HUMAN ACTS

ACTS OF MAN

CONSTITUENTS OF HUMAN ACTS

KINDS OF VOLUNTARINESS

DETERMINANTS OF MORALITY

IMPEDIMENTS TO MORALITY
 MAN AS THE ACTING PERSON
CONCEPT AND NATURE OF HUMAN ACTS

ACTUS HUMANI
ACTS THAT PROCEED FROM REASON AND FREEWILL
RIGHTLY CALLED PERONAL ACTS
 ACT OF MAN

ACTUS HOMINIS

ACTIONS WHICH ARE PERFORMED WITHOUT THE

INTERVENTION OF THE INTELLECT AND THE FREE
WILL

THEY COMPRISE ALL SPONTANEOUS

BIOLOGICAL AND SENSUAL PROCESSES
CONSTITUENTS OF HUMAN
ACTS

KNOWLEDGE
The faculty of thought. The intellect discerns in a given object
both perfection and imperfection, both good and evil, and
therefore presents it to the will as desirable in one respect and
undesirable in another
 FREEDOM
the ability to act without
restraint.

In the context of internal control,

freedom is also known as self-determination,
individual sovereignty, or autonomy.
 when an object is proposed, the will, on account of its
unlimited scope, may love or hate, embrace or reject it.

Whenever there is deliberation in the understanding,

there is freedom in the will, and the consequent act is free;
vice versa, whenever an act proceeds from the will without
deliberation, it is not free, but necessary.
 FREE WILL
EVERY VOLUNTARY ACT OF MAN INCLUDESA
ECESSSARY ELEMENT: THE QUEST FOR GOOD
AND A FREE ELEMENT: THE CHOICE OF THE CONCRETE
OBJECT IN WHICH THE GOOD IS SOUGHT

IF A MAN IS NOT FREE TO CHOOSE WHAT HE WOULD

LIKE ACCORDING TO HIS INSIGHT AND WILL BUT HAS
TO ACT AGAINST HIS WILL, HIS ACTION IS NOT FREE
AND CONSEQUENTLY NOT A HUMAN ACT
KINDS OF VOLUNTARY ACTS

PERFECTLY VOLUNTARY ACT

IS AN ACT WHICH IS PERFORMED WITH FULL

ATTENTION AND FULL CONSENT OF THEWILL.
 IMPERFECTLYVOLUNTARY

IS AN ACT IF ATTENTION OR CONSENT OF THEWILL

OR BOTH TOGETHER ARE IMPERFECT
 DIRECTLYVOLUNTARY

IF THE ACT IS INTENDED AS AN END IN ITSELF OR

IF IT IS INTENDED AS A MEANS FOR ANOTHER END
 INDIRECLTYVOLUNTARY
IF AN ACT IS NOT INTENDED BUT MERELY PERMITTED
AS THE INEVITABLE RESULT OF AN OBJECT DIRECTLY
WILLED.
 PRINCIPLES: INDIRECTLY
WILLED ACT
PRINCIPLE OF DOUBLE EFFECT

THE MORAL OBJECT MAY NOT BE EVIL IN ITSELF

THE GOOD AND EVIL EFFECT MUST PROCEEDAT
LEAST EQUALLY DIRECTLY FROM THE ACT
 THE INTENTION OF THE AGENT MUST BE GOOD
THE AGENT MAY NOT INTEND OR APPROVE OFTHE
EVIL EFFECT
THERE MUST BE A PROPORTIONATELY GRAVE REASON
IN ORDER TO PERMIT THE EVIL EFFECT.
 BRIEFLY
UNDERTAKING AN ACTION FROM WHICH A GOOD AND EVIL EFFECT
ARE FORESEEN IS PERMISSIBLE :
IF THE ACTION IN ITSELF IS NOT EVIL,
IF THE BAD EFFECT IS NOT INTENDED
IF THERE IS SUFFICIENTLY GRAVE REASON TO PERMIT THE EVIL.
 POSITIVELY VOLUNTARY ACT
THE WILL EFFECTS SOMETHING POSITIVELY
BY EXERCISING ACTIVE INFLUENCE ON THE
CAUSATION OF AN OBJECT

FOR EXAMPLE, INJURING A NEIGHBOR BY

SETTING HIS HOUSE ON FIRE
 NEGATIVELY VOLUNTARY ACT
THE WILL EFFECTS SOMETHING NEGATIVELY BY
VOLUNTARY OMISSION OF AN ACT WHICH COULD
HAVE AVERTED AN EVIL TO ANOTHER PERSON OR
HELPED HIM TO SECURE A GOOD FOR EXAMPLE, NOT
TO EXTINGUISH A FIRE ALREADY STARTING IN A
NEIGHBOR’S HOUSE
DETERMINANTS OF
MORALITY THE OBJECT
FINIS OPERIS

THE OBJECT OF THE HUMAN ACT IS THAT EFFECT WHICH AN

ACTION PRIMARILY AND DIRECTLY CAUSES

THE OBJECT CHOSEN IS A GOOD TOWARD WHICH

THE WILL DELIBERATELY DIRECTS ITSELF
 CIRCUMSTANCES
THE PARTICULARS OF THE HUMAN ACT WHICH ARE NOT
NECESSARILY CONNECTED WITH THE HUMAN ACT BUT
WHICH AFFECT THE MORALITY OF THE ACT

KINDS OF CIRCUMSTANCES
WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WITH WHAT MEANS, HOW
CIRCUMSTANCES CAN INFLUENCE THE
MORALITY OF AN ACT
IN THE POSITIVE SENSE:
A CIRCUMSTANCE CAN MAKE BETTER AN ACT GOOD IN ITS OBJECT
A CIRCUMSTANCE CAN MAKE GOOD AN INDIFFERENT ACT IN ITSELF

IN THE NEGATIVE SENSE:

A CIRCUMSTANCE CAN MAKE WORSE AN ACT EVIL IN ITS OBJECT
A CRCUMSTANCE CAN MAKE EVIL AN ACT INDIFFERENT IN ITSELF
THE END INTENDED BY THE AGENT

FINIS OPERANTIS
THE REASON FOR WHICH THE AGENT UNDERTAKES THE ACT
 THE END OR EFFECT INTENDED BY THE AGENT IN AN ACTION
MAY BE THE SAME AS THE OBJECT OF THE ACTION
IN WHICH CASE, FINIS OPERIS AND FINIS OPERANTIS ARE THE SAME

IN PLACE OF END, THE TERM INTENTION IS ALSO OFTEN USED TO

NAME THE THIRD SOURCE OF MORALITY

INTENTION RESIDES IN THE ACTING SUBJECT

IMPEDIMENTS TO MORALITY

IMPAIRMENTS TO HUMAN FREEDOM ARE REALITIES

WITH WHICH ETHICS AND JURISPRUDENCE
:
HAVE TO RECKON CONCERNING THE MORALITY OF THE HUMAN

 IGNORANCE
 IMPAIRMENTS OF REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE
 IMPAIRMENTS TO FREE CONSENT: PASSION
 FEAR AND SOCIAL PRESSURES VIOLENCE
 DISPOSITIONS AND HABITS
PRINCIPLES THAT APPLY TO IGNORANCE AND ITS RESPONSIBILITY:

INVINCIBLE IGNORANCE PREVENTS THE HUMAN ACT

FROM BEING VOLUNTARY IN REGARD TO THAT WHICH IS NOT KNOWN
VINCIBLE IGNORANCE
DOES NOT TAKE AWAY THE VOLUNTARINESS
DIMINISHES VOLUNTARINESS,
AS LONG AS THE IGNORANCE IS NOT AFFECTED
SIMPLE NEGLIGENCE OR LAZINESS DOES NOT
USUALLY IMPLY A FULL CONSENT
TO ALL THE POSSIBLE EVIL CONSEQUENCES WHICH MAY COME
THEREFROM
SUPINE IGNORANCE IN A SERIOUS MATTER
GENERALLY MAKES THE SIN GRAVE
AFFECTED IGNORANCE DOES NOT DIMINISH GUILT BECAUSE THERE
IS FULL CONSENT THERE IS FULL CONSENT
TO THE SINFUL EFFECTS WHICH RESULT FORM SUCH IGNORANCE
 ERROR
FALSE JUDGMENT OR CONVICTION

IT ARISES FROM DEFICIENT EDUCATION,

BAD COMPANY OR MISLEADING INFORMATION
ONE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE CONSEQUENCES OF ERROR MADE IN GOOD FAITH
 INATTENTION
REFERS TO MOMENTARY DEPRIVATION OF INSIGHT

IF ATTENTION IS COMLETELY LACKING, THERE IS NO HUMAN ACT

BUT ONE IS RESPONSIBLE TO THE EXTENT
THAT THE ACT IS VOLUNTARY IN CAUSE
 PASSION OR CONCUPISCENCE

A MOVEMENT OF THE SENSITIVE APPETITE WHICH IS MOVED

BY THE GOOD OR EVIL APPREHENDED BY THE IMAGINATION

MOVEMENT OF THE SENSITIVE APPETITE

THAT PRECEDES THE FREE DECISION OF THE WILL
 DIVISIONS OF PASSIONS
CONCUPISCIBLE:
PASSION THROUGH WHICH THE SOUL IS SIMPLY INCLINEDTO
SEEK WHAT IS SUITABLE ACCORDING TO THE SENSES, AND TO
FLY FROM WHAT IS HURTFUL.

IRASCIBLE:
WHEREBY AN ANIMAL RESISTS THE ATTACKS OF ANY AGENTS
THAT HINDER WHAT IS SUITABLE AND INFLICT HARM
ITS OBJECT IS SOMETHING ARDUOUS,
BECAUSE ITS TENDENCY IS TO OVERCOME AND RISE ABOVE
OBSTACLES.
 CONCUPISCIBLE
SIMPLE INCLINATION WITH RESPECT TO SENSIBLE OBJECT

ATTRACTION REPULSION
TOWARDS OBJECT AWAY FROM OBJECT
(GOOD OBJECT) (EVIL OBJECT)

LOVE JOY DESIRE HATRED SADNESS AVERSION

GOOD PRESENT ABSENT EVIL PRESENT ABSENT
AS SUCH GOOD GOOD AS SUCH EVIL EVIL
 IRASCIBLE
INCLINATION IN VIRTUE OF AN ARDUOUS OBJECT

GOOD EVIL
DIFFICULT TO ATTAIN DIFFICULT TO AVOID

NO HOPE DESPAIR ANGER COURAGE FEAR

PRESENT ABSENT ABSENT PRESENT THREATENING THREATENING
GOOD BUT UNATTAINABLE EVIL BUT INCONQUERABLE
DIFFICULT ATTAINABLE GOOD CONQUERABLE EVIL
TO ATTAIN GOOD EVIL
 FEAR:IS MENTAL TREPIDATIONDUE TO AN
IMPENDING EVI L

IT IS FEAR OF THE SENSES AND NOT INTELLECTUAL FEAR

WHICH IS ONE OF THE PASSIONS
INTELLECTUAL FEAR (FOR EXAMPLE THREAT OF TORTURE DOES
NOT JUSTIFY DENIAL OF FAITH)
THE EMOTION OF FEAR WHICH COMPLETELY DARKENS THE
MIND OR PARALYZES THE WILL EXCUSES FROM IMPUTABILITY
 VIOLENC
E
COMPULSIVE INFLUENCE BROUGHT TO BEAR UPON ONE
AGAINST HIS WILL BY SOME EXTRINSIC AGENT.
VIOLENCE IS CAUSED BY SOME PHYSICAL OR PSYCHIC AGENT

THERE IS NO IMPUTABILITY,
EXCEPT INSOFAR AS THE INNER WILL MAY HAVE CONSENTED
OR EXTERNAL RESISTANCE HAVE FALLEN SHORT
OF THE DEGREE NECESSARY AND POSSIBLE IN THE CIRCUMSTANCE
 INTERNAL
RESISTANCE IS
NECESSARY
ALWAYS

WHILE EXTERNAL RESISTANCE MAY NOT ALWAYS BE

CALLED FOR IT IS REQUIRED ONLY TO THE EXTENT
THAT IT IS FORESEEN TO BE EFFICACIOUS
IN PREVENTING ACTION OR FORESTALLING SCANDAL
 HABITS :
FACILITY AND READINESS OF ACTING IN A CERTAIN
MANNER ACQUIRED BY REPEATED ACTS
 DELIBERATELY ADMITTED HABITS DO NOT LESSEN
VOLUNTARINESS, AND ACTIONS RESULTING THEREFROM
ARE VOLUNTARY AT LEAST IN THEIR CAUSE
 OPPOSED HABITS LESSEN VOLUNTARINESS
AND SOMETIME PRECLUDE IT COMPLETELY.
THE REASON IS THAT HABIT WEAKENS INTELLECTAND
WILL IN A CONCRETE SITUATION IN A SIMILARWAY.