THY 1 Prelims First Term Review PDF

PRELIMINARIES REVIEWER CHRISTIAN VISION OF THE HUMAN PERSON (THY 1) – 1POL1 Mx. John Mary Francis Nuqui I FIRST YEAR, PRELIMS (2024-2025) TOPICS LESSON A: CHRIST AS THE IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD UNIT 1: CALLED TO SALVATION IN...

PRELIMINARIES REVIEWER CHRISTIAN VISION OF THE HUMAN PERSON (THY 1) – 1POL1 Mx. John Mary Francis Nuqui I FIRST YEAR, PRELIMS (2024-2025) TOPICS LESSON A: CHRIST AS THE IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD UNIT 1: CALLED TO SALVATION IN CHRIST My Bucket List LESSON A: CHRIST AS THE IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE Benjamin, together with the rest of the class were asked by their GOD professor to list down the ten things that they would do before they 1. Jesus Christ, the Ultimate Revelation of the die. This was an exciting activity for Benjamin because he had Father already figured this out long ago, surfing the net for fun and incredible 2. Images of Jesus in the Gospels: The Way, The things to do and beautiful places to go to around the world. The only Truth, The Life challenge was to list down only ten. So, after carefully weighing all LESSON B: JESUS CHRIST AS THE GOOD TEACHER his options, Benjamin happily wrote the following to complete his list: 1. Jesus Opens up the Faithful to the Sacred climb Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro, make a wish in the Trevi Fountain in Scriptures Italy, hear the Pope speak at the Vatican, dive the Great Barrier 2. Jesus Reveals the Father’s Will Reef, run with the bulls in Pamplona in Spain, be a part of a flash 3. Jesus Teaches About Moral Action mob, Kayak through Icebergs in Greenland, Ride in a Gondola in 4. Jesus Sheds Light on Man’s Lofty Vocation Venice, let go of a floating lantern in Taiwan, and float in the Dead 5. Christ is Always Present to His Church Sea. However, part of the activity was to one by one delete an item LESSON C: JESUS SHEDS LIGHT ON THE MYSTERY which is considered the least important until you are left with only one AND DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON goal. To conclude the activity, Benjamin, and the rest of class were 1. Created In the Image and Likeness of God asked by their professor to ponder the reason why they chose that 2. Redeemed By the Blood of Christ one item and how that item speaks of them as a person. 3. Made Holy by the Presence of the Spirit QUESTION: What is our ultimate life list or what is it that we 4. Christ as the One Who Sheds Light on the consider as absolute in our lives? Dignity of the Human Person LESSON D: THE ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST IS What is our core? In Latin, COR means heart. And so, we ask the A CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP question: “What is in our hearts?” 1. Christian Discipleship is Counter-cultural and Radical Alterity “You’ve got to figure out what you love… and its going to bring you 2. The Church: Willed by God to Make Possible great joy.” Jeff Bezos Founder CEO of Amazon Richest man in the the Encounter with Christ world. UNIT 2: CALLED TO HAPPINESS HIERARCHY OF VALUES Ranks or orders human needs according to importance, immediacy, LESSON A: SEARCH FOR THE TRUE HAPPINESS and level of difficulty in terms of acquisition: at the bottom stands the 1. Worldviews/Trends in Achieving Happiness physiological needs, while perched at the pinnacle is self- 2. God as the Ultimate Happiness of the Human actualization. Person LESSON B: THE MORAL GOOD OF HUMAN ACTS 1. The Nature of Human Acts 2. Constituents of Human Acts 3. Sources of Morality 4. Impediments to Morality Unit I: CALLED TO SALVATION IN CHRIST In the Netflix documentary series, titled: the “The Last Dance,” Michael Jordan was shown as the man who obsessed himself with INTRODUCTION winning championship. What is my PURPOSE in life? Why is that some people, even if they seemed to have reached the What am I WORTH? top of the world, remain unhappy? Our DIGNITY is revealed in the very mystery of the person of JESUS CHRIST who is the image of the invisible God, and the Good Teacher. Who is Jesus Christ? WHAT IS THE MEANING AND PURPOSE OF OUR LIFE? “To be a human being means to come from God and to go to God.” YOUCAT It is natural for human beings to desire to be happy. God, as our personal absolute, gave Himself to us through the Human beings, embark on a lifelong incarnation of Christ, His only Son our Lord. search for that absolute good, which will lead them to the happiness that never b. Christ is God in a Human Way ends. God did more for human beings than for any other creature that He How do we attain God? Takeaways: has created: By claiming that we are redeemed. He shared His life with them, which happened perfectly through the The road that leads to God is described as: incarnation of Christ. ✔ “narrow” “In His Son and through Him, He invites men to become, in Holy ✔ “passing through the eye of a needle.” Spirit, His adopted children and heirs of his blessed life” – CCC 13 God, our personal absolute (source and end of our lives) Through the mystery of Christ’s incarnation people actually live with God, have a special bond or relationship Christ, is God in a human way (jesus also experienced with Him, and most importantly they feel what we experienced, cried, laughed, shared moments of or experience His love everyday of their joy, tears with people, nakihalubilo) lives. Christ, as human in a divine way (how jesus was god c. Christ is Human in a Divine Way through miracles, hearing, forgiveness of sins; godly ways that invites us to do the same) God’s coming down to meet His people also means raising them up and liberating from their sinful condition. 1. Jesus Christ, the Ultimate Revelation of the Father 3 Temptations of Jesus, shows that like Jesus, we are also It is only through Christ, the only true mediator between God tempted. We experience a lot of these temptations every and man, that human beings can reach God. day. Temptation to cheat, steal, plagiarize, etc. “No mission is activated and no identity is clarified apart from Christ.” But the difference of what Jesus experience was that he We look up to Christ as the ultimate revelation of the Father, who showed us that we can actually say no to the temptations. As calls us to communion, and as the good teacher who leads us to the God, Jesus shows how he has power over sin and death, Father temptations. a. God as our Personal Absolute By becoming human…. Christ became an example for all people to follow because He manifested those characteristics that make man perfect. Jesus Christ, through His life, words, and works, revealed how people should live their lives. Eudaimonia – happiness in Greek; about human flourishing – Jesus corrected the false belief that people are bad or helplessly In Greek philo, we are in pursuit of our telos (goal) and the sinful. telos of our life is happiness, but our faith teachers us that the goal of our life (telos) is life with God. – True happiness can be Healing miracles – During the time of Jesus, ppl would often found with God. associate disease with sin and punishment. Ex; may ketong ka dahil ikaw o parents mo ay may ginawang masama. “God is a personal absolute in whom is found the reason for our existence, and therefore, He is a being who gives absolute meaning This is why when Jesus came, he did not say immediately “I to our lives.” Schillebeeckx, Edward. Christ the Sacrament of the forgive you from your sins” – Pinagaling niya muna, because Encounter with God. London: Sheed and Ward, 1963. he is God, he is able to perform miracles. “God, infinitely perfect and blessed in Himself, in a plan of sheer Jesus revealed what is true and good about human beings: that they goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed are all invited by God to be perfect like Him. life. For this reason, at every time and in every place, God draws close to man. He calls man to seek Him, to know Him, to love Him with all his strength.” - Catechism of the Catholic Church When asked how many times we should Our Goal: Sequela Christi (Following Christ) forgive, his response was: always! (Matthew 18:21). Christ demonstrated We rise from the temporary setbacks of our lives and we redirect that goodness is not give and take. ourselves back to Christ, “once we give up our own wealth and very Doing good does not expect something self.” in return but is the habitual response of In the responses of the Disciples whom someone who is created in the image Jesus invited to follow Him as fishers of men and likeness of God. (Matthew 4:19); When the woman caught in the act of Mary Magdalene, from whom Jesus cast out adultery was brought to Him (John 8:1- seven demons (Luke 8:2) and who later 11), Jesus did not show condemnation became the apostle to the apostles. but only mercy and compassion. When He lovingly told the woman to sin no more, Jesus showed that people, by the In Saint Paul who became the apostle to the grace of God, can change for the better. Gentiles. In his encounter with Zacchaeus the tax collector (Luke 19:1-10), he exemplified before the crowd that an Following Christ entails radical conversion: forgetting oneself and act of compassion can move even the committing everything to Christ. most hardened sinner. When He asked to eat dinner with the tax collector, He Stripping the old self of that sinful life to take on the new demonstrated that we are capable of white garment of Christ. seeing the good in others. It is dying to oneself but rising again as a new person configured to Christ, no longer living one’s life for one’s To be truly human is to be like God. own but for Christ. That man can love, forgive, show compassion, and set aside Being immersed in the waters of baptism all over again and prejudices toward others, shows that the divine is truly shared with time and time again the human. As we praise God for the gift of discipleship, 2. Images of Jesus in the Gospels: The Way, The Truth, The Life we recall in thanksgiving those inspired moments when we triumphed over sin. Let What is the meaning of life? us proclaim in loving praise that we belong to Who am I? What must I do? Christ by composing a short essay or a poem, with the theme: “Surviving Mount It is only in the mystery of the incarnation of Christ that people can Temptation: That One Time when I said Yes understand who they are and what their purpose in this world is. to Christ and No to Sin.” Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. LESSON B: JESUS CHRIST AS THE GOOD TEACHER Before performing his mission or public ministry, Jesus was led by 1. Jesus opens up the faithful to the sacred scripture the Spirit to the desert where he was tempted by the devil (Mark 2. Jesus reveals the Father’s will 1:12,13; Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13). 3. Jesus teaches about moral action The devil wanted Christ to follow or surrender to His selfish desires. 4. Jesus sheds light on man’s lofty vocation In other words, the temptation was for Christ to use His powers for 5. Christ is always present to His church his personal benefit, and consequently, disobey or contradict the TROLLEY CAR RIDDLE. You see a runaway trolley moving toward reason why the Father sent Him, which is total surrender to the five tied-up (or otherwise incapacitated) people lying on the main Father’s will. track. You are standing next to a lever that controls a switch. If you The very name of Jesus, which means “the one who is to save pull the lever, the trolley will be redirected onto a sidetrack, and the people from their sins” also means that Jesus is the greatest sign of five people on the main track will be saved. However, there is a God’s love for his people. single person lying on the sidetrack. You have two options: Do nothing and allow the trolley to kill the five people on the main track or Pull the lever, diverting the trolley onto the sidetrack where it will kill one person. Which is the more ethical option? Or, more simply: What is the right thing to do? QUESTION: Jesus shows that the commandments must not be understood as a minimum limit not to be gone beyond, but rather as a path involving a What must I do? moral and spiritual journey towards perfection (VS, 15) How do I distinguish good from evil? (vs, 2) The Christian moral vocation is precisely: to commit ourselves The following trends are pointed out as to why nowadays, it has through the power of Christ’s redeeming grace to the progressive become increasingly difficult to answer questions as fundamental as overcoming of the evil of sin in and around us – a personal human the ones asked above: reaching out in loving service to others – rather than simply avoiding Certain currents of thought have gone so far as to exalt sin or shrinking from evil. freedom to such an extent that it becomes an absolute, which 2. Jesus Reveals the Father’s Will would then be the source of values (vs, 32) A radically subjectivistic conception of moral judgement or The three-fold yeses covering the three dimensions of human life: individualist ethic is: where the individual conscience is the intra-personal accorded the status of a supreme tribunal of moral judgment which hands down categorical and infallible decisions... the inter-personal A number of disciplines, grouped under the name behavioral societal sciences, have rightly drawn attention to many kinds of must be grounded on the fourth foundational, integrating … psychological and social conditionings which influence the exercise of freedom. Vs, 33. (bf skinner’s operant Yes to God. conditioning…behavior is determined by its consequences, be they reinforcements or punishments; s. Freud’s The Christ Jesus that we proclaimed among you…was never Yes psychoanalytic theory, behavior is the result of interactions and No. With him it was always yes, and however many the promises among the three component parts of the mind: id, ego, and God made, the yes to them all is in Him. That is why it is through Him superego) that we answer Amen to the praise of God. Some theories, using scientific research about the human person This demands a radical change of heart, a real conversion, argue from a great variety of customs, behavior patterns, and manifested in a triple yes to self, others, and society, and grounded in institutions present in humanity, end up with an outright denial of the ultimate yes to God, overcoming the “No” of sin. universal human values, with a relativistic conception of morality (vs, 3. Jesus Teaches About Moral Action 33) People today need to turn to Christ once again in order to receive John Paul II exhorts people of today to “turn to Christ once from Him the answer to their questions about what is good and what again in order to receive from Him the answer to their deepest is evil. questions” (VS, 8). To go to the heart of the Gospel’s moral teaching and grasp its 1. Jesus Opens up the Faithful to the Sacred Scriptures profound and unchanging content, we must carefully inquire into: “If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” the meaning of the question asked by the rich young man Matthew 19:17 Jesus brings the question about morally good action in the Gospel back to its religious foundation (VS, 9): THE DECALOGUE. the meaning of Jesus’ reply, allowing ourselves to be guided by Him. In the “first tablet” of the Law, Jesus teaches us that God is the beginning and end of our life. Jesus as the patient and sensitive teacher, answers the young man by taking him, as it were by the hand, and leading him step by step to Hear O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord; You shall love the Lord the full truth. your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Deuteronomy 6:4-7 4. Jesus Sheds Light on Man’s Lofty Vocation Jesus definitively confirms the Decalogue and proposes them as the The first and ultimate vocation of man is communion with God and way and condition of salvation. VS, 12 there is only one way to respond to this calling: JESUS CHRIST. The “Second Tablet of the Law” commands us: “you shall not murder; The basic motivation for following Christ in moral action is, of course you shall not commit adultery; you shall not bear false witness; Honor the Blessed Trinity: The eternal Father’s love for us, manifested pre- your father and your mother; also, you shall love your neighbor as eminently in Jesus’ Paschal Mystery, and the Holy Spirit sent into our yourself (Matthew 19: 18- 19). hearts who enables us to fulfill Christ’s own command: Love one another as I have loved you. These commandments are summarized by Jesus’ command to His disciples: “you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 19:19; Since God has loved us so much, we too should love one another. cf. Mk. 12:31). Jesus brings God’s commandments to fulfillment. 5. Christ is Always Present to His Church Being in full solidarity with humankind, our Lord showed us how to be fully human and fully alive. Christ empowered the Church to proclaim, without fear of error, faith and morals. Christ primarily revealed how the essential dignity of all persons is grounded directly on their origin, meaning and destiny. The Church must always be deeply conscious of her duty in every age to examine the signs of the times and interpret them in the light Dignity – Latin word “dignus” meaning “worth” of the Gospel. The Church as the People of God among the nations, while attentive In the light of Christian revelation, it was understood that all persons, to the new challenges of history and to mankind’s efforts to discover endowed with inviolable dignity, are: the meaning of life, offers to everyone the answer which comes from CREATED by God in His image and likeness (cf. Gen 1:26) the truth about Jesus and his Gospel. through our Lord Jesus Christ, “through whom everything In your own way, you represent the rich young man who is in search was made and through whom we live” (1 Cor 8:6). for answers to his most fundamental question about life. At some REDEEMED by the blood of Christ (cf. Eph 1:7; Col 1:14); point, confronted by difficult and trying situations you asked, what and are sanctified by the indwelling Holy Spirit (cf. Rom must I do? 8:14-16; 1 Cor 6:19). CALLED to be children of God (cf. 1 Jn 3:1), destined for As a conclusion to this lesson, retell the story of the rich young man eternal life of blessed communion with the Father, His from your own point of view. This young man/woman lives in your Risen-Incarnate Son, and their Holy Spirit time, and is confronted by the difficult questions about life and earnestly looks for answers. The story ends with a resolution where 1. Created In the Image and Likeness of God the young man/woman, unlike in the Gospel, never leaves disappointed but allowed himself/herself to be led by Christ who is Man is the only creature on earth that God has willed for its own the good teacher. sake, and he alone is called to share, by knowledge and love, in God's own life. It was for this end that he was created, and this is the LESSON C: JESUS SHEDS LIGHT ON THE MYSTERY AND fundamental reason for his dignity. (CCC) DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON The doctrine that man is created in the image and likeness of God 1. Created in the Image and Likeness of God provides the theological grounding that upholds the sacredness of 2. Redeemed by the Blood of Christ the human person and guarantees the respect to be given him. 3. Made Holy by the Presence of the Spirit 4. Christ as the One who Sheds Light on the Dignity of the a. Able to Know and Love his Creator Human Person He is an image of God by virtue of his/her possession of the distinctive faculties of intellect and freewill, that on account of which, he/she is capable of self-determination. Our intellect doesn’t just allow us to be rational being, but also as a relational being. Our free will gives us capacity to do good, not to do anything we want. The more we pursue the good the freer we are. Question: What is the value of human life? Because of the spiritual character of his/her soul, man possesses freedom, an eminent sign of divine image. Man’s reason enables him/her to know the voice of God compelling him/her to do good and avoid evil. Not just avoiding what is bad, but also pursuing what is good. b. Willed by God for His own Sake Every human being is an irreplaceable and nonsubstitutable person, a kind of good that cannot be treated as an object of use or as a means to an end. Together with the rest of humanity, the Church, following Christ as her model, has made it her mission to uplift the lives of everyone in Human beings must not be used as means to an end. We are this world. To do this, the Church teaches that it is only in knowing subjects, not subjects, we are in charge of our decisions. Christ that the human person can arrive at a full understanding of who He really is.  As a subject, he/she is the one in charge of his/her life as The challenge to be true to who and what we are is an endless task – he/she can act according to his/her conscience, in freedom it never expires. and with sufficient knowledge. We always look at Jesus Christ and strive to always model our lives We should treat each other as equal because we are created in to his, for we are not just any slave or servant who follows the will of the image and likeness of God. his/her master but we are raised to the status of being adopted sons and daughters of God. But there is imbalance of treatment in society when there is power differential, such as employee-employer, master-servant, 2. Redeemed By the Blood of Christ because of this, we are prone to abuse. God elevated man to participation in the divine life and live in communion and belongingness with the Trinity. But with the entry of c. Called to be Stewards of Creation sin, this communion and belongingness was shattered, as well as their communion among themselves. The companionship between man and woman is not of dominance but solidarity, not inferiority but As seen in the Old Testament, God had constantly sent complementarity, equity and not equality. prophets, patriarchs, kings to lead us back to him. And in the New Testament, we see all of these coming into fulfillment Eve (woman) was created from the ribs of Adam (man), not through the Paschal mysteries of Christ. We are all brought from the lower parts of the body to be trampled, near his heart back to communion with Him. to be cared and loved by him. Yet God did not abandon man altogether; instead, He held out the As stewards of creation both man and woman were means of saving them by gathering men together to counter the equally ordered to "subdue" the earth as His stewards. chaos which was the consequence of sin. Even though full dominion over earth was given, it is not “That all of them maybe one, as You, are in Me, and I am in You. equivalent to exploitation. May they also be in Us, so that the world may believe that you sent me. I have given them the glory You gave Me, so that they may be one as we are one.” This sovereignty is not destructive domination. God calls man and woman, to share in his providence toward other Through the redemptive act of Christ, we are restored creatures; hence their responsibility for the world God has to our original state- a life of holiness. entrusted to them. CCC, 373 Laudato Si by Pope Francis subtitle: “the care for our Man's sins, following on original sin, are punishable by death. common home” – Pope invites us to see it as such, the common space where we live in, making up more mindful of If you were sick, it was a sign of punishment for your sin, the space that we live in, that we are not the only ones who such as the lepers. live here or use its resources. By sending his own Son in the form of a slave, in the form of a fallen d. Called to Communion humanity, on account of sin, God "made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. As images of the self-giving love of God, human beings are “For in Christ and through Christ, we have acquired full awareness of capable of self-giving love as well. our dignity, of the heights to which we are raised, of the surpassing worth of our humanity and of the meaning of our existence.” CCC, You cannot give what you do not have, but because God 602. showered us with abundant love, care, forgiveness, mercy, we in turn are beings capable of sharing it to others as “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has well. We cannot talk about man without talking about God. blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be As products of a divine self-gift, human beings should holy and blameless in His sight. In love, He predestined us for respond to God by giving themselves to others. adoption to Sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His To give oneself to others as much as possible in imitation pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which He has of the self-giving of God in the Trinity is the concrete living freely given us in the One He loves. In Him we have redemption out of our being an image of God. through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” Ephesians 1:3-7. Therefore, being created in the image and likeness of God is both a gift and a task. Healing the wounds of sin, the Holy Spirit renews us interiorly This is why in the Second Vatican Council, there was a through a spiritual transformation. He enlightens and strengthens us sudden shift in the language they use. They do not refer to to live as "children of light" through "all that is good and right and use as human nature but as human persons. Human true." CCC, 1695 nature speaks of the faculties of human persons, while 3. Made Holy by the Presence of the Spirit human person itself captures the entirety of our human being. When God touches man's heart through the illumination of the Holy Spirit, man himself is not inactive while receiving that inspiration, In the ecology of the visible world, only human beings possess since he could reject it; and yet, without God's grace, he cannot by rationality, i.e., intellect and freewill, while possessing altogether the his own free will move himself toward justice in God's sight. CCC, excellent traits of the beings in the lower strata of the hierarchy, to 1993. wit: motion (animals), and life (plants). Since God sent us the Holy Spirit, then we can do everything Hence, we define human beings as individual substance of rational only through God’ grace. This is concretized through the nature (Individua Substantia Naturae Rationalis). sacraments, especially confirmation, where we receive the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. The Human Person According to the Catechism for Filipino Catholics CFC, 687-692. The merit of good works is to be attributed in the first place to the Open and Relational. Persons are open and relational by nature. No grace of God, then to the faithful. Man's merit itself, moreover, is due one exists by oneself, but only in relationship with others. Human to God, for his/her good actions proceed in Christ, from the existence does not precede relationship but born of relationship and predispositions and assistance given by the Holy Spirit. CCC, 2008. is nurtured by it. We grow into our full selves as persons only in relating with others. Our prayer and thanksgiving adds nothing to God’s greatness, but helps us to grow in God’s dreams, and grace, No man is an island. We only come into our full realization made only possible through the Holy Spirit. and potential was we see ourselves in relation with others. Being a witness of Christ, as in leading a life worthy of the Gospel of Being a person means being by others (our conception, birth, Christ is made capable of doing so by the gift of his Spirit which we upbringing), being with others (our family, friends, neighbors, can obtain through prayer, though the impulse to pray is still business associates), and being for others (love, service). permeated with the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Being a witness of Christ, as in leading a life worthy of the Gospel of We are relational as human beings because the Trinity itself Christ is made capable of doing so by the gift of his Spirit which we is relational. can obtain through prayer, though the impulse to pray is still permeated with the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Our Trinitarian origin infers that this is how we have been created by God — as social beings. This is how we have been redeemed by Healing the wounds of sin, the Holy Spirit renews us interiorly Christ — as a people. This is how the Holy Spirit works not only through a spiritual transformation. He enlightens and strengthens us within but among us as the people of God, journeying towards our to live as "children of light" through "all that is good and right and common destiny in God. CFC 687. true. Conscious Beings. Persons are conscious beings, aware of 4. Christ as the One Who Sheds Light on the Dignity of the themselves in their outgoing acts. We possess this self-awareness Human Person through our knowing and free willing. To understand man as a person is to point out that man is created by Conscious = Self-awareness of our knowledge and freedom. God with inviolable dignity. The Human Person in the Aristotelian-Thomistic Hierarchy of By his reason, human beings: Beings Know the order of things established by God; The Aristotelian-Thomistic hierarchy of beings (scala naturae) Understand how and what things should be. provides a backdrop for the Christian understanding of man. It gives Is imbued with the instinctive awareness of the unwritten is a view of human beings both in relation to God (as creator) and decree inscribed in his heart. other created beings. Recognizes this as the voice of God constantly urging him to do the good and avoid evil. In moral theology, the human person is the most appropriate CFC, 688. starting point/departure of all discussions. This is because all laws, rules, moral actions center around of the person; all of these must be good for the person. Embodied Spirits But despite sharing common features of humanity, we do things differently. This implies therefore that we seriously This stresses the unity between our “body and soul.” consider each person’s uniqueness and originality. Each of This substantial unity of our body and soul is known as us is called to “image” God in a unique way — no one can “hylemorphism.” “take our place. Our body is an essential part of our being human and not merely an LESSON D: THE ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST IS A CALL “instrument” we “use” as we please. TO DISCIPLESHIP The Body 1. Christian Discipleship is Counter-cultural and Radical Alterity Christian Faith regards the BODY as “good and honorable since God 2. The Church: Willed by God to Make Possible the has created it and will raise it up on the last day” (GS 14). Encounter with Christ God the Son further dignified the body through his Incarnation: “the Life is Like a Cup of Coffee Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn. 1:14). A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to St. Paul admonishes us: “You must know that your body is a temple visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into of the Holy Spirit, who is within — the Spirit you have received from complaints about stress in work and life. God.... So, glorify God in your body” (1 Cor 6:19-20). Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and The SOUL returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups – porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, Serves as the form (the nature or essence of a thing that makes it some exquisite – telling them to help themselves to the coffee. what it is) of the body. When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: Death in Tagalog, not just “pumanaw”, pero “sumakabilang- “If you noticed, all the nice-looking expensive cups have been taken buhay” up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your Our faith gives us the consolation that after our life in earth, after problems and stress. our body decays, our soul continues to live on. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most Functions as the unifying principle that forms the one unique human cases it is just more expensive and, in some cases, even hides what being. we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups… And then you began eyeing We cannot separate our understanding of the body and soul each other’s cups. because our functions, bodily sense depend on the soul. Now consider this: Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and Needs embodiment, i.e., assistance of the senses for the fulfillment the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of life of the soul’s vital task. we live. Historical Realities Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the As Persons, we are: coffee. Savor the coffee, not the cups! The happiest people don’t have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything. Pilgrims on-the-way, who gradually, through time, become Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. our full selves. Free to decide for ourselves and form ourselves; in this QUESTION: What do we care about the most in this life? sense we are our own cause. EMMANUEL LEVINAS: NOTION OF THE OTHER Developing in discernible stages, described in great detail by modern psychology. CFC, 690. In the coffee story, each individual focused on themselves. Integrating our past to our present existence to makes us But when we focus too much on ourselves, we lose sight of move into our future with a sense of integrity and a others. coherent sense of direction. R. M. Gula, S.S. Unique yet Fundamentally Equal Egocentrism All men are endowed with a rational soul and are created in The struggle for life or the desire to persevere in being, heightens God’s image; they have the same nature and origin and, egoism, which is characterized by the desire for enjoyment or being redeemed by Christ, they enjoy the same divine happiness. calling and destiny; there is here a basic equality between all men.” GS, 29  “main-character” syndrome One tree is turned into a dinky little fishing boat that smells of rotten fish; another becomes feed box for animals; and the last was cut into The primordial tendency of the ego is to live for itself and secure any beams and left in a lumberyard. But each is destined to play an means available and attainable in order to maintain a happy important part in the life of Jesus, in this, their dreams are more than existence. fulfilled. The “I” in its inwardness becomes the origin of meaning and Sometimes, when plans don’t materialize, we tend to lose sight, determines whether or not something is valuable, i.e., usable or to become doubtful, to lose our faith in God. consumable. Alterity Our obedience to God, our following of Christ will allow us to see and accept more openly and wholeheartedly God’s plans The Other stands at the top of my hierarchy of values, I am beholden he has in store for us. to it before anything else as “the other is characterized by height or highness.” 1st Tree: To be a treasure chest Opposite of egocentrism, which focused on the self. 2nd Tree: to be a mighty ship Our plans 3rd Tree: To be a tall tree We are liberated from our selfishness. 1st Tree: A feed box Cost 2nd Tree: A fishing boat Test of Faith Too much thinking of ourselves leads to egocentrism and 3rd Tree: A beam stored in a Obedience deprives us of our purpose and meaning to be of service to lumber yard others. 1st Tree: Became a manger for the baby Jesus The absoluteness with which the Other’s existence transcends the 2nd Tree: Witnessed the power of Jesus God’s Plans claims of my self-centered universe by more radical demands, is 3rd Tree: Symbol of God’s love for humanity what Levinas calls infinity…we must be the servant of our neighbor. Our existence is affirmed or validated not by the mere fact of We go back to the questions: persevering in being but by our liberation from our own constricting What must I do? egotism. In other words, we are liberated by our ethical response How do I distinguish good from evil? when we encounter the Other who reveals its face to us. We turn to Jesus Christ: This Other deposes me and imposes itself upon me as my priority. We listen to his words. Ethics, for Levinas, is the radical interpretation of the formula of We follow his actions. etiquette: apres vous (after you, please!). Following Christ is the essential and primordial foundation of Apres vous puts the needs of others over yourself. Christian morality. Jesus’ ways and words, his deeds and his precepts constitute the moral rule of Christian life. Moreover, the Other, as it reveals its face to me, puts me under a What does discipleship entail? basic obligation or command to be at its service before myself, which Levinas underscored using the phrase: me voici (Here I am!). Come follow me and I will send you out to fish for people. At “We are all guilty of all and for men before all, and I more than the once, they left their nets and followed him. Matthew 4:19 others.” Fyodor Dostoyevsky From fishermen to fishers of men. 1. Christian Discipleship is Counter-Cultural and Radical Alterity If you want to be perfect, go sell your possessions, come follow When Christ calls us to discipleship, it is about forgetting of one’s me. Matthew 19:21 self and giving ourselves in service of others (apres vous). Doing such action is extremely hard. In a world where people put themselves first, such as hoarding mentality, Jesus presents a discipleship contrary to If anyone should come after me, let him deny himself and take what the world offers. up his cross and follow me. Matthew 16:24 The cross is burdensome, but Jesus asks us to Tale of three trees. Three young trees each want to do something carry it. great: One tree wants to be a big boat that is fit for a king; another wants to hold a lot treasure; and the last one wants to be the tallest tree. When they are felled, it seems as if all their dreams are over. Who is a disciple? Love what Jesus loved on the Cross. A disciple is a lover of Truth: Doing the will of the Father: Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life The single-hearted one Hunger for righteousness How does one become a disciple? Ultimate peacemaker and A disciple imitates Jesus who gives primacy to the will of the Ultimate bearer of God’s mercy. Father. What is expected of a disciple? CHRIST CRUCIFIED IS: A disciple lives in loving service of others. Jesus is the personification of the beatitudes. To be a disciple, must forget oneself, following Christ, and how to follow Him in our actions to help others. A picture of a happy man. Freedom and joy: when all our expectations are turned Becoming a disciple is not easy as you think it is. around. Sometimes, we tell ourselves that I am a disciple of Jesus. But when a difficult situation presents itself, we suddenly 2. The Church: Willed by God to Make Possible the Encounter question our priorities and faith. with Christ The Church was instituted by Christ to perpetuate His presence on Where do we get the courage and inspiration to live out earth. She signifies in a visible, historical and tangible form the whatever Jesus had done? Go back to your own presence and redeeming activity of Christ offered to all persons of experience with Jesus! Our personal encounter with every age, race and condition. Christ! While Jesus had already ascended and will return one day, The Beatitudes he is not physically but spiritually present with us through A set of precepts that utterly demonstrate the moral standards of our the Church. Lord and at the same time resonate his call to follow him as his The Church is a sacrament, CCC defines sacrament as the disciples. visible sign of an invisible reality which infuses grace. In Jesus’ Sermon of the Mount (Matthew / Plain (Mark), shows his proclamation of a list of commandments, such as In all sacraments, we have the matter, the concrete and thesis and antithesis. Ex: you heard what it’s said (an eye tangible signs of the grace that we receive. for an eye), but I tell you that when one slaps you in the Ex: water as concrete sign in baptism, means cleansing cheek, give the other. When you heard that you should love of our sins your neighbor, love your enemy. Ex: sacrament of eucharist is bread and wine, signifying The eight beatitudes formula goes like this body and blood of Christ. For Matthew: blessed are those __, for they ___ “The Church has always wished to serve this single end: that each For Mark: happy are those ___, for they ____ person may be able to find Christ, in order that Christ may walk with each person the path of life.” RH 13. CHRIST CRUCIFIED: Brutal, Anguish, Terrible Wounds – According to Saint Thomas Aquinas, Christ Crucified is the perfect We do not give our service because there’s a need, we give exemplification of the Beatitudes. because we have received enough. An overflowing abundance of grace, making our call to discipleship more possible. TO BE HAPPY: Despise what Jesus despised on the Cross. As the sacrament of salvation of all, not only of the explicit members 4 things that make us happy: but also those who share in the “theandric communion without Wealth, pleasure, power and honor explicit awareness of Christic foundation,” She is mindful of her task to make present everytime, in every situation the encounter between Jesus despises these only when we are imprisoned by this. When the spirit and the flesh, God and mankind. these becomes self-centered rather than other-person oriented, when wealth turns us to become more selfish, when pleasure turns Theandric – communion of the human and the divine. us to become more isolated than relational, when power turns us to Where have we seen this? In Christ! (100% human 100% a more abusive person, when honor is used as a title instead of divine) service for others; we are not truly a disciple of Christ. UNIT 2: CALLED TO HAPPINESS c. Eudaimonism LESSON A: SEARCH FOR THE TRUE HAPPINESS The highest form of happiness can be acquired through the practice of virtues. For Aristotle, these virtues are actions turned into good Study: habits which lead a person to transcend his/her passions. Leo is rushing to the nearest apple store in order to buy the recently released version of iPhone. It was just a year ago when he acquired Eudaimonism – Eudaimonia meaning happiness – to his current iPhone but since he believes that keeping up with the latest achieve happiness, do so by embracing virtues (virtues are trends and upgrades of his favorite device, would give him immense good habits) – virtues is both inherent and learned. pleasure, there is nothing he wouldn’t do to get hold of one. However, Ex: ang love, meron satin, but it is thru concrete experience given his meagre salary, he would sacrifice a lot of things just to save of love, pain, care can we nurture and practice it. up for his highly anticipated tech device, not to mention that his credit card is on the brink of its limit and most of his bills are already passed their due. Leo doesn’t mind at all, what’s important is that buying the 2. God as the Ultimate Happiness of the Human Person new iPhone makes him happy. a. St. Thomas Aquinas on Happiness Question: Where can I find true happiness? b. Happiness in God as the Ultimate Goal of Human Beings c. God’s Commandments: Criteria in Attaining Eternal Life 1. Worldviews/Trends in Achieving Happiness d. Beatitudes: Call to Perfection Hedonism a. St. Thomas Aquinas on Happiness To seek the pleasurable is the primary reason of human behavior. Happiness as end. Human beings have the power of reason to Happiness equates with pleasure. Pleasure ranges from the physical determine what seems good for them and the power of free will to exhilaration to the material things which the world cunningly offers. choose what goods they will seek and how they will go about obtaining them. The hedonist chases physical pleasures as gateway to what will satisfy inner longings. In the end, after the fleeting feeling has welled Thomas Aquinas says that Happiness in God – he is our up, the emptiness remains and the same cycle of chasing after ultimate happiness (related to St. Augustine’s quote: “my pleasure continues without providing the authentic remedy to their heart is restless until it rests in you”) insatiable yearnings. Thus, according to Aquinas we are masters of our own actions. Hedonism achieves happiness through pleasure: anything that gives us pleasure is hedonism. Those goods that we seek are goals or ends, the things we hope to achieve by our actions. Materialism and Consumerism The angelic doctor adds, “although the end be last in the order of Material possession, success, and progress are the highest values in execution, yet it is the first order of the agent’s intention and it is in life. This doctrine highly values the material realm and is opposed to this way that it is a cause.” intellectual and spiritual values. St. Thomas asserts that human beings are not so much pawns who Materialism is happiness through the material world. are pushed by the random events of their past as masters of their fates who are pulled by future goals of their own making. An upshot of materialism is Consumerism, which believes that Aquinas insists that an end acts as a final cause, a cause for the personal wellbeing and happiness depend, on a very large extent, on sake of which human beings undertake to do something. the level of consumption, particularly on the purchase of material Aristotle and Aquinas agree that although each individual has his/her goods. own personal likes and dislikes, he/she acts, most of the time, for the very same final, last end. Consumerism is from materialism – because people derive pleasure from materials, consumerism takes advantage of So, what then is that final end? that. Happiness is our end, it is our final cause, but this is hindered related concepts such as capitalism, supply and demand; by the presence of false happiness. ex: latest iPhone gadget False happiness Like hedonism, buttressing one’s happiness on material things, in the end, only throws a person into a cycle of dissatisfaction and constant According to St. Augustine, “all men agree in desiring the last end, yearning for something that is temporal and fleeting. which is happiness.” Why, then, do individual men and women act so very differently and achieve such differing degrees of happiness? St. Thomas notes that “to desire happiness is nothing else than to b. Happiness in God as the Ultimate Goal of Human Beings desire that one’s will be satisfied. And this is what everyone desires.” And yet, “all do not know Happiness; because they know not in what Happiness is associated with the meaning of life. JPII the general notion of happiness is found.” “In the depths of his heart there always remains a yearning for In determining what will bring happiness, St. Thomas starts by absolute truth and a thirst to attain full knowledge of it. This is enumerating some common false contenders, which are as popular eloquently proven by man's tireless search for knowledge in all and alluring today as they were in the thirteenth century, namely: fields.” JPII wealth, power, honor, fame and glory. Happiness with God is incomparable with the happiness we False happiness are presented to us in the form of wealth, power, know in this world. And this is the life that we aspire for. fame, and glory/honor St. Thomas Aquinas points out: “every agent acts for an end; Ex: Temptation of Jesus; otherwise, one thing would not follow more than another from the action of the agent.” first temptation revolves along wealth and material things; di naman kayamanan or material na bagay ang pinakaimportante sa St. Thomas Aquinas clarifies the how rational beings differ from buhay, irrational beings in their pursuit of an end: second temptation is a temptation of power, because he was testing god, like lahat kaya gawin for you, Irrational creatures seek their end by means of natural third temptation shows fame and glory/honor – there are people inclination. who are wealthy, powerful, famous and popular, but also we hear In rational creatures, this inclination is caused by the related stories such as them suiciding, not contented, nagcheat deliberation of the intellect, which knows the end as good, kahit may babae na, because all of these are nawawala or and the free decision of the will.” lumilipas. As the faculty that chooses, the will empowers the person to choose which path to take on the way to happiness: whether right or wrong. We can achieve happiness through God through intellect Relationship between the Human Person’s Rationality and the and freewill (virtues) Totality of His Being: Intellect is our ability to know and love God. All human persons are oriented towards the good, in virtue Freewill is the capacity to pursue the good of their rationality. Ultimately, in our continuous practice of intellect and This good is broken down and made up of the basic goods freewill, we can find ourselves in the Happiness of God. of the person, which are perfective of him, or her. The knowledge, right ordering, and harmonizing of the human goods by reason, and the moral effort to pursue These are only means to the end of happiness itself and none of them throughout a lifetime, are necessary for human them ever completely brings satisfaction. happiness. Two Kinds of Happiness: If disorder enters in here it upsets the balance of a person’s life and affects their happiness. E.g., housing and An imperfect happiness while here on earth. nourishment and material well-being serve human life and A perfect happiness consisting of the beatific vision of the not vice versa. Uncreated Good (i.e., God) in heaven. “Man seeks his last end in his actions by knowing that last end (God) Perfect – happiness given by the beatific vision and wanting it.” “How is it, then, that I seek you, Lord? Since in Imperfect – happiness given by the world seeking you, my God, I seek a happy life, let me seek you so that my soul may live, for my body draws life from my soul and my soul draws life from you. God alone satisfies.” St. Augustine, Confessions St Thomas Aquinas is called by many as a dumb ox, tinwag siya ganyan dahil mataba siya. He became an angelic doctor, Jesus brings the question about morally good action back to its while writing summa theologica, which is a genius way of religious foundations, to the acknowledgment of God, who alone is explaining and defending the faith, but after defending God goodness, fullness of life, the final end of human activity, and perfect through his writings, he had beatific vision, this vision is Jesus happiness. enabled Aquinas to see heaven. “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good Augustine expressed this so beautifully in his writing, “Our hearts are and acceptable and perfect” (Rom 12:2). restless until they rest in you.” Augustine refers to God who is the ultimate source of every good thing and the end towards whom human beings ought to direct all their actions. c. God’s Commandments: Criteria in Attaining Eternal Life The common version of beatitude we hear is Matthew JPII elucidates the connection between eternal life and obedience to (Gospel of Matthew), but there is another version: the decalogue in his remark: Gospel of Luke, and Luke used Makarios, the original “God's commandments show man the path of life and they lead to it.” meaning of happiness. The decalogue sheds light on the dignity of the human person, and Matthew: “Blessed are those” consequently our obligation to respect it, to wit: Luke: “Happy are we/those” The 10 Commandments are: i. The first three beatitudes are dedicated to removing the obstacles, Reflections about the good of the person at the level of the many which purely material goods can present to be genuine happiness. different goods which characterize his identity as a spiritual and 1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, refers to the need for bodily being in relationship with God, with his neighbor and with the detachment either from riches or honors, which results from material world. humility. The next two beatitudes restrain and moderate the Teach us man's true humanity. They shed light on the essential irascible and concupiscible appetites respectively. duties, and so indirectly on the fundamental rights, inherent in the Poor in spirit means hindi mayabang, very humble, not proud nature of the human person. of himself, not egotist, not narcissist. “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not True happiness is attained when we humble ourselves in front of steal; You shall not bear false witness” are negative precepts, which everything that unfolds around us. Kapag Nawala sila, who are express with particular force the ever urgent need to protect human we? life, the communion of persons in marriage, private property, truthfulness and people’s good name. 2. Blessed are the meek, protects man’s irascible nature The 10 Commandments is God’s way of assuring the from falling into excessive anger and keeps it within the Israelites of his love, the first part speaks our relationship with bounds of reason. God, and the second part is with our neighbor. You could say 3. Blessed are those that mourn, moderates man’s desire that it is instructions, what we need to do to achieve life of for pleasure by keeping it in proportion, which is the effect happiness with God. on us when we suffer trials, tribulations and the death of loved ones. d. Beatitudes: Call to Perfection Mourn – related to compassion, came from 2 Latin words (cum The Beatitudes respond to man’s natural desire for happiness. + passio) meaning to suffer with. This means if you have compassion towards others, it means that I will suffer with you. This desire is of divine origin. God has placed it in the human heart in order to draw man to the One who alone can fulfill it.” ii. The second group explains our duty to serve our neighbor. The Beatitudes are more about basic attitudes and dispositions than 4. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after about particular rules of behavior. righteousness. The active life should be devoted principally to one’s duty and spontaneous inclination to Beatitudes are dispositions/attitudes, while commandments serve one’s neighbor. are instructions. Hunger and thirst for righteousness is to become an activist There is no separation between them and the commandments since (but NOT the ones who are stereotyped that lumalaban sa both are oriented to eternal life. government, being woke, etc). If we take part in issues in The Beatitudes: society, we are an activist. Suggest commitment to live out the different suggested attitudes to 5. Blessed are the merciful. But spontaneous inclination attain the graces promised by God. also leads us to go beyond what is strictly due to others and show them generosity, understanding and forgiveness, Beatitudes came from the Latin “beatus” meaning blessed. and indeed gratuitously without expecting anything in return. Give an idea that the true happiness that we should pursue cannot be totally attained in this world through temporal things but eternally reside in heaven. Articulate that the destiny of man can be achieved through service and the contemplation of heavenly things. iii. The third group brings forth the importance of living a What is your basis if your actions and/or decisions are good or bad? contemplative life. (spiritual / contemplative life) Q: How do I distinguish good from evil? Persecuted for righteous sake – if you are doing well in Three major moral theories that offer varying solutions, view good your lives, asks, are you experiencing persecution? differently, and expect people to in certain specific ways. 6. Blessed are the pure of heart. We say of men who a. Consequentialism/Utilitarianism triumph over the passions, b. Deontological Ethics c. Virtue Ethics Pure in heart – only someone who has clear intentions or a. Consequentialism hearts will be able to see through the muddle layers of injustices; because if we are tinted with hate, anger, and Focuses on the results or consequence of our actions and treats prejudices, we will not be able to see God in other people. intentions as irrelevant because good consequences are equivalent to good actions. 7. Blessed are the peacemakers. The virtues gifts, which Main Proponents perfect man in his relations with his neighbor, have peace as their effect, as we read in Isaiah: “The work of justice 18th century, Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill and shall be peace” (32:17). much earlier the Greek (341 to 270 B.C.E.) Epicurus, taught that the merits of actions should be gauged in terms Peacemakers – Jesus said peacemakers, meaning, peace is of the happiness or pleasure that they produce. something we should work for. It does not happen overnight. The resurrection of Christ was a peaceful encounter compared Ultimately, we want the things that we want because they give us to the violence of the cross. When Jesus saw Peter, he said happiness. shalom (peace be with you); as with St. Thomas, noong nakita Utilitarians agree that a moral theory should be grounded on ni Jesus (gusto pa ni thomas na ipasok kamay niya sa butas ng something intuitive, basically in the primal desire of humans to kamay ni jesus). seek pleasure and avoid pain. Unlike hedonism, utilitarianism is not self-centered as it is other Peace is a decision; it is something that we aspire and regarding by thinking that “we should always act so as to produce the work for. With it, we can be a just society. greatest good for the greatest number of people even if it means sacrificing your own pleasure.” The Beatitudes do not suggest certain actions but correct This is known as the principle of utility, which implies that choosing dispositions and attitudes they remain necessary in forming our will to the greatest good for the greatest number of people. choose the Good and turn to God. Two Forms of Utilitarianism They are reminders that are given to us so that we can become “morally good persons and attain our integral human fulfillment Act Utilitarianism. (everlasting happiness) in Jesus Christ.” The Beatitudes indicate a way of life, a life that finds its full actualization in God, the one true Holds that in any given situation, you should choose the action that source of happiness. produces the greatest good for the greatest number of people; LESSON B: THE MORAL GOOD OF HUMAN ACTS Pros: One day, after attending his first class for the day, Lien sat in one of Rejection of rigid rule-based morality the benches in front of the Central Library. He was thinking about how Actions depend on actual/foreseeable consequences he needs money in order to buy that laptop that he badly wants because of the demands of his school works and how he could not ask Cons: his mother for money because they are running on a tight budget at Can give wrong answers to moral questions home. As he was about to head back to his class, he saw a pouch Focus is only on individual actions which contains a sum of money. He thought, this is enough to buy the computer that he needs, and not only would it help him get by his school works, he would also be able to have some to spare that could help ease the financial backlogs at home. But then, Lien is in a quandary because he was thinking about that poor person who lost the money and might be looking for it at that moment. He is thinking whether or not he should keep the money. Is it right that he should use it to satisfy his personal needs or should he turn it over to the security office who could help him look for the real owner? Rule Utilitarianism. Combination of Aristotle and Aquinas Teaches that we ought to live by rules that, in general, are likely to Nature of man is important, because the person is by nature lead to the greatest good for the greatest number. Rule utility differs good, therefore he is capable of doing good things through from Act utility by allowing us to refrain from acts that might maximize HABITS (constant practice) – Habituation! (paulit-ulit na utility in the short run and instead follow rules that will maximize utility ginagawa) for the majority of the time. the INHERENT GOOD OF MAN! Rule leads to greater overall utility. Under consequentialism and utilitarianism, both act and Virtue is understood as the midpoint between the extremes of rule is for the greater number. deficiency and excess, which Aristotle calls vices. Virtues is sakto lang, hindi sobra, hindi kulang. b. Deontological Ethics 18th century German Philosopher, Immanuel Kant viewed morality in For Aristotle, character is developed through habituation, i.e., by terms of categorical imperatives, i.e., commands that you must doing it over and over again, to the extent that eventually becomes follow, regardless of your desires. part of your character. For Kant, moral obligations are derived from pure reason and it According to Aristotle, we should become virtuous persons so that doesn’t matter whether you want to be moral or not because the we can attain the pinnacle of humanity or achieve what is known as moral law is binding on all of us. eudaimonia, i.e., a life well-lived also known as human flourishing. Categorical imperatives as well as your duty to need to use The kind of person who virtuously lives is the kind of person who will reason and intellect is what is important for deontological ethics. do good things. A group of graduating students were playing paper volleyball inside What is right and wrong is totally knowable just by using your their classroom. One of the students, who is in probation, hit the ball intellect. hard which caused a break on the window. The incident happened with all of their other classmates as witnesses. Popular Formulations of Categorical Imperative: Can I be good without God? Universalizability Principle. “Act only according to that maxim which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal “If God does not exist, everything is permissible.” (Dostoyevsky) law without contradiction.” God is the first cause and ultimate origin of the moral law Ex: charity or generosity; whoever does it, their action is good. We cannot know the moral law without knowing the Law- giver and his character Formula of Humanity. “Act so that you treat humanity, whether in Today, the media and mind-molders are increasingly skeptical of your own person or in that of another, always as an end and never as traditional morality and of the idea of morality as God’s a mere means.” commandments rather than man’s ideals. Human foundation should always be the foundation, cause, and Controversies are almost always about morality end, not the means. The essence of Catholic morality is relationship with God and his will. The quest for personal happiness, social justice, and c. Virtue Ethics peace must find itself rooted in submission to God’s authority and obedience to his laws. Aristotle emphasizes the pre-eminence of the individual’s character rather than following a set of rules. This moral theory holds that from Christian morals presuppose following and imitating Jesus Christ, being good people, right actions could follow effortlessly. wherein every Christian becomes alter Christus (another Christ). Human beings who have a fixed nature, can flourish according to The supernatural virtues of faith and charity transform the natural Aristotle, by adhering to their specific nature. principle of morality into the basic principle of specific Christian morality: to live for the sake of the Kingdom, in which all things, Nature has built in human beings the desire to be virtuous or to have including man, will find fulfillment in Jesus.” virtues, which entails doing the right thing, at the right time, in the right way, in the right amount, toward right people. 1. The Nature of Human Acts Morality also depends on the fact that man is created in the image and likeness of God and at the same time, is also a fallen and imperfect creature. ”If man were simply good, there would be no sin or punishment. If b. Acts of Man or Actus Hominis man were simply evil, morality is an external compulsion which forces us to act against our nature. Those actions, which arise without the same amount of knowledge and freedom as human acts are called acts of man or actus hominis. Morality is ONLY CONCERNED with Human Acts; “Acts of man, as opposed to human acts, are actions that man we DO NOT judge Acts of Man! perform without being master of them through his intellect and will. In principle, acts of man are not the concern of morals, since they are a. Human acts or actus humani not voluntary. Are those acts of the human person, which define him/her as human Human acts are the concern of morality dahil ito yung in contrast to the actions of other material created agents more pinag-isipan, may freedom, may consent. specifically animals. What makes human acts basically human? Human acts are done The natural acts of vegetative and sense faculties: digestion, beating with sufficient knowledge of the agent and full deliberate of the heart, growth, corporal reactions, and visual or auditive consent. According to St. Thomas Aquinas, human acts “are perceptions. However, these acts become human acts when therefore those acts that proceed from a deliberate will.” performed under the direction of the will, as when we look at something, or arouse ourselves. For Saint Thomas Aquinas, Human Acts are acts: Acts of persons who lack the use of reason. Such is the case with Proceeds from man himself and is performed with a degree infants or mentally-challenged persons. of knowledge of the end Aristotle: principle from which the action proceeds lies Acts of people who are asleep or under the in influence of hypnosis, within the person who knows the particular circumstances alcohol, or other drugs. In this case, however, there may still be some under which he performs the act degree of control by the will. Also, there is indirect responsibility if the cause of the loss of control is voluntary. Aquinas adds: directed to an end Quick, nearly automatic reactions, called primo-primi acts. These Involves both KNOWLEDGE WILL (FREEDOM), and are reflex and nearly instantaneous reactions, such as withdrawing VOLUNTARINESS (DELIBERATE CONSENT). one’s hand after suffering an electric shock, in which the will does not have time to intervene. Situation: During a storm, a ship is at the point of sinking. To save their (the crew) lives and the ship, the crew cast the merchandise Acts performed under violence or threat of violence. This includes overboard. physical or—in some cases—moral violence. Situation: While in a party, student A got drunk. He suddenly slapped Human act! May knowledge (alam niya halaga ng tao nasa and poured water at a waiter. barko and gamit no matter how expensive), he has freedom (sacrifice merchandise or to let the ship sink), has voluntariness Situation: After having a road rage issue with another driver, (ginusto niya pakawalan yung gamit para di lumubog barko) Celebrity A decided to get drunk and went back to the driver. He punched the driver. For Saint Thomas Aquinas, Human Acts are acts: Situation: Boyfriend A was at his HS reunion. He met his first love, Ms. B, at that reunion. He felt a great sense of longing for his Which we are responsible for. “TOTGA”. In order to reconnect and overwhelmed by his longing, he Done with knowledge and love. decided to lie to his girlfriend that he needs to work overtime for the Done with intellect and will. next months. During these times, Boyfriend A picks up Ms. B from Freely chosen informed act. work and spends some time. Worthy of praise or blame. Situation: During a Holy Mass, Baby B was feeling hot with her Has value for good or for evil. clothes. Thus, she continues to cry. The mother decide