Human Acts Lesson PDF

HUMAN PERSON AS AN AGENT OF MORALITY HUMAN ACTS actions done freely and intentionally like playing, surfing the internet, reading a book, cheating during tests, or hurting someone. Human acts are differentiated from acts of man which are physiological and inst...

HUMAN PERSON AS AN AGENT OF MORALITY HUMAN ACTS actions done freely and intentionally like playing, surfing the internet, reading a book, cheating during tests, or hurting someone. Human acts are differentiated from acts of man which are physiological and instinctive like breathing, beating of the heart, acts done during sleep or dream, seeing, falling in love, etc. These acts are not deliberately done, nor voluntary; they are performed without the free will of the agent. CHARACTERISTICS OF HUMAN ACT Human acts are those done by a person who is acting knowingly, freely, and willfully. The act must be voluntary. examples: choosing a course, voting for a candidate, killing someone, stealing, etc. KNOWINGLY (KNOWLEDGE) this person is conscious and aware of the reason and the consequences of his actions. Reading is a human act because we know that it will increase our knowledge for we will learn something. Every person is healthy physically and mentally is presumed to act knowingly. WILLFULLY (WILL) this person consents or agrees to the act, accepting it as his own, and assumes accountability for the result. FREELY (FREEDOM) the person acts by his own choice and initiative. This means he was not influenced by another person or any situation to perform his action. It is not a voluntary action when a person does his action under pressure or against his will.  IMPEDIMENTS TO A HUMAN ACT Impediments in terms of a human act refer to the factors that influence the person to perform a moral act or his disposition. We have to remember that a voluntary act is under the control of the intellect and will of the person. These impediments interfere with the intellect and will. IGNORANCE 1 the lack or absence of knowledge needed by a person in doing an act. Every doctor is expected to know anything about sickness and its cure; the lawyer the laws, etc. If these people do not know that, then they are responsible for any violation in accordance to the rule of morality.  “IGNORANCE OF THE LAW EXCUSES NO ONE” -the law applies also to those who are unaware of it and cannot use it as an “excuse or defense”. PASSION OR CONCUPISCENCE 2 is an intense emotion which urges ones feeling, enthusiasm, or desire for something. They are either tendencies towards desirable objects which refer to positive emotions like hope, love, bravery, and delight or tendencies away from undesirable objects which point to negative emotions such as anger, fear, sadness, and hatred. “TOO MUCH LOVE WILL KILL YOU” Passions in themselves are not evil but since they compel a person to act, they have to be controlled by reason in order not to result in an improper behavior. It is a noble thing to love but when you love the person extensively up to the point of limiting his freedom, then it’s not good anymore. FEAR 3 a distressing negative sensation or disturbance of the mind from a perceived danger. It is the natural mechanism occurring in a person to respond to a specific stimulus such as pain or the threat of danger. In short, fear is the ability to recognize danger by either confronting it or withdrawing from it. (also known as the fight or flight response) Unreasonable fear really affects negatively a person’s behavior. A person who is afraid to jump from their burning house in spite of the instruction of the fire rescuers who will catch him below with a safety balloon is unreasonable. Because of that, he may be burned alive. VIOLENCE 4 the use of any physical force to a resisting person that compels him to act against his will. The presence of force prevents a person to think clearly according to reason. Even the use of force by authorities like soldiers and policemen are subject to unreasonable force.  HABIT 5 a firm routine of behavior that is done regularly. Anything you do automatically without consciously thinking about it or without specifically deciding to do it is a habit. This is acquired and developed through a continuous repetition of a specific action over a period of time. It is either good or bad. Good moral habits are called virtues while the bad ones are called vices. Virtues are the underlying principles of a good moral being. On the other hand, vices are considered immoral, depraved, and degrading to the person. ANY QUESTIONS? Assignment: Scan the QR code and watch the video. Write a journal reflection by explaining the statement, “All human acts are act of man, but not all acts of man are human acts.”