THE HUMAN ACTION AS A

HERMENUETIC RESPONSE TO A
MORAL EXPERIENCE
 The previous topic particularly the one “On
Culture” pertains to the aspect of moral
experience which is ---THE AGENT.

 Here we focus on--- THE ACT.

 It is desirable that one acts under the dictates of

reason.

As such, we pose the following questions;

a. What characterizes a good human act and
moral decision?
b. What is the role of feelings in shaping our
moral decisions?
 But before going into the aforesaid questions, let
us first examine what a moral experience is.

- According to Hans-Georg Gadamer, a German

philosopher, there are two senses to understand
the term experience;
a. Experience in Plural Form- one that
refers to ones being knowledgeable and
having an expansive knowledge on things.

b. Experience in the Singular Form-

which pertains to the instance wherein one is
being taught and corrected.
 Experience requires UNDERSTANDING and
INTERPRETATION- thus HERMENUETICAL.

 As such, an experience that does not reach our

level of understanding IS NOT EXPERIENCE at
all.

 Experience therefore, is one that initiates us to a

process of MEANING-MAKING. Summoned to
meaning, one is CRITICAL of one’s conceptions,
beliefs etc…
 MORAL EXPERIENCE (ME) is an experience of
moral value such that one’s MORAL
CONSCIOUSNESS comes to work as one is
called to a moral response.

a. ME puts our moral consciousness at work.

(sense of right and wrong)
b. ME is an experience of moral value.
(quality of something being good or bad)
c. ME defines us. (our own value or that
goodness that is in us)
d. ME is an ongoing, continuous process. (
 e. ME touches on and brings in one’s
MORAL IDEALS. (that which constitute a life
worthy of humans like feeling of shame and regret)
f. ME is ACTION-ORIENTED.(we cannot
delay choosing what is good neither can we ask
another to make a moral choice for us)

What is a HUMAN ACTION? (done)

Do emotions/feelings play a role in moral decision
making?
- emotions are part of our configurations as
human beings.
-according to Greenfield, emotions are part of
our basic responses to meaningful situations, thus
our emotional responses cannot be isolated.
 from our ability to recognize a moral issue or
dilemma and our willingness to act.
- before we consciously deliberate, we
initially “FEEL”.
- Moreover, for Greenfield, emotion and
thinking are complementary and synergistic etc…

Can we rely on our emotions?

(fleeting, particular, biased and variable)
- REGRET
- It is TRUE that emotions inform and guide
our reason toward a particular decision, emotional
upsurges can be so strong a force that it clouds our
mind.
 - St. Thomas Aquinas claims that emotions
or feelings modify our human actions, making it
MORE VOLUNTARY but LESS FREE.

What characterizes good moral decision?

a. IMPARTIALITY- means to consider all
parts equally and to prioritize the whole over its
constituent parts.
(acknowledge others’ welfare as important as
our own)

b. REASONABILITY- is a matter of
consulting reason as to what is morally right thing
to do, whatever there are best reasons for doing.
 -For Nietzsche, judging what is good is a
matter of interpretations.
- For Gadamer, to interpret means to to
understand the questions to which interpretations
will be the answer.
-Paul Glenn, while epistemological certainty
is not possible, moral certitude is.

Rachel and Rachel’s Three Major Steps in Moral

Reasoning:
1. Identify the facts of the case
2. Consult moral principles
3. Application of the most appropriate moral
principle (decision here means making a stand)
Rae Scott and Kenman Wong’s Seven Steps:
1. What are the facts surrounding the case?

2. What are the ethical issues involved?

3. Consider the principles that have bearing on the

case.
4. What are the available alternatives?

5. How do the alternatives compare with the

principles?
6. What might be the consequences?

7. Make a decision
Moral Courage:
- Freedom does not guarantee the execution
of an act.
- the agent needs to INTEND the act, and
not only to intend it, but to intend the
EXECUTION of the act.
(Do not just decide, GO and TELL)
-St. Thomas Aquinas claims that the will
acts alongside knowledge and freedom.
-Paul Glenn says that the will is blind and
has to be guided by the intellect.
(Unless the WILL works, NOTHING is DONE.)