universalizable” or taking the point of view of an “ideal
observer.”
 Still, this impartiality must be balanced with partiality towards those we have a
special relationship (family and friends) and the poor and the disabled.
5. Moral standards are associated with special emotions
 such as ‘guilt,’ ‘shame.’ ‘remorse,’ ‘praise,’ ‘indignation’.

What is common to all five characteristics?

- None other than society taken in its broadest sense, or in philosophical terms, the
‘other.’
- In other words, individual responsibility cannot be taken in isolation from social
responsibility.
2. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MORAL AND NON-
MORAL STANDARDS OF MORALITY

Non-compliance with moral standards

seriously injure us as human beings.
NABABAWASAN ANG PAGKAKATAO.
The challenge of moral standard is that in
violating them, effect is not always
immediate and visible.
DILEMMAS
Signaled by being “bothered” – “nababagabag”
 Why am I bothered?
 When did you las have that “bothered” feeling?

What is a dilemma?
 Dilemmas are experiences where an agent is confused about the right
decision to make because there are several competing values that are
seemingly equally important and urgent.

Feelings and Dilemmas

• Strong feelings signal the presence of a dilemma
• But many people do not always “catch” the dilemma behind the feeling
• One can be conditioned to be indifferent so that what used to be
NAKAKABAGABAG is no longer a dilemma
DILEMMAS
Dilemmas are not about competing solutions
• We normally handled the “pagkabagabag” by immediately offering solutions
instead of articulating the competing values or issues, e.g. should I cheat or
not cheat?

Case:
Ramon, a Grade 5 honor student at an all-boys’ Grade School allows Jose, a large, burly boy
seated next to him, to peek at his math quarterly exam. Unfortunately, Teacher sees this and
immediately gives both boys a failing mark for the quarter exam. Ramon feels that a great
injustice has been committed; that Jose should have been punished more severely than him.

Why does Ramon feel this way about Teacher’s punishment?

Why did Ramon allow Jose to copy?
DILEMMAS
How should we handle a moral dilemma?
 Certainly not through feelings
 Upsurge of Feelings cannot be prevented
 What we do with them separates the mature form the immature moral agent

Using Reason and Impartiality

 Reason Defined
 A faculty
 A way of dealing with issues
 Moral judgment are not a matter of personal preferences or tastes

“…the morally right thing to do, in any circumstance, is determined by what there are
the best reasons for doing.” James Rachel
DILEMMAS
 Impartiality Defined
 Every stakeholder’s interest is equally important
 There are no special interests or people, thus in making every moral decision, each
stakeholder interest should be considered
 One must not be arbitrary
 Every person should be treated the same way unless there is good reason not do so

Why Reason? Why Impartially?

 Because dilemmas are complex experiences; hard to make a good decision
 An agent is confused about the right decision to make because there are several
competing values that different stakeholders protect.
THE CASE OF BABY JANE DOE
In late 1983 there was a great public controversy over an infant known to the public
only as Baby Jane Doe. This unfortunate baby, born in New York State, suffered
from multiple defects including spina bifida (a broken and protruding spine),
hydrocephaly (excess fluid on the brain), and perhaps worst of all, microcephaly
(excess fluid on the brain), suggesting that part of the brain was missing. Surgery
was needed for the spina befida; however, the doctors who examined the baby
disagreed about whether the operation should be performed.
Dr. George Newman believed that surgery would be pointless because the baby could
never have a meaningful human life. Another physician, Dr. Arjen Keuskamp, did
not think the baby’s condition was hopeless and advocated immediate surgery.
(Both were pediatric neurologists). The parents decided to accept Dr. Newman’s
recommendation, and refused permission for surgery. Dr. Keuskamp then
withdrew from the case.
THE CASE OF BABY JANE DOE
Because such cases have become common, the plight of Baby Jane Doe would not
have received much attention had it not been for the intervention of third parties.
Shortly after the parents made their decision, Lawrence Washburn, a lawyer
associated with some conservative right-to-life groups, petitioned the courts to set
aside the parent’s wishes and order that surgery be performed. The New York
State Supreme Court granted that request, but a higher court quickly overturned
the order, calling Washburn’s suit “offensive.”
The court impressed by Dr. Newman’s testimony: he told the court, “The decision
made by the parents is that it would be in kind to have the surgery performed on
this child…on the basis of the combination that are present in this child, she is
not likely to ever achieve any meaningful interaction with her environment, nor
even achieve any interpersonal relationships, the very qualities which we
consider human.”
THE CASE OF BABY JANE DOE
After Mr. Washburn’s suit was dismissed, the federal government got in the act. The
Department of Justice filed suit demanding access to the hospital’s records in
order to determine whether a “handicapped person” –the infant– was being
discriminated against. This suit was also dismissed, with the judge declaring that
the parents’ decision “was a reasonable one based on due consideration of the
medical opinions available and on a genuine concern for the best interests of the
child.”
The parents did eventually agree to the use of a shunt to remove the excess fluid from
the child’s brain. But the major surgery, for the spina befida, was not performed.
THE CASE OF BABY JANE DOE
a. Was the parents’ decision correct?
b. What are the facts of the Baby Jane Doe
case?
c. If you were the parents (the moral agents),
what was your dilemma?
d. Who are the two other stakeholders
contesting the parents’ decision?
e. What was the value/behind the position?
SUMMARY: TO BE ETHICAL REQUIRES…
Why are we the only moral agents?
 Because only human beings are free
To be ethical requires:
 Pause
 To get hold of emotions before they do damage
 To distance from what everyone else is saying
 Critical Thinking
 To analyze the situation, consider stakeholders interest make the right choices
 To see the bigger picture and align the choice with what the values important to
me
 Courage
 To act deliberately and with conviction on what reason says is the right thing to
do