Human Act vs Act of Man Quiz
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Questions and Answers

What does Thomas Aquinas consider as essential for everyone?

  • Wealth
  • Knowledge
  • Morality (correct)
  • Power
  • Which of the following is NOT one of the seven basic goods according to St. Thomas's Natural Law?

  • Educating offspring
  • Reproduction
  • Avoiding offense
  • Seeking happiness (correct)
  • What type of law is considered to be God's mind that governs the universe?

  • Human Law
  • Natural Law
  • Divine Law
  • Eternal Law (correct)
  • According to natural law, which statement summarizes the ethical principle?

    <p>Do good and avoid evil</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does natural law provide as a guide for individuals?

    <p>Guidance for conscience based on reason</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does utilitarianism primarily focus on when evaluating the morality of actions?

    <p>The consequences of actions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement best describes act utilitarianism?

    <p>It focuses on the consequences of specific actions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to rule utilitarianism, how should moral actions be determined?

    <p>By adhering to rules that generally promote good for the majority.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the criterion of personhood indicate about sentience?

    <p>Sentience is one possible criterion for being recognized as a person.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best defines 'genetic' criteria of personhood?

    <p>Possessing human DNA as a basis of personhood.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characterizes a human act in contrast to an act of man?

    <p>It is controlled by the will.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following elements is NOT one of the determinants of morality?

    <p>The Impact of the Act</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to virtue ethics, what is the 'Golden Mean'?

    <p>The balance between excess and deficiency.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does 'eudaimonia' refer to in the context of virtue ethics?

    <p>Human flourishing and a life well lived.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which framework emphasizes the importance of developing good character?

    <p>Virtue Ethics</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does it mean when an act has an evil end?

    <p>The intention behind the action is morally wrong.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is an example of an act of man?

    <p>Blinking</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What virtue is identified as the midpoint between cowardice and recklessness?

    <p>Courage</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which moral framework is associated with the works of Kant?

    <p>Deontological Ethics</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which virtue is emphasized in Confucian ethics?

    <p>Jen (humaneness)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a moral agent capable of doing?

    <p>Performing acts according to moral standards</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a basis of moral accountability?

    <p>Force</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of ignorance removes moral responsibility?

    <p>Invincible ignorance</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of passion may increase accountability?

    <p>Consequent passion</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characterizes an act performed under intense fear?

    <p>It is involuntary</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In what circumstance does a negligent act become morally accountable?

    <p>When it is done voluntarily</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does the degree of ignorance affect moral accountability?

    <p>It decreases the degree of accountability</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of ignorance describes not knowing something one ought to know?

    <p>Vincible ignorance</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to an act performed under violence?

    <p>It is deemed involuntary</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does moral responsibility depend on?

    <p>The degree of knowledge, freedom, and voluntariness</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Kant's concept of Categorical Imperatives emphasize?

    <p>They stem from pure reason and must be followed universally.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the Universal Law formulation, how should one act?

    <p>Consider if their action could be made a universal law without contradiction.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the Humanity as an End formulation stress?

    <p>Humans possess intrinsic worth and should not be exploited.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does Kant define justice within the Love & Justice Framework?

    <p>It means providing what is due to others.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which form of love is primarily associated with charity in Kant's framework?

    <p>Agape</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main focus of Distributive Justice?

    <p>Distributing goods, duties, and privileges based on merit and societal well-being.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Kant believe about morality?

    <p>It can be determined through reason, independent of religion.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is essential for promoting Social Justice according to Kant?

    <p>Giving everyone equal access to wealth and privileges.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Human Act vs Act of Man

    • Human Act is a conscious, deliberate, and voluntary action controlled by the will. Examples include: observing a prescribed diet, tutoring slow learners, and preparing for the board exam.
    • Act of Man is an involuntary action, not controlled by the will, often happening in the body without awareness of the mind. Examples include: breathing, blinking, perspiring, and dilatation of the pupils.

    Determinants of Morality

    • An act is morally good when the object, the end (purpose), and the circumstances are all morally justifiable.
    • The object of the act is the act itself. Examples include: praying, honoring parents, going to mass, telling the truth.
    • The end or purpose of the act is the intention of the actor. Example: Rendering free service to a neighbor inspired by love for God.
    • The circumstance surrounds the act, including time, place, person, and conditions. Example: Giving a drink to a thirsty person may be detrimental if the person is morally weak and the drink is intoxicating.

    Aristotle's Virtue Ethics

    • Virtue is the midpoint between two extremes (vices) - excess and deficiency. This is known as the Golden Mean.
    • Courage is an example of a virtue. The deficiency of courage is cowardice, while the excess is recklessness.
    • A virtuous person is one who has developed good character and practices virtue habitually.
    • The goal of virtue ethics is to achieve eudaimonia - human flourishing, living a life well-lived.

    Virtue Ethics in Other Traditions

    • Confucius emphasizes "Jen" (humaneness), "Li" (propriety), and compassion.
    • Hinduism focuses on virtues like non-violence, truthfulness, honesty, chastity, and freedom from greed.
    • Buddhism promotes intellectual virtues (right understanding, mindfulness) and moral virtues (right speech, action, livelihood).
    • Jesus Christ emphasizes love, mercy, kindness, compassion, patience, self-control, and gentleness.
    • Thomas Aquinas highlights faith, hope, and love.
    • Christian Tradition values virtues like prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude.

    The Moral Agent

    • Moral Agent is a person who performs an act in accordance with moral standards.
    • Only a moral agent is capable of human acts, as they have the capacity to knowingly, freely, and voluntarily act according to moral standards.

    Bases of Moral Accountability

    • Moral accountability is based on three factors: knowledge, freedom, and voluntariness.
    • A human act must be done knowingly, freely, and voluntarily to be morally accountable.
    • Voluntary Act is an act done with intention and purpose, aiming to achieve a specific result. This can be either intentional or negligent. A negligent act is done voluntarily without due care or precaution to prevent a foreseeable event.

    Modifiers of Human Acts

    • Ignorance is the absence of knowledge, which can be invincible (impossible to know) or vincible (ought to know).
    • Invincible ignorance is beyond the ability to overcome and removes moral responsibility because the person acts in good conscience, believing they are doing the right thing.
    • Vincible ignorance does not remove moral responsibility. This includes affected (deliberately avoiding enlightenment) and supine/gross/crass (scarcely making an effort to remove ignorance).
    • Passion refers to intense emotions, both positive (love, desire, etc.) and negative (hatred, fear, etc.).
    • Antecedent passion precedes an act and diminishes accountability.
    • Consequent passion is intentionally aroused and kept, increasing accountability.
    • Fear disturbs the mind due to impending danger. Acts done with fear are voluntary, but acts done with intense or uncontrollable fear are involuntary.
    • Violence is physical force exerted to compel a person to act against their will. Actions performed under violence are involuntary and not accountable.

    St. Thomas' Natural Law Theory

    • Natural Law is God's plan for humans, discoverable through reason, guiding our conscience to do good and avoid evil.
    • There are seven basic goods: life, reproduction, educating offspring, seeking God, living in society, avoiding offense, and shunning ignorance.
    • Different types of law:
      • Eternal Law: The laws governing the universe known only to God.
      • Divine Law: Laws revealed through the Bible, like the Ten Commandments.
      • Natural Law: Do good and avoid evil.
      • Human/Positive Law: Rules made by people governing society

    Utilitarianism

    • Utilitarianism is a moral theory that focuses on the consequences of actions, aiming to maximize happiness and pleasure for the greatest number of people.
    • Act Utilitarianism focuses on the consequences of each individual act.
    • Rule Utilitarianism emphasizes following general rules that will lead to the greatest good for the greatest number.

    Personhood

    • Person is a moral term reflecting membership in a moral community, not necessarily synonymous with the biological term "human".
    • Human is a biological term.
    • Criteria of Personhood:
      • Genetic: Possession of human DNA.
      • Cognitive: Consciousness, reasoning, self-motivation, communication, and self-awareness.
      • Social: Recognition of personhood by society.
      • Sentience: Ability to feel pain and pleasure.
      • Gradient Theory: Personhood exists in degrees, varying in amount.

    Kant's Deontological Ethics

    • Deontological Ethics emphasizes duty and moral obligations stemming from reason.
    • Categorical Imperative is a command applicable to all rational beings, regardless of desires:
      • Universal Law: Act according to a maxim you can will to be a universal law without contradiction.
      • Humanity as an End: Treat humanity always as an end, never just as a means.
    • Love and Justice Framework: Ethical actions are both just and loving, giving what is due (justice) and exceeding expectations (love).

    Love and Justice Framework

    • Love: Three types: Agape (charity), Erotic (passion), Philia (friendship).
    • Social Justice: Promotes the common good, ensuring equal access to wealth, opportunities, and privileges.
    • Distributive Justice focuses on distributing goods, duties, and privileges justly according to merits and societal well-being.

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    Description

    Test your understanding of the differences between Human Acts and Acts of Man. This quiz explores the concepts of morality, the determinants of a morally good act, and the various dimensions that influence our actions. Ensure you grasp the fundamental theories related to these vital philosophical ideas.

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