HUMAN ACTS ACTS OF MAN CONSTITUENTS OF HUMAN ACTS KINDS OF VOLUNTARINESS DETERMINANTS OF MORALITY IMPEDIMENTS TO MORALITY NORMS OF MORALITY

MAN AS THE ACTING PERSON CONCEPT AND NATURE OF HUMAN ACTS

ACTUS HUMANI ACTS THAT PROCEED FROM REASON AND FREE WILL RIGHTLY CALLED PERSONAL ACTS

ACT 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

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

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; vice versa, whenever an act proceeds from the will without deliberation, it is not free, but necessary.

FREE WILL EVERY 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.

IMPERFECTLY VOLUNTARY IS AN ACT IF ATTENTION OR CONSENT OF THE WILL OR BOTH TOGETHER ARE IMPERFECT

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.

PRINCIPLES: INDIRECTLY WILLED ACT PRINCIPLE OF DOUBLE EFFECT

THE MORAL OBJECT MAY NOT BE EVIL IN ITSELF

THE GOOD AND EVIL EFFECT MUST PROCEED AT LEAST EQUALLY DIRECTLY FROM THE ACT

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

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 EVIL AND GOOD EFFECT IS SIMULTANEOUS OR AT LEAST THE GOOD EFFECT COMES FIRST 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 NEIGHBORS HOUSE

DETERMINANTS OF MORALITY THE OBJECT FINIS OPERIS

THE OBJECT OF THE HUMAN ACT IS THAT EFFECT WHICH AN ACTION PRIMARILY AND DIRECTLY CAUSES THE OBJECT CHOSEN IS A GOOD TOWARD WHICH THE WILL DELIBERATELY DIRECTS ITSELF

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

KINDS OF CIRCUMSTANCES WHO,WHAT, WHERE, WHEN,WITH WHAT MEANS, HOW

CIRCUMSTANCES CAN INFLUENCE THE MORALITY OF AN ACT IN THE POSITIVE SENSE:

A CIRCUMSTANCE CAN MAKE BETTER AN ACT GOOD IN ITS OBJECT A CIRCUMSTANCE CAN MAKE GOOD AN INDIFFERENT ACT IN ITSELF

IN THE NEGATIVE SENSE:

A CIRCUMSTANCE CAN MAKE WORSE AN ACT EVIL IN ITS OBJECT A CRCUMSTANCE CAN MAKE EVIL AN ACT INDIFFERENT IN ITSELF

THE END INTENDED BY THE AGENT

FINIS OPERANTIS
THE REASON FOR WHICH THE AGENT UNDERTAKES THE ACT

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

IMPEDIMENTS TO MORALITY
IMPAIRMENTS TO HUMAN FREEDOM ARE REALITIES WITH WHICH ETHICS AND JURISPRUDENCE HAVE TO RECKON CONCERNING THE MORALITY OF THE HUMAN ACT IMPAIRMENTS OF REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE: IGNORANCE ERROR INATTENTION IMPAIRMENTS TO FREE CONSENT: PASSION FEAR AND SOCIAL PRESSURES VIOLENCE DISPOSITIONS AND HABITS

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 CULPABILITY AS IT IS VOLUNTARY IN CAUSE OR IS PROVOKED BY CONSCIOUS NEGLIGENCE OR EVEN BAD WILL

VINCIBLE IGNORANCE GENERALLY DIMINISHES VOLUNTARINESS AND RESPONSIBILTY, SINCE ACTUAL INSIGHT AT THE TIME OF ACTING IS LACKING

THREE KINDS OF VINCIBLE IGNORANCE SUPINE, SIMPLY VINCIBLE, AFFECTED IGNORANCE

PRINCIPLES THAT APPLY TO IGNORANCE AND ITS RESPONSIBILITY:

INVINCIBLE IGNORANCE PREVENTS THE HUMAN ACT FROM BEING VOLUNTARY IN REGARD TO THAT WHICH IS NOT KNOWN VINCIBLE IGNORANCE DOES NOT TAKE AWAY THE VOLUNTARINESS DIMINISHES VOLUNTARINESS, AS LONG AS THE IGNORANCE IS NOT AFFECTED SIMPLE NEGLIGENCE OR LAZINESS DOES NOT USUALLY IMPLY A FULL CONSENT TO ALL THE POSSIBLE EVIL CONSEQUENCES WHICH MAY COME THEREFROM SUPINE IGNORANCE IN A SERIOUS MATTER GENERALLY MAKES THE SIN GRAVE AFFECTED IGNORANCE DOES NOT DIMINISH GUILT BECAUSE THERE IS FULL CONSENT THERE IS FULL CONSENT TO THE SINFUL EFFECTS WHICH RESULT FORM SUCH IGNORANCE

ERROR FALSE JUDGMENT OR CONVICTION

IT ARISES FROM DEFICIENT EDUCATION, BAD COMPANY OR MISLEADING INFORMATION ONE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONSEQUENCES OF ERROR MADE IN GOOD FAITH

INATTENTION REFERS TO MOMENTARY DEPRIVATION OF INSIGHT

IF ATTENTION IS COMPLETELY LACKING, THERE IS NO HUMAN ACT BUT ONE IS RESPONSIBLE TO THE EXTENT THAT THE ACT IS VOLUNTARY IN CAUSE

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

DIVISIONS OF PASSIONS CONCUPISCIBLE: PASSION THROUGH WHICH THE SOUL IS SIMPLY INCLINED TO SEEK WHAT IS SUITABLE ACCORDING TO THE SENSES, AND TO FLY FROM WHAT IS HURTFUL. IRASCIBLE: WHEREBY AN ANIMAL RESISTS THE ATTACKS OF ANY AGENTS THAT HINDER WHAT IS SUITABLE AND INFLICT HARM ITS OBJECT IS SOMETHING ARDUOUS, BECAUSE ITS TENDENCY IS TO OVERCOME AND RISE ABOVE OBSTACLES.

CONCUPISCIBLE
SIMPLE INCLINATION WITH RESPECT TO SENSIBLE OBJECT

ATTRACTION TOWARDS OBJECT (GOOD OBJECT)

REPULSION AWAY FROM OBJECT (EVIL OBJECT)

LOVE GOOD AS SUCH

JOY PRESENT GOOD

DESIRE ABSENT GOOD

HATRED EVIL AS SUCH

SADNESS PRESENT EVIL

AVERSION ABSENT EVIL

IRASCIBLE
INCLINATION IN VIRTUE OF AN ARDUOUS OBJECT

GOOD DIFFICULT TO ATTAIN

EVIL DIFFICULT TO AVOID

NO PRESENT GOOD DIFFICULT TO ATTAIN

HOPE ABSENT BUT ATTAINABLE GOOD

ANGER DESPAIR ABSENT PRESENT UNATTAINABLE EVIL GOOD

FEAR COURAGE THREATENING THREATENING INCONQUERABLE BUT EVIL CONQUERABLE EVIL

FEAR:
IS MENTAL TREPIDATIONDUE TO AN IMPENDING EVIL

IT IS FEAR OF THE SENSES AND NOT INTELLECTUAL FEAR WHICH IS ONE OF THE PASSIONS INTELLECTUAL FEAR (FOR EXAMPLE THREAT OF TORTURE DOES NOT JUSTIFY DENIAL OF FAITH) THE EMOTION OF FEAR WHICH COMPLETELY DARKENS THE MIND OR PARALYZES THE WILL EXCUSES FROM IMPUTABILITY

VIOLENCE
COMPULSIVE INFLUENCE BROUGHT TO BEAR UPON ONE AGAINST HIS WILL BY SOME EXTRINSIC AGENT. VIOLENCE IS CAUSED BY SOME PHYSICAL OR PSYCHIC 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

INTERNAL RESISTANCE IS ALWAYS NECESSARY

WHILE EXTERNAL RESISTANCE MAY NOT ALWAYS BE CALLED FOR IT IS REQUIRED ONLY TO THE EXTENT THAT IT IS FORESEEN TO BE EFFICACIOUS IN PREVENTING ACTION OR FORESTALLING SCANDAL

HABITS :
FACILITY AND READINESS OF ACTING IN A CERTAIN MANNER ACQUIRED BY REPEATED ACTS

DELIBERATELY ADMITTED HABITS DO NOT LESSEN VOLUNTARINESS, AND ACTIONS RESULTING THEREFROM ARE VOLUNTARY AT LEAST IN THEIR CAUSE

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.