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Determinants of Morality

The document discusses the three determinants of morality in human acts: 1) the act itself, 2) the motive or intention of the agent, and 3) the circumstances surrounding the act. It states that for an act to be truly good, it must be good in itself, performed with a good motive or intention, and under good circumstances. Certain acts are considered intrinsically evil because they contradict human dignity. The circumstances examined include who performs the act, what the act is, where it is performed, with whom, why, how, and when. Circumstances can increase or decrease the moral goodness or evil of an act. For an act to be judged morally, all three determinants - the act, intention, and

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Catherine Malabanan Dizon
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178 views

Determinants of Morality

The document discusses the three determinants of morality in human acts: 1) the act itself, 2) the motive or intention of the agent, and 3) the circumstances surrounding the act. It states that for an act to be truly good, it must be good in itself, performed with a good motive or intention, and under good circumstances. Certain acts are considered intrinsically evil because they contradict human dignity. The circumstances examined include who performs the act, what the act is, where it is performed, with whom, why, how, and when. Circumstances can increase or decrease the moral goodness or evil of an act. For an act to be judged morally, all three determinants - the act, intention, and

Uploaded by

Catherine Malabanan Dizon
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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MORALITY –conformity and nonconformity of an -an act which in itself is not evil but is made evil

act with the norm nonetheless because something else.


-although good or indifferent in itself, is however
Norms under the following aspects: prohibited by the law.
“DETERMINANTS OF MORALITY”
1. In ITSELF II. MOTIVE OF THE ACT /
2. In its MOTIVE INTENTION OF THE AGENT
3. In its CIRCUMSTANCES
*It is the purpose which the doer wishes to
2 Principal Elements of the Act: achieve by such action
1. The OBJECT
2. The INTENTION OF THE AGENT *it gives direction and motivation to an act =
-it must be ordained to the last end without a motive, an act is meaningless, and
accident
*CIRCUMSTANCES must also be ordained to the
last end. *It comes FIRST in the mind as intention and
occurs LAST in the action as its culmination or
“BONUM EX INTEGRA CAUSA, MALUM EX fulfillment
QUOCUMQUE DEFECTU”
-Meaning: GOOD MOTIVE
“a thing is good if it has the fullness of its parts -one which is consistent with the dignity of the
and it is bad when it is deficient in any of its human person
integral parts” -one which is in accordance with the truth,
justice, prudence and temperance
In moral parlance:
-Human act is good when it is good in itself, in its BAD MOTIVE
motive, or purpose and circumstances. -one which grows from selfishness – such motive
provokes action detrimental to others
I. ACT IN ITSELF/OBJECT -excessive indulgence of the self, a form of personal
injustice to oneself, nursing the greed that destroys
*To consider an act in itself is to regard its nature others

-dealing with the human act performed, the DEED “A GOOD MAN is called a JUST MAN”
ONE -Old Testament

-RESULT: IF he acts rightly out of respect for himself


a. End of the Act (FINIS OPERIS) and out of his concern for others.
b. End of the Agent (FINIS OPERANTIS)

INTRINSIC EVIL ACT –act which is evil in itself

An act which prevents man from realizing his true “THE END DOES NOT JUSTIFY THE
worth as a person is intrinsically evil. MEANS”
-the worthiness of purpose does not make an evil act
ex. Murder, Robbery, Rape, Adultery, Lies, Slavery good
= they contradict the demands of reason for
justice, truth a decency INSIGHTS ON THE EFFECTS OF THE
The Decalogue of Moses and many human laws – MOTIVE ON THE ACTION (Paul Glenn)
identify some actions like blasphemy, stealing,
untruthfulness, murder and adultery a. An evil act which is done because an evil
motive is grievously wrong
EXTRINSIC EVIL ACT
b. A good action done because an evil motive o Persons with higher educational
becomes evil itself attainment, their liability is higher.
c. A good action done because a good purpose o Persons vested with authority have higher
acquires an additional merit accountability than who merely follow their
d. An indifferent act may either become good command. (Command Responsibility)
or bad depending on the motive o Relationship between people involved in
e. An objectively evil act can never become act may modify the nature of such act
good by reason of a good end
The WHAT
III. CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE ACT - refers to the act itself and to the quality and
quantity of the results of such act.
*An ACT = an event = it happens in a definite time
and place, accompanied by certain elements which The WHERE
contribute to the nature and accountability of such - refers to the circumstance of place where the act
act. is committed

*In Law = we speak of mitigating or aggravating The WITH WHOM


factors affecting a criminal act. - refers to the companion or accomplices in an act
performed. This includes the number and status of
Morality the persons involved.
-takes into account the circumstances surrounding
an act: -The more people involved in the commission of
an act, the greater and more serious is the crime.
 who
 what
 where The WHY
 with whom - refers to the motive or intention of the doer
 why
 how The HOW
 when - refers to the manner how the act is made
possible

- How an act is performed contributes to the malice


of an act

The WHO The WHEN


-refers primarily to the doer of the act and refers to - refers to the time of the act
the receiver of the act
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS:
-this circumstance includes the age, status,
relation, family background, educational -Circumstances may either increase or decrease the
attainment, health and socio-economic situation wrongfulness of an evil act
of the person or persons involved in an act.  
-Circumstances also may either increase or
-Observations: decrease the merits of a good act
o Moron, insane, senile, and children below  
the age of reason are considered incapable -Some circumstances may alter the nature of an act
of voluntary acts and exempted from
moral accountability. ETHICAL PRINCIPLES:
o But actions against these persons are
normally regarded most cruel due to their
helplessness in defending themselves.
-An indifferent act becomes good or evil by reason
of its circumstance
 
-A good act may become evil by reason of
circumstance
 
-A good or evil act may become better or worse by
reason of the circumstance and may even take on
new goodness or malice from its circumstance
 
-An evil act can never be made good by
circumstance

-A circumstance which is gravely evil destroys the


entire goodness of an objectively good act

-A circumstance which is evil but not gravely so


does not entirely destroys the goodness of an
objectively good act.

CONCLUSION:

Distinction between good act and evil act


-it is not an illusion of the mind

“Evil is not man’s invention, rather, it means that


man uses his freedom to do wrong”

-Only man can do something morally wrong


because only man has the power to choose between
what is good and what is wrong.

“To be an authentic person is to be a responsible


person. He knows how to use his freedom only as
an instrument to do good.”

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