E Human Acts

HUMAN ACTSACTS OF MAN

CONSTITUENTS OF HUMAN ACTS

KINDS OF VOLUNTARINESSIMPEDIMENTS TO MORALITY

DETERMINANTS OF MORALITY

MAN AS THE ACTING PERSONCONCEPT AND NATURE OF HUMAN ACTS

ACTUS HUMANUSTHOSE ACTIONS WHICH MAN PERFORMS KNOWINGLY,

FREELY AND VOLUNTARILY

HUMAN ACTS

Any thought, word, deed, desire, or omission which comes from the person

acting

With full knowledge of what he is doing, who is free to

act or to refrain from action,

And who gives full assent to his will to act.

ACTS OF MAN

ACTUS HOMINIS

ACTIONS WHICH ARE PERFORMED WITHOUT THE INTERVENTION OF THE INTELLECT AND THE FREE WILL

THEY COMPRISE ALL SPONTANEOUS BIOLOGICAL AND SENSUAL PROCESSES

ACTS OF MAN

ACTUS HOMINIS

Nutrition, breathing, sensual expression.

Actions which happen in man. They are instinctive and not within the control of the will.

CONSTITUENTS OF HUMAN ACTS

KNOWLEDGE

The faculty of thought. The intellect discerns in a given object both perfection and imperfection, both good and evil, and therefore presents

it to the will as desirable in one respect and undesirable in another

KNOWLEDGE

The will can decide for something and seek it only if it is first known.

The knowledge of the aspired object, attention to the action in which the object is to be pursued, and judgments on the value of the act.

A person who is aware of what he is doing and of its consequences.

FREEDOM

the ability to act without restraint.

In the context of internal control, freedom is also known as self-determination,

individual sovereignty, or autonomy.

when an object is proposed, the will, on account of its unlimited scope,

may love or hate, embrace or reject it.

Whenever there is deliberation in the understanding, there is freedom in the will, and the consequent act is free;

FREE WILLEVERY VOLUNTARY ACT OF MAN INCLUDES A NECESSSARY ELEMENT:

THE QUEST FOR GOOD

AND A FREE ELEMENT: THE CHOICE OF THE CONCRETE OBJECT IN WHICH THE GOOD IS SOUGHT

IF A MAN IS NOT FREE TO CHOOSE WHAT HE WOULD LIKE ACCORDING TO HIS INSIGHT AND WILL BUT HAS TO ACT AGAINST HIS WILL,

HIS ACTION IS NOT FREE AND CONSEQUENTLY NOT A HUMAN ACT

KINDS OF VOLUNTARY ACTS

PERFECTLY VOLUNTARY ACT

IS AN ACT WHICH IS PERFORMED WITH FULL ATTENTION

AND FULL CONSENT OF THE WILL. A person who fully knows and fully intends an act.

IMPERFECTLY VOLUNTARY

A PERSON WHO ACTS WITHOUT FULLY REALIZING

WHAT HE MEANS TO DO,OR WITHOUT FULLY INTENDING THE ACT.

DIRECTLY VOLUNTARY

IF THE ACT IS INTENDED AS AN END IN ITSELF OR IF IT IS INTENDED AS A MEANS FOR ANOTHER END

INDIRECLTY VOLUNTARY

IF AN ACT IS NOT INTENDED BUT MERELY PERMITTED AS THE INEVITABLE RESULT OF AN OBJECT DIRECTLY WILLED.

Getting a failing mark on the part of the student who has willingly neglected to study.

PRINCIPLES:

INDIRECTLY WILLED ACTPRINCIPLE OF DOUBLE EFFECT

THE ACTION WHICH PRODUCES DOUBLE EFFECTS MUST BE GOOD IN ITSELF, OR AT LEAST

MORALLY INDIFFERENT

THE GOOD EFFECT MUST NOT COME FROM THE EVIL EFFECT.TO DO THE EVIL IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE SOMETHING GOOD

IS NOT JUSTIFIED.

THE INTENTION OF THE AGENT MUST BE GOODTHE AGENT MAY NOT INTEND OR APPROVE OF THE EVIL EFFECT.

The motive of the doer must be towards the attainment of the good.

The evil effect is permitted only as an incidental result.

The good effect must outweigh the evil result in its importance.

THERE MUST BE A PROPORTIONATELY GRAVE REASON IN ORDER TO PERMIT THE EVIL EFFECT.

BRIEFLY

UNDERTAKING AN ACTION FROM WHICH A GOOD AND EVIL EFFECT ARE FORESEEN IS PERMISSIBLE

:

IF THE ACTION IN ITSELF IS NOT EVIL, IF THE BAD EFFECT IS NOT INTENDED

IF THERE IS SUFFICIENTLY GRAVE REASON TO PERMIT THE EVIL.

POSITIVELY VOLUNTARY ACT

THE WILL EFFECTS SOMETHING POSITIVELY BY EXERCISING ACTIVE INFLUENCE ON THE CAUSATION OF AN OBJECT FOR EXAMPLE, INJURING A NEIGHBOR BY SETTING HIS HOUSE ON FIRE

NEGATIVELY VOLUNTARY ACT

THE WILL EFFECTS SOMETHING NEGATIVELY BY VOLUNTARY OMISSION OF AN ACT WHICH COULD HAVE AVERTED AN EVIL TO ANOTHER

PERSON OR HELPED HIM TO SECURE A GOOD.

FOR EXAMPLE, NOT TO EXTINGUISH A FIRE ALREADY STARTING IN A NEIGHBOR’S HOUSE. NOT GIVING ANSWERS DURING EXAMS.

MODIFIERS OF HUMAN ACTS

IGNORANCE

Ignorance is lack of knowledge about a thing in a being capable of knowing.

Ignorance is divided as invincible and vincible.

INVINCIBLE IGNORANCE

THAT IGNORANCE WHICH A MAN IS NOT ABLE TO DISPEL BY SUCH REASONABLE DILIGENCE

THIS COMPLETELY TAKES AWAY THE VOLUNTARINESS OF THE MALICE AND HENCE ITS RESPONSIBILITY TOO.

VINCIBLE IGNORANCE

IGNORANCE THAT CAN BE DISPELLED

THIS DOES NOT TAKE AWAY CULPABILITYAS IT IS VOLUNTARY IN CAUSE

OR IS PROVOKED BY CONSCIOUS NEGLIGENCE OR EVEN BAD WILL

IGNORANCE – The absence of knowledge.

RULE:

Invincible ignorance destroys the voluntariness of an act.

Vincible ignorance does not destroy the voluntariness, it may lessen.

IGNORANCE – The absence of knowledge.

RULE:

Invincible ignorance destroys the voluntariness of an act.

Vincible ignorance does not destroy the voluntariness, it may lessen.

PASSION OR CONCUPISCENCE

A MOVEMENT OF THE SENSITIVE APPETITE WHICH IS MOVED BY THE GOOD OR EVIL APPREHENDED BY THE IMAGINATION

MOVEMENT OF THE SENSITIVE APPETITE THAT PRECEDES THE FREE DECISION OF THE WILL

PASSIONSPASSIONS

Refers to the affections or the feelings.

Emotions & feelings can be taken up by the virtues or perverted by the vices.

Refers to the affections or the feelings.

Emotions & feelings can be taken up by the virtues or perverted by the vices.

PASSIONSPASSIONS

Emotions are acts of man. But insofar as they engage reason & will, there is moral good or evil.

--CCC

Emotions are acts of man. But insofar as they engage reason & will, there is moral good or evil.

--CCC

PASSIONSPASSIONS

LOVE, JOY, DESIRE, DELIGHT HATE, AVERSION, SADNESS, GRIEF

HOPE, DESPAIR, COURAGE DARING, FEAR, ANGER,

LOVE, JOY, DESIRE, DELIGHT HATE, AVERSION, SADNESS, GRIEF

HOPE, DESPAIR, COURAGE DARING, FEAR, ANGER,

PASSIONSPASSIONS

ANTECEDENT PASSION is an act of man & not a human act. It springs into action unstimulated by any act of the will.

ANTECEDENT PASSION is an act of man & not a human act. It springs into action unstimulated by any act of the will.

PASSIONSPASSIONS

CONSEQUENT PASSION is the fault of the agent, for it is willed either directly or indirectly.

[stirs them up or fosters them].

CONSEQUENT PASSION is the fault of the agent, for it is willed either directly or indirectly.

[stirs them up or fosters them].

RULE:RULE:

Acts that proceed from: Antecedent Passion lessen the voluntariness of an act

(that is the human character of the act) = lessens responsibility.

Acts that proceed from: Antecedent Passion lessen the voluntariness of an act

(that is the human character of the act) = lessens responsibility.

RULE:RULE:

Acts that come from A.P. do not destroy the voluntariness of an act. [Human acts as influenced by antecedent passion].

[If the A.P. is so great making the control impossible = the agent is temporarily insane, his acts are acts of man.

Acts that come from A.P. do not destroy the voluntariness of an act. [Human acts as influenced by antecedent passion].

[If the A.P. is so great making the control impossible = the agent is temporarily insane, his acts are acts of man.

Consequent Passion does not lessen the voluntariness of an act [directly in itself or indirectly in cause].

Consequent Passion does not lessen the voluntariness of an act [directly in itself or indirectly in cause].

Passion may make the control of our acts difficult but not impossible.

We cannot compartmentalize man as brute, vegetative, & rational.

Passion may make the control of our acts difficult but not impossible.

We cannot compartmentalize man as brute, vegetative, & rational.

FEARIS MENTAL TREPIDATIONDUE TO AN IMPENDING EVIL

FEAR

THE EMOTION OF FEAR WHICH COMPLETELY DARKENS THE MIND OR PARALYZES THE WILL

EXCUSES FROM IMPUTABILITY

FEARFEAR Rule:

Fear does not destroy the voluntariness of an action; it usually lessens its guilt as well as its merit.

Rule:

Fear does not destroy the voluntariness of an action; it usually lessens its guilt as well as its merit.

FEARFEAR

Fear does not excuse an evil act which springs from it.

If fear is so great as to make the agent momentarily insane = the act is involuntary = act of man.

Fear does not excuse an evil act which springs from it.

If fear is so great as to make the agent momentarily insane = the act is involuntary = act of man.

VIOLENCE

COMPULSIVE INFLUENCE BROUGHT TO BEAR UPON ONEAGAINST HIS WILL BY SOME EXTRINSIC AGENT.

VIOLENCE IS CAUSED BY SOME PHYSICAL AGENT

THERE IS NO IMPUTABILITY, EXCEPT INSOFAR AS THE INNER WILL MAY HAVE CONSENTED

OR EXTERNAL RESISTANCE HAVE FALLEN SHORT OF THE DEGREE NECESSARY AND POSSIBLE IN THE CIRCUMSTANCE

VIOLENCEVIOLENCE

External acts caused by violence, to which due resistance is offered, are not imputable to the agent.

Partial consent of the will, that is deficient in its external resistance, lessens voluntariness but does not remove it.

External acts caused by violence, to which due resistance is offered, are not imputable to the agent.

Partial consent of the will, that is deficient in its external resistance, lessens voluntariness but does not remove it.

HABITS FACILITY AND READINESS OF ACTING IN A CERTAIN MANNER

ACQUIRED BY REPEATED ACTS

Habit does not destroy the voluntariness of an act;

Acts from habit are always voluntary, at least in cause, as long as the habit is

allowed to endure.

OPPOSED HABITS LESSEN VOLUNTARINESS AND SOMETIME PRECLUDE IT COMPLETELY

THE REASON IS THAT HABIT WEAKENS INTELLECT AND WILL IN A CONCRETE SITUATION IN A SIMILAR WAY.

DETERMINANTS OF MORALITY

“BONUM EX INTEGRA CAUSA MALUM EX

QUOCUMQUE DEFECTU”

A thing is good if it has the fullness of its parts and it is bad when it is deficient in any of its

integral parts.

A human act is good when it is good in

itself, in its motive or purpose and in its

circumstances.

DETERMINANTS OF MORALITY

THE OBJECTFINIS OPERIS

THE OBJECT OF THE HUMAN ACT IS THAT EFFECT WHICH AN ACTIONPRIMARILY AND DIRECTLY CAUSES

THE OBJECT CHOSEN IS A GOOD TOWARD WHICH THE WILL DELIBERATELY DIRECTS ITSELF

THE OBJECTFINIS OPERIS

IT IS ALWAYS AND NECESSARILY THE RESULT OF THE ACT, INDEPENDENT OF

ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, OR OF THE INTENTION OF THE

AGENT.

INTRINSIC EVIL - an act which is evil by its nature.

EXTRINSIC EVIL - an act which in itself is not evil but is made evil on

account of something else. (drinking liquor in excess, giving

alms as prohibited by law,)

1.The ACT in itself / OBJECT– The external human act performed, the deed done.

*If the object is evil, the act is evil, nothing can make it good.

1.The ACT in itself / OBJECT– The external human act performed, the deed done.

*If the object is evil, the act is evil, nothing can make it good.

Where the object of the human act is morally evil, as in the case of rape or murder, no purpose and intention of the agent -- be it ever so good-- can permit this act.

Where the object of the human act is morally evil, as in the case of rape or murder, no purpose and intention of the agent -- be it ever so good-- can permit this act.

If the act is good as an object, it may still be changed by its circumstances, particularly by the intention of the agent.

If the act is good as an object, it may still be changed by its circumstances, particularly by the intention of the agent.

CIRCUMSTANCES

THE PARTICULARS OF THE HUMAN ACT

They are conditions that affect an act.

WHICH ARE NOT NECESSARILY CONNECTED WITH THE HUMAN ACT BUT WHICH AFFECT THE MORALITY OF THE ACT

KINDS OF CIRCUMSTANCESWHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WITH WHAT MEANS, HOW

A circumstance can make worse an act evil in itself.

A circumstance can make better an act good in itself.

A circumstance can make evil an indifferent act.

A circumstance can make less evil an act evil in itself.

A circumstance can make evil an act good in itself.

A circumstance can make worse an act evil in itself.

A circumstance can make better an act good in itself.

A circumstance can make evil an indifferent act.

A circumstance can make less evil an act evil in itself.

A circumstance can make evil an act good in itself.

CIRCUMSTANCES CAN INFLUENCE THE MORALITY OF AN ACT

IN THE POSITIVE SENSEA CIRCUMSTANCE CAN MAKE BETTER AN ACT GOOD IN ITS OBJECTA CIRCUMSTANCE CAN MAKE GOOD AN INDIFFERENT ACT IN ITSELF

IN THE NEGATIVE SENSEA CIRCUMSTANCE CAN MAKE WORSE AN ACT EVIL IN ITS OBJECTA CRCUMSTANCE CAN MAKE EVIL AN ACT INDIFFERENT IN ITSELF

CIRCUMSTANCES contribute to increasing or diminishing the moral goodness or evil of human acts.

They can also diminish or increase the agent’s responsibility.

CIRCUMSTANCES contribute to increasing or diminishing the moral goodness or evil of human acts.

They can also diminish or increase the agent’s responsibility.

BUT, they cannot change the moral quality of acts. They cannot make neither good nor right an action that is in itself evil.

BUT, they cannot change the moral quality of acts. They cannot make neither good nor right an action that is in itself evil.

THE END INTENDED BY THE AGENT

FINIS OPERANTISTHE REASON FOR WHICH THE AGENT UNDERTAKES THE ACT

The END OF THE AGENT – the purpose or motive of the doer of the act.

Good act + evil motive = Evil

Evil act + good motive = Evil. It cannot be made good

The END OF THE AGENT – the purpose or motive of the doer of the act.

Good act + evil motive = Evil

Evil act + good motive = Evil. It cannot be made good

THE END OR EFFECT INTENDED BY THE AGENT IN AN ACTION MAY BE THE SAME AS THE OBJECT OF THE ACTION

IN WHICH CASE, FINIS OPERIS AND FINIS OPERANTIS ARE THE SAME

IN PLACE OF END, THE TERM INTENTION IS ALSO OFTEN USED TO NAME THE THIRD SOURCE OF MORALITY

INTENTION RESIDES IN THE ACTING SUBJECT