Ethics is the study of the morality of human actions. Ethics is also considered as the Science of happiness because it serves as a tool for man to reach his final end. It is in the very nature of man to search for truth, since man is the only living creature to be blessed with the gifts of intellect and will; also because man is creature from the image and likeness of God. To be “ethically aware” means that one is being observant of the morality or the goodness of his actions towards other persons.
Man is an individual substance of a rational nature: Persona est substantia individua naturae rationalis. This substance of man is what gives him the capacity to understand and acquire the good that he desires. Unlike other beings, he has the power of self determination to achieve this good through actions that are governed by the intellect and will. But man does not desire the good just for the sake of desiring it. Because of man's perfectibility, he desires the good because he yearns to be completed by it. According to de Torre, man has the capacity to “transcend” oneself into infinity; man's ability is limitless and this is what sets him apart from other creatures. Man is constantly drawn to search for beauty and truth. A human being is capable of transcending himself towards the infinite good as soon as he enters this world. This constant search for the attainment of truth and goodness is welded into man's very being making him “surpass dignity”.
In a society, all persons must understand that all men and women are created equal. All men and women are fundamentally equal before God. This is proven in the sacred scriptures and traditions of Judeo-Christianity and Islam. In the reading “The March for Democracy and Liberty,” it was stated that the fundamental equality among all men and women is the basis of democracy.
Slavery is a clear example of an economic system without ethical awareness. This greatly violates the human rights and degrades the value of a human person. Slavery takes away the freedom of man that was rightfully given by our creator, and thus is a very serious sin. Persons are ends in themselves and never should be treated as goods or means. In slavery, persons are treated as mere tools for another end; this is the reason why slavery violates the human rights. This degrades man and gives more value to material goods.
Persona est sui iuris et alteri incommunicabilis, a person is a being of its own and does not share its being with another. Man is a unique and inimitable being, no two are exactly alike. Because we are made in God's image and likeness, we are the only creature on this planet that is capable of thinking endowed with free-will. The quality of the person that strives towards truth goodness and beauty is evidence of man's capability of self-transcendence, these abstract, intangible values are the “transcendental properties of being” - that is a part of reality. As the highest form of being we are therefore considered as the most perfect in all nature and only we possess the qualities that are able to perceive these “transcendental properties”. This metaphysical quality that is unique to us enables as to grasp something that is totally immaterial. These metaphysical abilities go beyond logical reasoning and rational understanding. Being the highly complex beings that we are, capable of grasping abstract reasoning, more is expected of us.
It is also through the ethical awareness of man that they gain their true freedom. It is by the will of the Lord our God that all of us be free. When we say “free”, we don't mean the freedom to do anything as we please, instead, freedom is doing what we want but with limitations and responsibilities. Freedom was given to us by God comes with Human Rights and the Natural Moral Law.
In our highly technical society, advancements that makes mans life easier, ironically, degrades it. Scientific developments that save men's lives also destroy its sanctity. Because of globalization, our world is getting smaller and smaller; creating a sense of unity but also at the same time increasing chances of friction with each other. This is where ethical awareness steps in. Ethical awareness guides man as to how he should act in his society; participating and contributing to its general well-being. This however does not mean that man' dignity is reduced every man as a unique and specific role in society. The Pope discusses Human Rights- the right of every man to live in dignity that “…must never be lessened, impaired, or destroyed, but must instead be respected and safeguarded…” (p. 92, Work, Culture and Liberation). There is a line that separates the common good from “the greatest good for the greatest number” as said by Bentham, a known utilitarian (WCL Chapter 6, p. 116). These rights are concerned in every aspect of mans being: his basic, spiritual and social needs. The Pope emphasized that this not be reduced to a single dimension but to realize it in its totality a “full human dimension” (p. 93). Because man has free will he therefore has the obligation to seek the truth and once found it is their responsibility to adhere and lead their live towards this truth. It is through his freedom that man is able to transcend himself thus, working for the common good and ultimately towards happiness. Through this, man is able to fulfill his moral duty to his society as well as himself.
