Download File - ERC with Mrs. G. Brum

Name:____________________________________
ERC ______ - ______
Concepts in Ethics & Religious Culture
This section presents the concepts that must specifically be learned in ERC. The
concepts are compulsory since they are important to the development of the 2
competencies. Their learning will be progressive throughout high school. Dialogue is a
great way to learn these concepts.
Value: a quality that is attributed to things, attitudes or behaviors which are considered
more or less desirable by individuals or groups of people.
Ex. “I value my family”
Norm: moral requirement that guides behavior. Moral principles and moral rules are norms.
Ex. “No cell phones at the table”
Ethical question: a question about a subject of reflection or a problem to be solved
concerning values and norms used by members of society to guide and regulate their
conduct.
Ex. Is the high cost of gas doing anything for the environment?
Ethical issue: value or norm that is the subject of an ethical question.
Ex. “Is it always necessary to tell the truth?” involves the ethical issue of honesty
Form of religious expression: relates to one or more dimensions of a religion. It takes root
and develops in a socio-cultural universe.
Ex. Torah, Bible, the sweat lodge, the minaret, Puja, Christmas, the Buddhist temple and
certain street names referring to saints are forms of religious expression.
Moral principle: norm that defines what must be done or not be done to achieve what is
deemed right.
Ex. “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” and “respect your neighbor” are
moral principles.
Moral rule: a moral norm that specifies how a moral principle should be applied in a given
situation or how a value should be brought to the forefront in such a situation.
Ex. “software pirating is prohibited” could come from “don’t steal from others” or from the
value of honesty.
(Frame of) Reference: a resource from the social and cultural environment to which a
person can refer to nurture and clarify ethical reflection.
Ex. References can be of a moral, religious, scientific, literary or artistic nature.
World View: a perspective individuals have on themselves and their surroundings. This
perspective shapes each individual’s thinking, feelings, and behaviors and provides an
implicit or explicit explanation of the totality of what is real.
Ex. The world view takes shape based on life experiences, human relations, values, norms,
beliefs and convictions.