ETHICS
PREFINAL LECTURES
AMOR A. FUENTECILLA JR.
WEEK 11 LECTURE
DETERMINANTS/SOURCES OF MORALITY
“BONUM EX INTEGRA CAUSA, MALUM EX
QUOCUMQUE DEFECTU”
- It means that, a thing is good if it has the
fullness of its parts, and it is bad when it
is deficient in any of its integral parts.
- Ex1e: A pen is good when it fulfills its
purpose in writing, but if a pen is inkless
then it is defect.
- Ex2: If all the parts of the body fulfil its
functions, then it is good but if there is a
part that does not fulfil its functions, then
it is defect.
In dealing with morality, Ethics is not only
focusing on the action itself. In order to
determine the morality, there are other aspects
that we have to consider, if the action is good but
there is defect coming from any of those aspects,
then it renders an act morally objectionable.
In other words, an act must have the perfection
of its parts.
THREE ASPECTS AS DETERMINANTS OF
MORALITY
1. The Act itself: What is the nature of the act?
 Is the act good?
 Is the act evil?
 Is the indifferent or amoral?
2. The motive or purpose of doing the act:
For every action that we do, there is always a
motive or purpose of doing such act.
a. An evil act which is done on an account of
an evil motive is gravely wrong.
o Evil Act + Evil Motive = evil
b. A good action done on an account of an
evil motive becomes evil itself.
o Good Act + Evil Motive = Evil
c. A good action done on an account of a
good purpose acquires an additional
merit.
o Good Act + Good Motive = Good
d. An indifferent act may either become
good or bad depending on the motive.
o Indifferent Act + Good Motive = Good
o Indifferent Act + Evil Motive = Evil
3. Circumstances of an act: the following are
the questions that we have to consider…
 Who – the agent
 What – action itself
 Where – the location
 With whom – the other party
 Why – the purpose of doing the act
 How – the means employed
 When – the time element
FOUR TYPES OF CIRCUMSTANCES
a. Aggravating Circumstances: It can add to
the seriousness of an act. If the act is killing, it is
murder.
b. Mitigating Circumstances: It can lessen the
seriousness of an act. If the act is killing, it is
homicide.
c. Exempting Circumstance: Here, there is a
crime and a criminal but exempted for the reason
of being minor or insane.
d. Justifying Circumstance: Here, there is no
crime and a criminal for the reason of self-
defense.
FIVE CONDITIONS OF SELF-DEFENSE
1. The attack is unjust. There is no reason of
attacking.
2. The attack is serious in nature. The attack
is a matter of life and death.
3. The defense must be simultaneous to the
attack. The defender has the right to defend
himself but simultaneous to the attacker.
4. The means employed must be
reasonable. The means (you’re using) must be
reasonable.
5. The end of the defender is honest. Your
purpose is just to save yourself and not to kill the
person.
NORMS OF MORALITY
 A norm means standard of measurement.
 Law is defined by St. Thomas Aquinas as
the ordinance of reason.
 ETHICS
PREFINAL LECTURES
AMOR A. FUENTECILLA JR.
 If a law is something unreasonable, then
it is defective and unjust.
TYPES OF LAW
1. Eternal Law
- Eternal law is the plan of God in creating
the universe and assigning to each
creature therein a specific nature. It is the
exemplar of Divine Wisdom as directing all
actions and movements.
- It is unknown to man since it is in the
Divine mind.
2. Natural Law
- Natural law is the eternal law known to
man. It is recognized by all men
regardless of creed, race, culture, or
historical circumstances. Since we are all
parts of nature, then we are subject to the
law of nature.
- This natural law is not written in a piece of
paper, but it is written by God in the mind
and heart of man. The author of the
natural law is God.
Properties of the Natural Law:
a. It is universal – it is applicable to all men.
b. It is obligatory – since we are part of nature,
we have the obligation to obey the law of nature.
c. It is recognizable – regardless of race,
creed, and gender, we recognize natural law for
we are all part of that nature.
d. It is immutable or unchangeable – the
natural law before, today, and in the future
remains the same and not subject to change.
3. Human Positive Law
- It is a man-made law.
Two Kinds of Human Positive Law:
a. Law of the State. Like civil law, Criminal Law,
and Constitution.
b. Ecclesiastical Law or the Law of Church.
Example is the Canon Law of the Catholic Church.
Principle: All human positive laws must conform
with the natural law. If a human law does not
conform with the natural law, then it is our
obligation to reject it.
Example: If selective abortion is legal, then we
all know that it something against natural law,
then avoid in doing it for the higher law like
natural law must prevail.
WEEK 12 & 13 LECTURE
NORMS OF MORALITY
CONSCIENCE
- It is the proximate norm of morality.
- It means trial of oneself.
Kinds of Conscience
1. Correct or True Conscience. It judges what
is good as good and what is evil as evil.
2. Erroneous or False Conscience. It judges
incorrectly that what is good is evil and what is
evil is good.
3. Certain Conscience. It is a subjective
assurance of the lawfulness or unlawfulness of a
certain act.
What is the distinction between Correct
Conscience and Certain Conscience?
- Correct Conscience is something objective
while Certain Conscience is something
subjective.
If Certain Conscience is subjectively correct, is
there a possibility of mistake or error?
- Yes, there is a possibility of mistake. But
the recommendation of the atheists is if
you have a certain conscience, just follow
or obey it for there is a big percentage of
being correct.
4. Scrupulous Conscience. It is rigorous
conscience, extremely afraid of committing evil.
5. Lax or Dead Conscience. It is one which
refuses to be bothered about the distinction
between good and evil.
 ETHICS
PREFINAL LECTURES
AMOR A. FUENTECILLA JR.
6. Doubtful Conscience. It is a vacillating
conscience, unable to form a definite judgment
on a certain action.

PRACTICAL DOUBT

 You need to perform the act but there is a

possible doubt… what we have to do? If it is
possible to eliminate the doubt in order to
achieve moral certitude, then do it by means
of verification. But if it is impossible to
eliminate the doubt and to achieve moral
certitude, the Reflex Moral Principle (Doubtful
law does not bind) and Principle of
Probabilism must be applied.