ENDS of Human

Acts
 u A termination, a goal, or boundary
u Termination =that which completes
or finishes a thing
u Goal = that for which the thing is

Definition of u
finished.
Boundary =edge or rim

’End’
HERE we talk of END as ‘termination
and goal of activity.
 u Metaphysical Principle:
u “Every Activity tends toward an
End.”
u We experience this in everything in

Does a
nature. Living and non-living.
u Things operate, act toward an end

Human act
proper to their nature.
u Because things act and tend toward

tend toward
an end proper to their nature, thus
there is order.
That order of nature is what we call
an End?
u
“natural laws”
u This is confirmed in Science. Science
implies and assumes order in things.
u Each science speaks of its subject in
harmony with other subjects of other
sciences.
 u But every activity is a tendency.
u A Tendency or appetite is an
”Every u
inclination towards a known good.
There are three kinds of appetency
Activity tends or tendencies:
u Natural = proper to lifeless things like

toward an minerals, and things without

cognition as plants

end” u Sentient = proper to organisms with

sense knowledge as lower animals.
u Rational = proper to beings
endowed with intellect.
 u Every activity tends toward an end.
But, a human act is a rational
tendency. Ergo, human act tends

“Thus, human u
toward an End.
Now, a human act is deliberately
act tends willed act. But deliberately willed
act tends toward what is
toward an u
apprehended as reasonable good.
Hence, human act tends towards
End” what is ‘good’
u The ‘good’ as end is the Final
Cause of the Human act i.e.,the
purpose why the act is performed.
 u Desire or appetition presupposes
“The final cognition. No one tends toward
what is perceived or known as
cause of ‘evil’. Every desired thing is desired
because it is good.
human act u Good may either be ‘really good’
must be or ‘appears good’---
In either case, it can become an
apprehended
u
object (end) of a human act.

as good.” u An evil thing is not desired per se

but what is good in it.
1. End of the act / End of the Agent

Proximate / Remote ends

Intermediate /ultimate ends

Classification of ENDS
 u End of the Act is that toward which
the act tends naturally. E.g. to give
food to the hungry tends toward
the relief of hunger.
End of the u End of the Agent is the purpose of

Act / End of the agent (doer) in performing the

act. Thus, giving food to the hungry
is motivated by the person’s love
the Agent for neighbor.
u The end of the Act may tally with
the end of the Agent but
sometimes they don’t tally.
 u Proximate end is that which is
intended as the immediate
Proximate outcome of an act. E.g. feeding
the hungry is intended to relieve
end / remote hunger. Passing the course is the
proximate end of taking exams.
end u Remote end is that which the
agent intends to achieve later with
his present act. E.g. Politicians
monetary support to the poor
voters is aimed at earning votes.
 u Intermediate End that which is
willed as a means to a more
Intermediate remote end.

/ Ultimate u Ultimate End that which is willed for

its own sake, that which is the
ends ultimate goal of proximate, remote
and intermediate ends. It is the last
in the series of ends. It is that which
gives meaning and motive to the
series.
 u The objective ultimate end is the
THING which motivates the act
An ”Ultimate u The subjective ultimate end is the
POSSESSION of the THING
End” is both
objective u Hence, a human act tends
ultimately to an object which will
and completely satisfy its tendency
once it is possessed.
subjective” u We call this Human Happiness
because it is proper to his nature as
a person.
 What is the u The objective ultimate end is the
THING which motivates the act

Objective u Hence, a human act tends

ultimately to an object which will
ultimate end completely satisfy its tendency
once it is possessed.
of man? u BUT, WHAT IS IT?
 Ø Man naturally desires to be HAPPY.
This desire is man’s tendency which
even explains his existence. Every
he does or wills it is because of this
tendency to be happy.
What is the Ø In whatever man desires, he is
seeking for that which pleases him
Objective completely, that which will make
him HAPPY.

ultimate end Ø He is not free to choose to be

unhappy

of man? Ø He uses his free will to choose

seeking for it because ‘thing tends
to its end according to its nature.
But man is naturally free.
Ø Hence, his free choice is the choice
of means rather than the end
 Ø IS it in RICHES?
Ø IS it in PLEASURE?

What is the Ø

Ø
IS it in PROMINENCE?
IS it in HONORS?
Objective Ø IS it in SCIENCE?

ultimate end Ø BUT THEY…FALL SHORT OF

of man? COMPLETE SATISFACTION OF ONE’S
DESIRE….THEY ARE ALL FINITE, AND
MANY TIMES CAUSE OF
UNHAPPINESS AND EVIL…
 What is the Ø I S THERE AN OBJECT THAT WILL
SATISFY ALL HUMAN TENDENCIES?

Objective Ø THAT ONCE POSSESSED WILL FILL UP

ALL DESIRES, AND ALL DESIRES WILL
ultimate end CEASE…
IS THERE AN OBJECT ON WHICH THIS
of man?
Ø
INFINITE DESIRE FINALLY REST?
 What is the Ø IFTHERE IS AN OBJECT
Objective OF HAPPINESS, WHAT
ultimate end SHOULD IT BE?

of man?
 Ø IT MUST BE ONE…

What is the Ø IT MUST BE AN INFINITE GOOD…

Objective
Ø IT MUST BE PERFECT TO SATISFY THAT
ultimate end INFINITE DESIRE OF MAN…
of man?
 Ø IT MUST BE ONE…
Ø BUT, human desires are varied, so how
can his happiness be only ONE?
Ø ANSWER: if more than one then it is
What is the not the Ultimate one, it means there is
no Happiness at all.

Objective Ø IT MUST BE AN INFINITE GOOD…

Ø But, human nature is finite how can his
ultimate end happiness be infinite Good?
ANSWER: human nature is limited but
of man?
Ø
his rational desire is infinite.
Ø IT MUST BE PERFECT TO SATISFY THAT
INFINITE DESIRE OF MAN…
Ø But, nothing in this world is all perfect.
Ø ANSWER: Hmmm then it is not of this
world?
 What is the ØIt is GOD…
Objective
Because…
ultimate end
of man?
 Ø Itis GOD…
Because…He is an
Infinite Good which
What is the can fill up the infinite
human desire…
Objective
“Oh God, Thou hast
ultimate end made us for Thyself,
of man? and our heart is
restless until it rests in
Thee”. (Augustine)
 ØIt is GOD…
Because…He is an
Infinite Good
What is the which can fill up
Objective the infinite human
desire…the
ultimate end possession of
of man? which leaves
nothing
unpossessed.
 ØIf it is GOD…
What is the Why do men desire
Objective other goods Like
ultimate end wealth, honor,
of man? pleasure, power?
 Ø Answer:
1. Because our
senses and desires
What is the mistook these things
as the Good itself
Objective when in fact they
ultimate end only participate in it!
of man? Just like loving a
shadow rather than
the real thing.
 Ø Answer:
2. The possession of
things other than the
What is the Infinite good leaves
us unhappy. That
Objective there remains a
ultimate end longing, a yearning
of man? for that which can
completely quiet our
desires.
 ØAnswer:
3. Because most men
don’t live by reason,
What is the
rather most of their
Objective desires are
ultimate end perversion…putting
of man? their hearts where
they do not belong.
 Ø There are two kinds of Happiness
Ø Natural, that which can be attained by
human powers; that which is within his
reach. E.g. Being healthy, being wise.

But what kind Ø Supernatural, that which is beyond

human powers as such which he can

of happiness
possess through an external means or
help.

is possessing
The existence of Happiness is not an illusion
because if human desire for it is real then
there must be such object. “Nature is never
God? in vain.”

Man tends to happiness in both kinds of

happiness BUT in different modes or manner.
 Ø Man tends to happiness:
Ø Naturally, which we call
imperfect happiness because it
But what kind is the possession of a finite
of happiness good. Man attains this through
his own natural capabilities.
is possessing Ø Supernaturally, which we call
Perfect Happiness because it is
God? the possession of the Infinite
Good. Man attains this through
the liberality and generosity of
God himself through Grace.
Law

u Ordinance of Reaon promulgated for the common good by one

who is in charge of the community.