Human Acts: Impediments

Impediments to Human Acts

• Human actions involve will and reason
• Impediments can reduce the quality of an action
• They may also affect judgement of an act's morality

Types of Impediments

• Ignorance means lacking relevant information about an action
• It happens when actions are performed without considering necessary information

Invincible Ignorance

• This is total, unintentional ignorance about the circumstances of an action
• Actions done under invincible ignorance are not culpable; it is unintentional

Vincible Ignorance

• It can be overcome through diligence and effort
• Crass ignorance is a lack of effort to dispel ignorance
• Actions under crass ignorance are culpable, but culpability can be lessened due to some effort to dispel ignorance
• Affected ignorance is a deliberate act of pretending ignorance to avoid guilt
• Actions done under affected ignorance are fully culpable; culpability may increase for pretending ignorance

Concupiscence

• Excessive passion hinders correct reasoning
• It occurs when passions drive actions without reason/mind intervention

Antecedent Concupiscence

• Spontaneous passion influences action before will controls it
• Actions happen abruptly
• Actions done under antecedent concupiscence are still culpable, but less so because they are abrupt and unintentional

Consequent Concupiscence

• The intellect is aware of the inordinate passion, but the will chooses to arouse it and proceed with the action
• The action is pre-meditated
• Actions are fully culpable/punishable under consequent concupiscence

Fear

• It arises when there is a threat of impending danger
• Danger limits the ability to use will and reason
• Actions are based on instinct to survive/overcome the situation

Light Fear

• The situation presented is not a life-or-death situation
• The danger or threat is light or somewhat remote

Grave Fear

• The situation presented involves a life and death situation/choice
• Bad actions, whether done with light or grave fear, are culpable because one can still choose despite the threat

Violence

• Judge the reaction of the one being attacked
• Self-defense occurs with no intention of killing
• Unintentionally killing the attacker while defending yourself is not culpable
• Intentionally killing the attacker while defending yourself is culpable, but culpability may be lessened

Habit

• It is a firm and stable behavior pattern, acting naturally and consciously
• It involves repetitive performance
• It is an act based on repeated responses to situations
• Good habits are virtues, while bad habits are vices
• Only bad habits are moralized

STOP Principle

• It helps with dilemmas and problems

S - Search

• Study the issue behind the problem

T - Think

• Consider alternatives

O - Others

• Consider the advice of others

P - Pray

• Seek guidance and wisdom

• One should not act if doubting, confused, emotionally disturbed, or if things are unclear

Principle of Double Effect

• Actions have two effects: good and bad
• Performing an act with two effects is allowed under certain conditions

Conditions for the Principle of Double Effect

• The act must be good or morally indifferent
• The evil effect must not precede the good effect, or they should happen simultaneously
• There must be a sufficient reason to do the act
• The intention must be honest, with no hidden agenda

Social Norms and Norms of Morality

• Norms provide order in society and unwritten rules of behavior
• Norms give a sense of belonging
• Those who do not follow risk disapproval and being an outcast

Norms of Morality

• They are standards to determine their goodness/badness
• Proximate norms (conscience) arise from human nature
• They're present in everyone to immediately determine an action's morality

Conscience

• Conscientia involves joint knowledge or knowledge with
• It involves a practical judgment of reason that allows a person to recognize the moral quality of an act
• It's always attached with reason and intellect
• It's considered the inner voice that echoes the heart and mind
• It involves a final say in moral decision
• It helps make a final judgement on how to act in a given situation
• It is the Inner voice to "LOVE GOOD AND AVOID EVIL”

Two Moments/Types of Conscience

• These are before and after
• Antecedent conscience judges acts before they are done
• It warns if an action is bad and approves if it is good
• Consequent conscience judges an act after its done, with moral assessment following completion
• Acting first before thinking can be reckless/"imprudent”

Forms of Conscience

• Correct conscience identifies a good act as good, and a bad act as bad
• False conscience judges a good act as bad and a bad act as good
• Scrupulous conscience is always afraid of committing errors
• Lax conscience keeps excusing themself from every mistake
• Certain conscience is a firm judgment that one is not in error and avoids committing errors
• Doubtful conscience not sure of what they are doing, suspending judgment due to uncertainty of goodness and badness

Levels of Conscience

• Instinctive level is dominated by fear of punishment and desire for approval, and is primarily found in children
• Moral/philosophical level operates via judgment or awareness of the inner goodness or badness of an act, not just authority
• Christian level involves human beings striving for wholeness and holiness, which is illuminated by Christian faith

General Norm and Challenges to Formation of Conscience

• The general norm is to always follow your conscience

Conscience as a Guide

• Conscience formation is a long process learned through time and experience
• Forming it is important to mold responsible Christians

Challenges to Formation of Conscience

• Extreme relativism involves deciding what's good without consulting others
• Misinformation spreads fake news
• Individualism drives towards one's own satisfaction while disregarding others

Formation of Conscience

• It happens through prayer, which discerns good and bad, helping to accept, correct, and reflect on experiences
• Listening to preaching the Gospel allows you to see and realize your actions
• The Christian community helps in looking at issues from different angles
• A multi-disciplinary approach considers other fields of science to derive good decisions

Proximate Norm

• Subjective and depends on the person

Ultimate Norm

• Objective
• Laws, decrees, or ordinances based on higher orders

Law

• Laws are enacted as standards of life to promote genuine human development

Eternal Law

• These are believed to be set by a higher power and that command the natural order to be preserved
• It is God's divine plan for all, and something that is true

Characteristics of Eternal Law

• It is eternal with no beginning and no end
• It is immutable and not subject to change
• It is absolutely universal and applicable to all creatures

Natural Law

• These are things that are just right or wrong because of nature, aiding in the understanding of what to do and avoid
• It means God gives understanding by common sense
• It is universal and applicable to all creatures
• It is recognizable through observations, interactions, and reflection
• It is obligatory to obey
• It is immutable and will never change

Positive Law

• Rules are made/published set by governments
• They are specific formulations derived from Natural Law and Eternal Law

Divine Positive Law

• God-given law promulgated only to a specific group/community (e.g., the Ten Commandments to Israelites)

Human Positive Law

• It is an ordinance of reason promulgated for the common good by a competent authority

Characteristics of Positive Law

• Ordinance: a decree is a command and must be obeyed
• Must be reasonable and based on reason, not emotion
• Just/fair and honest in harmony with higher laws
• Possible for attainment
• Useful to attain a goal
• Relatively permanent but can change if ineffective
• Must be promulgated and made known before taking effect
• Must be for the common good and serve the interest of the majority, not few
• Must come from a competent authority that is knowledgeable, just, wise, and respectable

Other descriptions of Positive Law

• It is territorial/contextual depending on the place/time or territory
• It is relatively permanent until changed by another

Normative Morality

• They are laws that should be universally implemented
• The worth of human life is embraced regardless of religion, ethnicity, or gender
• The rule is "you shall not kill"

Descriptive Morality

• It is the application of a universal law to particular conditions
• Law becomes exclusive and only applicable to a certain society

The Ten Commandments (1-6)

• These are guidelines that should be followed to live a life with respect
• God reveals it to people/Yhwh to Moses
• One must follow the commandments to become worthy children of God

Towards God

• Points out a loving relationship with God

Towards Others

• Presents responsibility towards human beings and other creatures

First Commandment

• God is the only God and you should not worship other Gods

Problem: Who is the Real God?

• Creatures are identified with God
• People search for the meaning of life and immortality
• People worship the golden calf

Why God insists

• The Israelites seek "meaning of life" and crave immortality
• God answers this through especially the first commandment
• True contentment and everlasting happiness is found with God

Violations of the First Commandment

• Indifference is neglecting to reflect God's love
• Lukewarmness is the refusal to recognize God over one's life and all
• Hatred towards God is a grave sin
• Do not create images as God
• Veneration means giving respect to sacred images
• No image or mental concept can "capture" God and God is always greater

Second Commandment

• God is the Lord and should not be taken in vain

Sanctity of Name

• The name is for the identity and dignity of a Mission

• GOD IS A HOLY ONE AND TREAT WITH REVERENCE

Violations

• Profanity: using words to curse
• The false use of God's name and cursing is indecency and disrespect to God
• Perjury making false statements by lying

Third Commandment

• One should keep holy the Sabbath day
• Have time for God and respect for the human person
• Worship God

Violations

• Not resting the physical and mental body
• Glorifying God

Fourth Commandment

• You must honor your parents
• Respecting and honoring your parents and elders
• The family is the fundamental agent of socialization
• Parents primarily concern must be the well-being of the members
• Children should become active obedient

Fifth Commandment

• We shall not kill

• The importance of dignity must be highlighted

• God is the only being that should end someone's life

Violations

• Murder and willful abortion- crime where the God's life is taken
• Euthanasia- violates the moral obligation, and aids an ailing person to kill themself
• Suicide- very dangerous

Sixth Commandment

• You shell not commit adultery

Family and Marriage

• Sex is only used to procreate

Sixth Commandment Violations

• Adultery is sexual relations with partners

How to prevent temptation

• Use modesty with the world
• Chastity- cleanliness should be employed