NORMS OF HUMAN ACTS: LAW & CONSCIENCE
NCM 108 – BIOETHICS
PIÑERO l ERIC PARLADE l 2nd SEM PRELIMS
LAW
Law is the external norm
Law is the ordinance of reason promulgated for
those who are commonly good.
Not all laws are meant together; they are meant
to be amendment (parts of it) & when you make
that law obsolete/ totally remove it; law is no
longer applicable repeal.
LAW FROM THE STANDPOINT OF DURATION
 Eternal & Temporal
 Eternal (Divine positive law) – Yahweh
through Moses it becomes Divine
positive law. (Positive it is something
that is expressed)
o Laws that are forever.
o Example: Law of gravity, law of
inertia,
o Eternal law that is made
positive (Quinquea Viae) 5 ways
of existence of God by St.
Thomas Aquinas. Unmoved
mover – Prime mover
 Temporal laws – Promulgated by man
pursuant to the fact that all human laws,
particularly the civil laws, are temporal
in nature. (Temporary which can be
subject to change or removal)
PROMULGATED/LEGISLATE
Promulgation in print/ making it know –
Formally announcing it and disseminating it.
Why does it need to publish? All the people can
follow because; ignorance by the law excuses
no one.
ONLY LAW THE WE FOLLOW AS PROFESSIONAL
NURSES – R.A. 9173 “Philippine Nursing Act of
1991” l One was the original one is the
amendment.
The standards, the quality of education, the
parameters that we can only work.
Legislation – Creating the law.
Policy – Do we follow policies in the university?
Yes, but are they promulgated? No
School Policy – School policy is only binding in
the university and those who works and studies
in the university and not outside the school. Can
we demand those who follow from outside? No.
There are standards or policy that are
promulgated whether what school you are you
are mandated to follow it.
CONSCIENCE
Conscience is the internal norm.
St. Thomas – It is a practical act.
Practical meaning on the daily basis. Prax
(Practice) relevance on the daily basis of human
existence. Should be guided by law & conscience
in the individual level.
St. Augustine – Inner voice of God
TYPES OF CONSCIENCE
CERTAIN/TRUE CONSCIENCE - Degree of
certainty. Example: This is one, this is 2, This is 3
DOUBTFUL CONSCIENCE – One is not sure
whether one of doing is right or wrong. Person is
not sure.
SCRUPOLOUS CONSCIENCE – One who has
established, showed wrong but there is no
wrongness in the act.
CALLOUSED CONSCIENCE – There is no more
sense of right or wrong. A calloused conscience
sees even a wrong act or good act as all the same
level. You don’t reduce our sense of right and
wrong, everything is okay.
NORMS OF HUMAN ACTS: LAW & CONSCIENCE
NCM 108 – BIOETHICS
PIÑERO l ERIC PARLADE l 2nd SEM PRELIMS
ERRONEOUS CONSCIENCE – There is only error
in the perception whether it is good or bad. Who
wants to justify human actions. That actions are
justified to be correct but that perception is
erroneous.

Who is the ultimate author of the mind? –

Practical judgement of good and evil? Who tells
us that – GOD; God can never be subjective it is
always objective.

Human as we are, it is our duty to form and

inform our conscience.

They need to justify in order for the acceptance

of the certain act.

 Similar to Calloused conscience

ETHICS – PHILOSOPICAL, THEOLOGY - ONE HAS

FAITH; PHILOSOPY – FAITH IS NOT BEING
CONSIDERED

MORAL – PHILOSOPHY AND THEOLOGY

STUDY: ETHICAL THEORIES