Impediments to Human

Acts
IR-4
Human actions though
naturally a product of will and
reason, are sometimes
influenced by certain factors,
which are called impediments
to human actions.
When individuals face the reality
of life, their decisions and actions
are eventually affected by certain
psychological and physical
factors that determine whether
their actions are morally
acceptable or not.
 The impediments affect
the quality of human acts.
 1. Ignorance
Pertains to the lack of pertinent information
as to the nature, circumstances and effect of
a certain action. Either in commission or
omission, the willful lack of initiative to
properly understand the whole picture of the
circumstance affects the moral quality of an
action.
Usually this takes place when
someone unconsciously
violates certain rules and
regulations.
This is a clear manifestation
on how ignorance directly
alters the moral quality of an
action.
Shall an individual be made
an accountable for something
he/she did not know?
Some actions done with ignorance
can reduce moral responsibility.
 However, there are things that
everyone should know even if
they say they're unaware of them.
In other words, ignorance isn't
always an excuse.
“The Word of God is a light for our
path. We must assimilate it in faith
and prayer and put it into practice.
This is how moral conscience is
formed.” (CCC 1802)
Ignorance is classified into:
1.Invincible Ignorance
2.Vincible Ignorance
i. Affected ignorance
ii.Supine or Crass Ignorance
 Invincible Ignorance

There is invincible ignorance when an

individual lacks pertinent information as
to the moral quality of the action sine
he/she fails to realize his/her state of
ignorance.
Total ignorance to the matter.
Invincible Ignorance

This may also apply to circumstances

where there is effort and diligence
exerted to know the moral quality of the
action but still the person fails.
St. Thomas Aquinas’ example

A hunter in the woods thinks he is shooting

a deer and has taken every precaution to
make sure he is making the right decision
to shoot. But he shoots and kills a man
which he would not have done had he
known it was a man and not a deer.
 Invincible Ignorance
The hunter is responsible for the death of another
but his responsibility is minimized because he
could not have known it was a man beforehand.
Thus, responsibility is diminished or minimized
by lack of knowledge.
Vincible Ignorance

This occurs when the lack of required

knowledge to determine the goodness
or badness of a certain action can be
dispelled or learned through ordinary
efforts, conscientiousness and proper
diligence.
Vincible Ignorance
Ignorance is vincible if it can be
dispelled by the use of normal “moral
diligence.”
If a person makes an effort to study,
investigate and ascertain the goodness
or badness of an act.
Vincible Ignorance
Some people don't want to be
convinced even when they have the
facts calmly and succinctly explained
to them. Some people prefer their
emotional outrage rather than the
facts.
St. Thomas Aquinas’ example
In this case, the hunter does not bother
trying to find out if the object is a deer or a
man and he shoots anyway. In killing the
man, the hunter’s responsibility is
increased because he could have put in the
effort to find out if it was in fact a deer he
was shooting or not.
St. Thomas Aquinas’ example

His will was not fully informed, but he did

not allow this to alter his decision,
therefore, he is more responsible for the
killing.
Two forms of Vincible
Ignorance
i. Affected ignorance

Is the willful act of an individual to

assert and pretend his/her ignorance
to plead his/her innocence to a
charge of guilt in doing or not doing
an act.
i. Affected ignorance

Naturally, any action performed

under affected or pretended
ignorance does no excuse a person.
In fact, it increases his/her moral
responsibility.
ii. Supine or Crass ignorance

Happens when a person exerts little

effort to know something.
2. Concupiscence
Itis a sexual desire/sexual driven.
Results from giving in to inordinate
passion that hinders one to exercise
correct reasoning.
For Christians, it is the tendency to sin.
 Concupiscence

In theology, it is the proneness of a

person to commit sin due to his/her
desire of things.
Cravings that lead us to sin.
 Concupiscence

An action fueled by negative passion,

such as lust, heightens the moral
responsibility of an individual.
It only seeks to accomplish morally bad
actions.
 Concupiscence

In Morality In Theology
 The bodily appetites  The proneness of sin
or tendencies or in man’s nature due
simply passions. to the fall of Adam
and Eve
 Two types of CONCUPISCENCE

Antecedent Concupiscence

Consequent Concupiscence
 Antecedent Concupiscence

When passions spring into actions.

Therefore, they without any stimulation are
moral or influence by the will. Less
culpable
Example: Sudden feeling of joy, hatred, pity,
grief, anger, etc.
 Consequent Concupiscence

Deliberatelyaroused by the will to ensure a

more prompt and willing operation.
Example: Gluttony, Watching Porn
 Principles of
Concupiscence
First Principle

“Antecedent
concupiscence lessens the
voluntariness of an act”
Second Principle

“Antecedent
concupiscence does not
destroy the voluntariness
of an act”
Third Principle

“Consequent
concupiscence, however,
great, does not lessen the
volntariness”
3 Impediment
rd
 FEAR

Impairs moral responsibility since the

individual is threatened by impending
danger. The presence of danger and
intimidation affects his/her thought-
processes in determining the goodness or
badness of an action.
A human act done with fear or in
spite of fear is considered as
voluntary.
Since acts done with fear are
voluntary, an individual is morally
responsible for his/her own
actions.
However, for a human act done
from or through fear or because of
fear, the individual is threatened
and performs an action that may be
considered involuntary.
Acts done from fear or through
fear, in certain case are
involuntary because the agent is
obligated to choose to avoid the
greater evil.
4. VIOLENCE
 Violence
Is the application of physical force upon a
resisting person to compel him/her to do or not
to do an act.
It endangers the life and well-being of the
person, and forces him/her to perform an action
in order to protect himself/herself.
5th impediment