Ethics HUM 102 Lecture Notes PDF

ETHICS HUM 102  Moral Accountabili ty  Moral Accountability Human acts, because they are voluntary, are accountable acts. Actions are imputed on the doer as its principal cause and, therefore, deserving of either reward or punishment. The Subject of Human Acts The subject of...

ETHICS HUM 102  Moral Accountabili ty  Moral Accountability Human acts, because they are voluntary, are accountable acts. Actions are imputed on the doer as its principal cause and, therefore, deserving of either reward or punishment. The Subject of Human Acts The subject of a human act is any person who is capable of acting intelligently and freely. A person is either guilty or innocent, deserving or undeserving of punishment. Sanctions and Penalties The penal laws of the country provide a system of punishment for wrongdoings, ranging from fines to imprisonment. The capital punishment or death is reserved for “heinous crimes”.  Moral Accountability Unless also prohibited by the laws of the land, no punishments are imposed on immoral acts. However, immoral acts carry with them the burden of guilt, remorse and shame. The Scriptures speaks of death as the punishment for sins. It means both physical and spiritual death. The medical science traces many illnesses to immoralities and spiritual disorientation. Evil acts and habits cause suffering and unhappiness, not only to the victims, but to the perpetrator and his relatives. The shamefulness of such actions is shared by all the members of the family of the guilty. And there is the risk of being ostracized, losing a job, or being abandoned by loved ones. The Modifiers of Human Act  The Modifiers of Human Act A voluntary act is under the control of the intellect and will of a person. There are, however, factors that may influence the intellect and will so that actions are not perfectly voluntary. These factors are called modifiers of human. Because they interfere with the application of the intellect and will, they either reduce or increase accountability. The moral axiom is: The greater the knowledge and the freedom, the greater the voluntariness and, therefore, the accountability (Panizo: 38). The following are the modifiers of the human act: (1) Ignorance, (2) Passions, (3) Fear, (4) Violence, and (5) Habit.  The Modifiers of Human Act 1. Ignorance Ignorance is the absence of knowledge which a person ought to process. A lawyer is expected to know the law; the doctor, the cure of illnesses; and the manager, his business operations. In the realm of morals, every normal person who has attained the age of reason, approximately seven years old, is expected to know the general norms of proper conduct and behavior. Ignorance is either vincible or invincible. Vincible ignorance is one which one can easily be corrected through ordinary diligence. Not knowing the time or the name of a seatmate is vincible ignorance. Invincible ignorance is one which is not easily remedied, because the person is either not aware of his state of ignorance, or, being aware of it, does not have the means to rectify such ignorance. The waiter who serves contaminated food without being aware of the fact has invincible ignorance.  The Modifiers of Human Act “Ignorance of the law excuses no one” means one should not act in the state of ignorance and one who has done wrong may not claim ignorance as a defense. A driver who does not know the traffic rules deserves a heavy penalty. 2. Passions Passions are psychic responses. They are either tendencies towards desirable objects, or tendencies away from undesirable objects. The former are considered positive emotions, such as love, desire, delight, hope, and bravery. The latter are negative emotions, such as hatred, horror, sadness, despair, fear, and anger. In relation to actions, passions are either antecedent or consequent. Antecedent passion comes as a natural reaction to an object or stimulus without being aroused intentionally. It is antecedent passion when we feel happy in the company of a friend. Consequent passion, on the other hand, is the result of an act which causes it to be aroused. Reading pornography, for instance, arouses sexual desires.  The Modifiers of Human Act In themselves, passions are not evil. However, because they predispose a person to act, they need to be subjected to the control of reason. 3. Fear Fear is the disturbance of the mind of a person who is confronted by a danger to himself or loved ones. There is a difference between acting with fear and acting out of fear. Some actions which are difficult or dangerous are done with fear. New experiences such as embarking on a long trip, being left alone in the dark, or speaking in front of a crowd, make some people nervous and fearful. These actions are done with fear. It is acting out of fear, when fear causes a person to act, like to jump from the top floor of a burning building. Intimidating or threatening a person with harm is an unjust act.  The Modifiers of Human Act 4. Violence Violence is any physical force exerted on a person by a free agent for the purpose of compelling said person to act against his will. Insults, torture, isolation, starvation, and mutilation are examples of violence. Active resistance should always be exerted to ward off any unjust aggressor. However, if resistance is impossible, or if there is a serious threat to one’s life, a person confronted by violence can always offer internal resistance by withholding consent. This is enough to save one’s moral integrity (Panizo: 37). 5. Habits Habits is the readiness, born of frequently repeated acts, for acting in a certain manner. Habits are acquired through the repetition of an act over a period of time. They are either good or bad. Habits become like second nature, moving one to do something with relative ease without much reflection. They are difficult to overcome.  Poverty Poverty is never an excuse for committing a crime just as wealth does not justify abuses. But there is a correlation between poverty and crimes. People who are dirt poor and starving are unlikely to think about their morals. Nobody deserves to be poor. Poverty is a social evil which must be corrected by the State. It becomes an act of injustice by the State that fails to look after the welfare of the people, neglecting their economic needs.  Action and Emotion Man is not a robot devoid of feelings. Every human act involves a person emotionally. Thus, we pray fervently, we work earnestly, we play eagerly, we eat heartily, or we live happily. The Decalogue enjoins us to love God “with all our heart and with all our soul”. Emotions are natural and beneficial. The positive tendencies of love, kindness, humility, reverence, and justice express approval of what is good and worthy in an object. The negative tendencies of anger, horror, and hatred express disapproval and repudiation of evil as such.  Refinement of Emotions Emotions, however, need to be subjugated to reason because unbridled passions could lead a person to his perdition. One must learn to rein his emotions and work them to his advantage. Moral perfection comes from within. Filipinos speak of a good person as possessing “mabuting kalooban”. He is one who is mapagmahal, matulungin sa kapwa, at may takot sa Diyos.  Reference/s: Agapay, R. (July 2008). Ethics and the Filipino 2nd Edition. Philippines