The Subjective Ultimate End of Human Acts

The name subjective is given to this end to indicate its possession by a subject
(person who has it/strives to have it)

The absolutely ultimate end of human acts with reference to its subject is the perfect
happiness which consists in the possession of the limitless good

The absolutely ultimate subjective end of human acts is happiness.

Difficulty:
Man, acting in a human manner, is seldom conscious of the fact that he is acting for
happiness.

So how do we say that man always acts for happiness?

Actual & Virtual Intention

Actual Intention- elicited here and now with direct consciousness of that which is
intended. Happiness is seldom the object of this intention.

Virtual Intention- exists in an act performed in virtue of a formerly elicited actual

intention. Man always tends towards the good in general, and his inborn bent of will for
the good involves a virtual intention for that good. The possession of good
means happiness, therefore man acts for happiness by a virtual intention. BUT this
virtual intention does not exist by reason of an actual intention formerly elicited.

Impicit= Implied
To illustrate:
A man who shoots a rabbit does not, in order to have an actual intention, require a
moment’s pause in order to elicit the will-act; he may not even be aware of his intention
as an intention; he simply does what he wants to do; he simply raises his gun and fires.
In this action, his actual intention is implied.

Similarly, we declare that a man, in his more serious and deliberate actions in life,
makes up his mind to do what he adverts to do best . Here,implicitly , we have an actual
intention to act for good . The virtue of this implicit actual intention endures and a
man’s acts are performed for happiness