Concept and Nature of Human Acts

Moral Distinctions
 Moral actions – actions which are in
conformity with the norm of morality.
 Immoral actions – actions which are not
in conformity with the norm of morality.
 Amoral (indifferent) actions – actions
which stand neutral in relation to the
norm of morality.
Concept and Nature of Human Acts

Human Acts Acts of Man

(actus humanus) (actus hominis)
Human Acts
 Human acts are those that are freely
chosen in consequence of a judgment
of conscience.
 They are either good or evil.
 Their morality depends on: the object
chosen, the intention, and the
circumstances.
Human Acts include …

SPEECH
ACTION

THOUGHT
Acts of Man
 Actions performed without
intervention of intellect and
free will.
 They comprise all spontaneous
biological and sensual
processes.
 Acts of persons asleep or
under hypnosis.
 Reflex actions where the will
has no time to intervene.
 Acts performed under serious
physical violence.
Constituent Principles of Human Acts
 In
order that act be human, it
must possess three essential
qualities: it must be KNOWING,
FREE, and VOLUNTARY
Constituent Principles of Human Acts

Knowledge
Freedom
Voluntariness
KNOWLEDGE

A human act
proceeds from the
deliberate will.
 No human act is
possible without
knowledge
FREEDOM

A human act is an act

determined by the will
and by nothing else.
 Every human act must
be free.
FREEDOM

 Do we have
freedom?
 Are we free?
VOLUNTARINESS

 Voluntas (Lt) – will

 Formal essential quality
of a human act
 Volunatriness, for it to
be present, there must
ordinarily be both
knowledge and freedom.