DETERMINANTS

OF MORALITY
 THE ACT ITSELF
1. INTRINSIC EVIL
2. EXTRINSIC EVIL
 THE MOTIVE OF THE ACT
• The purpose which the doer wishes to achieve by such action

THE END DOES NOT JUSTIFY THE MEANS

1. An evil act done on account of an evil motive is grievously wrong.
2. A good action done on account of an evil motive becomes evil.
3. A good action done on account of a good purpose acquires additional merit.
4. An indifferent act may either become good or bad depending on the motive.
 CIRCUMSTANCES OF AN ACT
• MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES – lessens the seriousness of an act
• AGGRAVATING CIRCUMSTANCES – increases the seriousness of an act

• 1. WHO
- refers to the doer of an act
- receiver of an act
 Age Educational attainment
 Status Socio-economic status
 relation
 WHAT
• Refers to the act itself and to the quality and quantity of the results of such
act
• Example: The graveness of an act is measured by what is stolen and how
much is stolen
 WHERE
• Refers to the circumstance of place where the act was committed
• Example: Rape inside the church is more scandalous than rape done inside
the house
 WITH WHOM
• Refers to the companion or accomplices in an act
• Includes number of persons and status of the persons involved
• The more people involved in the commission of an act, the greater and more
serious is the crime
 WHY
• Refers to the motive of the doer
 HOW
• Refers to the manner how the act was made possible
 WHEN
• Refers to the time of the act