Introduction to Philosophy Notes 6 PDF

Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person Notes 6 **Actions** The fact or process of doing something, typically to achieve an aim. **Consequence** A result or effect of an action or condition. An effect of some previous occurrence. The mention of the word \"consequences\"\' automatical...

Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person Notes 6 **Actions** The fact or process of doing something, typically to achieve an aim. **Consequence** A result or effect of an action or condition. An effect of some previous occurrence. The mention of the word \"consequences\"\' automatically brings up the idea of \"result,\" or \"outcome". The results of our actions, decisions, choices or the lack of these. It reminds us that whatever we do, or refuse to do, has some outcome in one way or another, sometimes immediately, sometimes much later. **Acts of man** Acts of man are actions shared by humans and other animals. **Human Actions** What makes an act performed by a human being distinctively a human act is that it is voluntary, that is, an act in some way under the control or direction of the will, which is proper to man. One can therefore identify the human activity with the voluntary act. **Voluntary Actions** These are acts originating from the individual performing the act using knowledge about the situations of the act. **Types of Voluntary Actions** **Voluntary -- actions are performed from will and reason.** **Related to Compulsion - it is considered as mixed of voluntary and involuntary. It is more voluntary if the desire and choice has been performed and involuntary if it has considered preferences or alternatives.** **Involuntary Actions** Are acts done under a) force or coercion and b) Ignorance where the doer failed to understand the effect and feels sorry on the result. **Types of Involuntary Actions** Under Compulsion -- circumstances which are beyond the control of the agent and contributes none to the action. Through Ignorance of Particular Circumstances -- having a negative result that is greater than what is intended. **Freedom** The power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. Freedom is understood to be present when one is choosing a course of action, and he or she is taking full responsibility for consequence of his actions. Importantly, this is anchored to the individual's moral and rational capacity to discern what is right and wrong. **Obligation** An act or course of action to which a person is morally or legally bound. A duty or commitment. **Intellectual Choice** This is a choice which is deliberately selected based on a moral standpoint. Basically, they are normative answers about what we ought to do from a moral system that we uphold and its moral principles. These normative answers would take into consideration the behavior which the society will accept. **Practical Choice** A choice which is borne out of psychological and emotional considerations. Unlike the previously discussed type of choice, practical choices are made when confronted with the actual situation, and usually affected by psychological aspect of the person embroiled in the moral situation or dilemma.