The act itself is?
The object
What principle is the matter principle?
The object
When is the object chosen?
After counsel
What is the primary element of morality?
The object
The object must be _____ good, otherwise the intention cannot actualize it as good, since it had no potency to be good
potentially
The end is the?
Intention
The intention is the?
Motive for action of will
What is the form principle of the human act?
Intention
When is the intention willed?
Before the means, but the means are included within
The fact that the intention is willed before the means, but the means are included within means that it is the _____ end
Proximate
What is the most important moral element?
Intention
Why is the intention the most important moral element?
It orders all actions to one’s ultimate end
What gives act to the object?
Intention
If the object is good, but the intention is evil, then what?
The act is evil, because the intention is not capable of actualizing the object as good
What is the accidental characteristic of the act?
Circumstance
What is the circumstance?
Who, where, when, how, to whom, by what means, how ofter, etc.
What does specifying mean?
Can change the species of an act
What does aggravating/diminishing mean?
Can change the degree of evil or good in acts
What is teleological?
Takes into account the end and means of an act
In a teleological act, what specifies the act?
The end
Consequentialism?
This looks at the end alone
What is the definition of voluntary?
Action proceeds from the will with knowledge of the end
Involuntary?
Action proceeds against the will with knowledge of the end
Nonvoluntary?
Actions which proceed with no knowledge of the end
In a nonvoluntary action, no knowledge means what about the action?
No action of the free will
In a nonvoluntary action, no action of the free will means what?
No freedom
What is required in order to place moral responsibility upon someone?
- Knowledge
- Freedom
- Voluntary
Will vs. Free Will
The end
Is there free will in heaven?
No
Descartes
Judgment based on intellect and conscience, no will
What is Ethics?
A practical philosophical science which considers human operations insofar as they are ordered to one another and to an end
How is Ethics scientific?
consideration of action properly ordered
How is Ethics Human?
Proper to man
How does Ethics involve Order?
Order Related to Reason
Reason Perfected by Him
Ancient Civilizations view of Ethics?
- Established social roles
- Good was determined by status
Presocratics?
-Actions were to be in harmony with Universe
Socrates & Plato?
Knowledge of man’s condition is virtue
Aristotle?
-All things act for an end -Man’s happiness is virtuous, contemplative living
Nominalists?
- No universal truths for man to know
- Morality is God’s commands, even if irrational aka No Conscience
Rationalists (Descartes)
- Cogito = Man’s thought as central
- Autonomy of reason and conscience
What did Descartes believe about the intellect and will?
All intellect and No will
What did Descartes believe about the conscience?
Conscience becomes center
Utilitarianism (J.S. Mill, Bentham, J. Mill)
- Scientific approach to material universe
- Calculation of max pleasures & minimum pain
Modernism
- Denial of absolute norms
- Absolute freedom of individual conscience
What does modernism say about physical pleasure?
Physical pleasure over spiritual good
How does modernism handle particular moral problems?
Democratic approach
Modern view on natural law and divine precepts?
Denies both
Human Action
Act in which man is master by consciously controlling and deliberately willing
Decisive point of Human Action?
Consent of the will following the deliberation of the intellect
Acts of Man
One in which a man happens to perform, but he is not master of it, for he has not consciously controlled it, has not deliberately willed it, and for it he is not held responsible
Is Sleep a human act or act of man?
Act of man
False external ideas of happiness
wealth, honors, fame, and glory
False internal ideas of happiness
health, longevity, good looks, bodily pleasures of various kinds, bodily strength and fitness, athletic prowness, and comfort
Overall, why do goods fail to be our ultimate good
Only God can be a sufficient and complete good for us, since we have the universal good as an object of our will
Why do external goods not satisfy?
Human fulfillment rules out all evil, whereas each of the external goods can be found in both good and evil people and can be used to do either good or evil
Happiness is a sufficient good that doesn’t lack any good necessary for a human being. Why do the external goods fail?
The external goods leave out many necessary goods
Happiness is a complete good from which no evil can come to a person. Why do the external goods fail?
All of the external goods can lead to evil for the possessors