NORMS OF

MORALITY
 Definition
of Norm
A norm is a standard of measurement. We measure the size, the weight, the
length, the duration, the intensity, the quantity, and the depth of something.
We measure objects, events, emotions, and persons. The moral qualities of
human acts are measured with the use of a norm or standard to support a
judgment.
The norms of
morality “are the criteria of judgment about the
sorts of persons we ought to be and the
sorts of actions we ought to
perform”(Richard M. Gula:1)

Moral norms
are the criteria for judging the
quality of character, what sort
a person one ought,
 Types of norm
01 Eternal Divine Law (objective)
It is the ultimate and absolute norm of morality;
independent of any standard. 03

02 Human Reason(subjective)
It is related to the person’s conscience
 I. Law as the object
norm of morality
A. General Notion of Law
Law is a norm which governs nature and actions of things

• Law of Nature. Principles that governs the natural phenomena of

the world (e.g. biological system of humans)

• Natural Law. Refers to the free acts of rational beings

 I. Law as the object
norm of morality
B. Moral Law Defined
Law is an ordinance of reason for the common good, promulgated by
one who has the care of the community.
Essential Elements for a Law to be Reasonable:
1. It must be just; it promotes and upholds the inherent rights and dignity of every
human person
2. It must be honest; it should not contradict tin essence to any higher law
3. It must be possible of fulfillment (practical)
4. It must be relatively permanent
5. It must be promulgated(publicize)
6. It must be directed to common good
7. . It must be promulgated by one who has the care of the community (e.g.
president)
 I. Law as the object
norm of morality
C. Division of Law
1. The Eternal Law: The Ultimate Norm of Morality: Eternal Law is the
plan of God in creating all creatures, both animate and inanimate,
giving to each of them its respective nature. The Book of Genesis tells
the story of creation.
The concept of Eternal law is inferred from the order and harmony
of the created universe.
Attributes of Eternal Law
1. Eternal law is eternal (endless) and unchangeable
2. Eternal law is absolutely universal
 I. Law as the object
norm of morality
C. Division of Law
1. The Eternal Law: The Ultimate Norm of Morality: Eternal Law is the
plan of God in creating all creatures, both animate and inanimate,
giving to each of them its respective nature. The Book of Genesis tells
the story of creation.
The concept of Eternal law is inferred from the order and harmony
of the created universe.
Attributes of Eternal Law
1. Eternal law is eternal (endless) and unchangeable
2. Eternal law is absolutely universal
Thoughts of monsignor Paul Glenn

" The eternal law extends to all acts and movement in

the universe.Thus, bodies obey the tendencies of their
nature and follow the laws of cohesion, gravity, inertia
and etc. "animals follow the guidance of instinct.; the
earth turns upon its axis; the heavenly bodies swing
through their mighty orbit; all in accordance with the
eternal law, powerless to reject its influence, or to
obey"
2. The Natural Law: The Remote Norm of Morality
Natural law refers to the operational tendencies of the human
nature - the chemical, biological, physiological, psychological,
and rational properties of man as an organism
St. Thomas Aquinas says that
“the natural law is nothing
else than the rational
creature’s participation of
the eternal law”

St. Thomas Aquinas

 “provides the
possibilities and
potentialities which the
human person can use to
make human life truly human

St. Thomas Aquinas



“the inner law of our true being, of our

essential created nature, which demands
that we actualize what follows from it”.
Pointing to it as the “will of God”, he
explains it to be – “the command
to become what one potentially is, a
person within a community of persons”.

Paul Tillich
Natural law is the tendency of human nature towards growth
and self-fulfillment.
a. Attributes of Natural Law
i. It is universal - because it is the human nature which is
shared by all men, though realized differently according to their
respective cultures.
ii. It is obligatory – because the tendencies of our human
nature are the laws of our desires and actuations which we
cannot ignore without dire consequences.
iii. It has its proper sanctions.
iv. It is knowable or recognizable.
v. It is unchangeable.
b. The Contents of Natural Law

i. Formal norms relate to formation of character, what kind of

person we ought to be. These consists of such directives toward
character development, such as “be honest”, “be direct”, “be
respectful”, etc.
ii. Material norms relate to actions, what actions we ought to do.

Material norms determine whether an act on account of its nature

conforms or does not conform to the formal norms
iii. Outlines of Natural law:

• Fundamental principles in their general applications

• General moral principles which sustain and preserve the basic

relations of man to God, to himself and to neighbors

• Applications of the general principles of morality to specific

situations inl life and society

• Remote conclusions derived by a process of reasoning

3. Human Positive Law and the Moral Law

Human positive law is derived from the natural law and promulgated
for the common good by a human agency which has a charge of a
society, particularly of a sovereign one; juridical order of the society
(e.g. law of the state or civil law; law of the church or ecclesiastical
law)
II. Law as the subject norm of morality

A, Meaning of Conscience
• Cum’ (together) and ‘Scientia ’(to know)
• Second norm of morality
Conscience is the choice of a particular good in a given situation.
People refer to conscience as “the voice of God” – a whisper of
admonition.

Conscience has two functions. Before the commission of an act,

conscience directs towards that which is good.
B. Conscience as an Act of Intellect (Judgment of Reason)
1. It is an act of practical judgment of reason deciding upon an
individual action as good and to be performed or as evil and to be
avoided
2. Conscience can only be applied to intellect
3. Only the intellect can detect the rightness or wrongness of our
actions

C. Conscience as a Practical Moral Judgment

1. Deals itself with the moral quality of a person’s concrete act,
dictating the person to perform what is good and to refrain from
doing what is bad or evil o
2. Extension of the natural law which guides man
D. Conscience as the Proximate Norm of Morality
1. Allows a person to have a direct and personal access in his conscience .
2. Must conform to a higher norm (eternal divine law)

E. Kinds of Conscience According to the conscience’s: • Harmony or

disharmony with objective truth
1. Correct or True Conscience. It judges the good as good and evil as evil
2. Erroneous of False conscience. It mistakes the good as bad and what is bad is
good
a. Invincibly erroneous conscience. Kind of judgment where the error could
not have been avoided.
b. Vincibly erroneous conscience. .Kind of judgment where the error could
have been avoided if the person exerted diligence on his part . c. Perplexed
conscience. When faced with two alternative options, fears that’s in is presenting
both choices 
d. Pharisaical conscience. Imagines grave sins as small ones and magnifies
little offenses as serious
F. Principles Governing Conscience

1. A certain conscience must always be obeyed, whatever it

commands or forbids
2. The invincibly erroneous conscience must be followed .The vincibly
erroneous conscience cannot be followed as legitimate rule of action
3. A person who is of lax conscience has the general and grave
obligation to reform this state of mind
4. The person with a perplexed type of conscience ,when making
choices has to ‘postpone any action’
5. If a person has a doubtful conscience ,one may never act
G. Conscience vs. Civil Authority

Whenever there is a conflict between civil authority(state law) and

divine law (natural moral law), the person has to obey God rather
than men

Compulsory Conscience - “Our bond with the natural moral law”,

(Bernard Haring), “ is an exalted participation in the eternal law of
God manifested by our conscience whose natural function it is to
reveal our likeness to God” (Law of Christ: 1-147).
► Conformity and Non-conformity

The conformity or non-conformity of a human act with the norms

constitutes morality.

For example, it fits the function of a talented singer to sing well.

Similarly, it fits the function of a decent and honorable person to do
what is honorable.
The Order of Reason

Every living thing acts in accordance with its nature. Man acts in a
way proper to him through the use of reason. “In a morality based on
the order of reason”, writes Richard Gula, “the human person is not
subject to the God-given order of nature in the same way the animals
are. The human person does not have to conform to natural pattern
as a matter of fate.
► Moral Pretension

It is, however, possible for a person to do good without having a good

character. People do laugh while deep inside they are hurting and
unhappy. The receptionist greets you with a most beautiful smile
without a bit of respect for you. This means an evil person can
pretend to be good.