ACLC COLLEGE OF ORMOC

Lilia Avenue., Brgy. Cogon, Ormoc City

GENERAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
_____________________________________________________________________________

WEEK 16
LESSON 12: Rights

OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the lesson student is expected to:
 To give a definition of Rights as well as the types of rights
 To differentiate rights from privilege
 To discern moral rights from legal rights

LESSON CONTENT
Lesson Overview:
This lesson examines the concept of "rights" within ethical theory. It
explores how rights function in moral decision-making, why rights are
important in protecting individual autonomy, and how various ethical
theories (like deontology, utilitarianism, and social contract theory) treat the
idea of rights.

Key Topics for the Lesson:

1. What are Rights in Ethics?
o Rights are moral entitlements or claims that individuals have. These
claims might protect personal freedom, preserve dignity, or ensure fair
treatment.
o Rights can be positive (the right to be given something, like education
or healthcare) or negative (the right to be free from something, like
coercion or harm).
o In ethics, rights are often framed in terms of human rights—universal
entitlements that all people should have simply by being human.
2. Theories of Rights: There are several ethical theories that offer different
perspectives on what rights are and how they should be protected:
o Natural Rights Theory:
 Rooted in the idea that all individuals possess certain rights by
virtue of their humanity. These rights are "inalienable",
meaning they cannot be taken away.
 Philosopher: John Locke was a key figure here. Locke argued
that individuals have natural rights to life, liberty, and
property.
 According to Locke, the role of government is to protect these
rights, and if a government violates these natural rights, citizens
have the right to revolt.
o Legal Rights vs. Moral Rights:
 Legal rights are those granted by governments or institutions
(e.g., the right to vote, the right to a fair trial).
ETHICS
KISHA MARIE L. CATAYOC
 ACLC COLLEGE OF ORMOC
Lilia Avenue., Brgy. Cogon, Ormoc City
GENERAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
_____________________________________________________________________________

 Moral rights are those that derive from moral principles or

ethical duties, irrespective of what the law says (e.g., the right to
life, the right to freedom of expression).
 The debate here often centers around whether a legal system
should always protect moral rights.
o Utilitarianism and Rights:
 Utilitarianism, as a consequentialist theory, generally
prioritizes the greater good over individual rights. A utilitarian
might argue that individual rights can be overridden if doing so
leads to a greater overall benefit.
 For example, if violating one person’s rights leads to greater
happiness or reduces suffering for many, a utilitarian might
support this violation as the "right" action.
o Deontology and Rights:
 Deontological ethics, particularly the Kantian view, places a
strong emphasis on rights. Immanuel Kant argued that people
should be treated as ends in themselves, never merely as means
to an end.
 For Kant, rights are based on the intrinsic dignity of
individuals. Actions are "right" if they respect the rights of
others, regardless of the consequences.
 In this framework, individuals have moral duties to respect the
rights of others, such as the right to life, the right to autonomy,
and the right to privacy.
o Contractualism and Rights:
 Social contract theory (e.g., John Rawls) suggests that rights
emerge from an agreement or contract among rational
individuals to form a society. This contract defines what rights
individuals are entitled to.
 Rawls proposed the "veil of ignorance" as a method to
determine fair rights: if we were unaware of our social position or
personal characteristics, what rights would we agree to for all
individuals?
o Care Ethics and Rights:
 Care ethics, developed by philosophers like Carol Gilligan and
Nel Noddings, places a strong emphasis on relationships and
caring for others. While not always focused on rights directly,
care ethics emphasizes the moral obligation to care for
others, especially in vulnerable or dependent situations, which
can inform how we think about rights in relational contexts.

Types of Rights:
1. Human Rights:
ETHICS
KISHA MARIE L. CATAYOC
 ACLC COLLEGE OF ORMOC
Lilia Avenue., Brgy. Cogon, Ormoc City
GENERAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
_____________________________________________________________________________

o These are the fundamental rights and freedoms that every person is
entitled to, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, or religion. They include
rights such as:
 The right to life, liberty, and security of person.
 The right to freedom of expression and association.
 The right to education, healthcare, and fair treatment under
the law.
o Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR): This document,
adopted by the United Nations in 1948, is a foundational text in
international human rights law.
2. Civil Rights:
o Rights that protect individuals from discrimination or unfair treatment,
typically in the context of legal or political systems.
o Examples: The right to vote, the right to freedom of speech, and the
right to equal protection under the law.
3. Political Rights:
o Rights related to participation in government and public life.
o Examples: The right to vote, the right to run for office, the right to
participate in peaceful protest.
4. Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights:
o Rights that guarantee individuals access to basic living conditions,
such as:
 The right to work, fair wages, and safe working conditions.
 The right to access education, healthcare, and housing.
5. Moral Rights (or Natural Rights):
o These are rights that are often seen as inherent to human beings. For
example, the right to life, the right to liberty, and the right to
property.

Five Major Ethical Theories:

1. Utilitarianism: The Right as What Maximizes Happiness

 Key Idea: In utilitarianism, an action is considered "right" if it leads to
the greatest happiness or pleasure for the greatest number of people.
The ethical principle here is often referred to as the "greatest
happiness principle."

ETHICS
KISHA MARIE L. CATAYOC
ACLC COLLEGE OF ORMOC
Lilia Avenue., Brgy. Cogon, Ormoc City
GENERAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
_____________________________________________________________________________

 Philosopher: Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill are prominent

figures associated with utilitarianism. They argued that the rightness of
an action should be judged by its outcomes. For example, if lying to a
person will prevent a major disaster or save a life, it may be seen as
"right" in a utilitarian framework.
 Discussion Points:
o Strengths: This approach is straightforward and focuses on
maximizing good for the majority. It’s appealing because it
seems practical—decisions are made based on the overall
consequences.
o Weaknesses: Critics argue that utilitarianism could justify
harmful acts if they benefit the majority, like sacrificing one
innocent person to save many others (e.g., the "trolley
problem").

2. Deontology: The Right as Duty

 Key Idea: Deontology is a theory that emphasizes rules, duties, and
obligations over consequences. For deontologists, an action is
considered "right" if it adheres to moral rules or duties, regardless of
the outcomes. A person has a moral duty to do what is right, even if it
doesn’t lead to the best possible outcome.
 Philosopher: Immanuel Kant is the most well-known philosopher in
deontology. According to Kant, moral actions are those that align with
a universal moral law, which he referred to as the Categorical
Imperative. This principle dictates that one should act only in ways
that can be universally applied to everyone.
 Example: According to Kant, it would be wrong to lie, even if it would
prevent harm or promote a good outcome. The moral duty to be
truthful overrides the consequences.
 Discussion Points:
o Strengths: Deontology provides clear moral rules and stresses
the inherent value of individuals. It values respect for persons
and treating them with dignity.
o Weaknesses: It can lead to rigid moral rules that don’t always
fit complex situations (e.g., telling the truth could cause
unnecessary harm).

3. Virtue Ethics: The Right as Acting in Accordance with Virtue

 Key Idea: In virtue ethics, the concept of "right" is tied to being a
good person, cultivating virtuous traits like courage, compassion, and
honesty. The right action is the one that a virtuous person would do,
someone who has developed a good character over time.

ETHICS
KISHA MARIE L. CATAYOC
ACLC COLLEGE OF ORMOC
Lilia Avenue., Brgy. Cogon, Ormoc City
GENERAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
_____________________________________________________________________________

 Philosopher: Aristotle is the central figure here. He focused on

moral character and the development of virtues as the foundation of
ethical behavior. For Aristotle, to know what is right, you must aim for
the "golden mean"—finding balance between excess and deficiency
(e.g., courage is the mean between recklessness and cowardice).
 Discussion Points:
o Strengths: This theory encourages personal growth and self-
improvement. It focuses on the development of moral character
and values rather than just rules or consequences.
o Weaknesses: It is sometimes criticized for being too subjective,
as different cultures or individuals might have different ideas of
what virtues are most important.

4. Rights-Based Ethics: The Right as Respect for Human Rights

 Key Idea: This theory emphasizes respecting and upholding individual
human rights. An action is considered "right" if it respects the
inherent rights and dignity of all individuals. Rights-based ethics is
often associated with natural rights theory.
 Philosophers: John Locke and Immanuel Kant both contributed to
rights-based thinking, arguing that individuals have basic rights that
should be respected in any ethical system. These include the right to
life, liberty, and property.
 Discussion Points:
o Strengths: This theory upholds individual autonomy and
freedom, promoting respect for human dignity.
o Weaknesses: It can lead to conflicts between rights, especially
when one person’s rights may infringe upon another’s (e.g.,
conflicting rights between groups or individuals).

5. Care Ethics: The Right as Relational Care

 Key Idea: Care ethics focuses on the importance of relationships and
interdependence. It argues that the right action is one that promotes
care, compassion, and empathy for others in specific relational
contexts.
 Philosopher: Carol Gilligan is a key figure here. She argued that
traditional ethical theories (e.g., utilitarianism, deontology) often
overlook the moral importance of caring for others, especially in close
relationships like family or friendships.
 Discussion Points:
o Strengths: This approach emphasizes empathy and the moral
significance of human relationships. It’s often considered more
context-sensitive than other ethical theories.

ETHICS
KISHA MARIE L. CATAYOC
ACLC COLLEGE OF ORMOC
Lilia Avenue., Brgy. Cogon, Ormoc City
GENERAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
_____________________________________________________________________________

o Weaknesses: Critics argue that care ethics can be too focused

on specific relationships and fail to provide generalizable
principles that apply to all people.

The Complexity of "Right": Ethical Pluralism

 In discussing "what makes an action right," we also need to consider
ethical pluralism—the idea that no single ethical theory can fully
capture the complexity of moral life. Different situations may require
different ethical perspectives to determine what is truly "right."
Moral Dilemmas:
You might use moral dilemmas to engage your students in deeper thinking.
For instance, you could discuss questions like:
 Is it ever right to break the law in order to help someone (e.g., civil
disobedience)?
 Can a lie ever be morally right if it prevents harm to others?
 Is it right to prioritize the needs of your family over the needs of
strangers?

ETHICS
KISHA MARIE L. CATAYOC