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 PERSONCONCEPT AND NATURE OF HUMAN ACTS

ACTUS HUMANIACTS THAT PROCEED FROM REASON AND FREE WILL

RIGHTLY CALLED PERONAL 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 WILLEVERY VOLUNTARY ACT OF MAN INCLUDES A ECESSSARY 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 ACTPRINCIPLE 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 GOODTHE 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 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

DETERMINANTS OF MORALITY

THE OBJECTFINIS 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 CIRCUMSTANCESWHO, 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 OBJECTA CIRCUMSTANCE CAN MAKE GOOD AN INDIFFERENT ACT

IN ITSELF

IN THE NEGATIVE SENSE:A CIRCUMSTANCE CAN MAKE WORSE AN ACT EVIL IN ITS

OBJECTA CRCUMSTANCE CAN MAKE EVIL AN ACT INDIFFERENT IN

ITSELF

THE END INTENDED BY THE AGENT

FINIS OPERANTISTHE 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 ACTIONIN 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

ERRORINATTENTION

IMPAIRMENTS TO FREE CONSENT:PASSION

FEAR AND SOCIAL PRESSURESVIOLENCE

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 IGNORANCESUPINE, 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

ERRORFALSE 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

INATTENTIONREFERS TO MOMENTARY DEPRIVATION OF INSIGHT

IF ATTENTION IS COMLETELY LACKING, THERE IS NO HUMAN ACTBUT 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)

REPULSIONAWAY FROM OBJECT

(EVIL OBJECT)

LOVEGOOD

AS SUCH

JOYPRESENT

GOOD

DESIREABSENT GOOD

HATREDEVIL

AS SUCH

SADNESSPRESENT

EVIL

AVERSIONABSENT

EVIL

IRASCIBLE

INCLINATION IN VIRTUE OF AN ARDUOUS OBJECT

GOOD DIFFICULT TO ATTAIN

EVILDIFFICULT TO AVOID

NO PRESENT

GOOD DIFFICULT TO ATTAIN

HOPEABSENT

BUTATTAINABLE

GOOD

DESPAIRABSENT

UNATTAINABLE GOOD

ANGERPRESENT

EVIL

COURAGETHREATENING

BUT CONQUERABLE

EVIL

FEARTHREATENING

INCONQUERABLEEVIL

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 ONEAGAINST 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.