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