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5 (1) - Man As The Acting Person
5 (1) - Man As The Acting Person
5 (1) - Man As The Acting Person
ACTUS HUMANI ACTS THAT PROCEED FROM REASON AND FREE WILL RIGHTLY CALLED PERSONAL ACTS
ACTIONS WHICH ARE PERFORMED WITHOUT THE INTERVENTION OF THE INTELLECT AND THE FREE WILL THEY COMPRISE ALL SPONTANEOUS BIOLOGICAL AND SENSUAL PROCESSES
KNOWLEDGE The faculty of thought. The intellect discerns in a given object both perfection and imperfection, both good and evil, and therefore presents it to the will as desirable in one respect and undesirable in another
In the context of internal control, freedom is also known as self-determination, individual sovereignty, or autonomy.
when an object is proposed, the will, on account of its unlimited scope, may love or hate, embrace or reject it.
Whenever there is deliberation in the understanding, there is freedom in the will, and the consequent act is free; vice versa, whenever an act proceeds from the will without deliberation, it is not free, but necessary.
FREE WILL EVERY VOLUNTARY ACT OF MAN INCLUDES A NECESSSARY ELEMENT: THE QUEST FOR GOOD AND A FREE ELEMENT:THE CHOICE OF THE CONCRETE OBJECT IN WHICH THE GOOD IS SOUGHT
IF A MAN IS NOT FREE TO CHOOSE WHAT HE WOULD LIKE ACCORDING TO HIS INSIGHT AND WILL BUT HAS TO ACT AGAINST HIS WILL, HIS ACTION IS NOT FREE AND CONSEQUENTLY NOT A HUMAN ACT
PERFECTLY VOLUNTARY ACT IS AN ACT WHICH IS PERFORMED WITH FULL ATTENTION AND FULL CONSENT OF THE WILL.
IMPERFECTLY VOLUNTARY IS AN ACT IF ATTENTION OR CONSENT OF THE WILL OR BOTH TOGETHER ARE IMPERFECT
DIRECTLY VOLUNTARY IF THE ACT IS INTENDED AS AN END IN ITSELF OR IF IT IS INTENDED AS A MEANS FOR ANOTHER END
INDIRECLTY VOLUNTARY IF AN ACT IS NOT INTENDED BUT MERELY PERMITTED AS THE INEVITABLE RESULT OF AN OBJECT DIRECTLY WILLED.
THE GOOD AND EVIL EFFECT MUST PROCEED AT LEAST EQUALLY DIRECTLY FROM THE ACT
THE INTENTION OF THE AGENT MUST BE GOOD THE AGENT MAY NOT INTEND OR APPROVE OF THE EVIL EFFECT
THERE MUST BE A PROPORTIONATELY GRAVE REASON IN ORDER TO PERMIT THE EVIL EFFECT.
BRIEFLY
UNDERTAKING AN ACTION FROM WHICH A GOOD AND EVIL EFFECT ARE FORESEEN IS PERMISSIBLE : IF THE ACTION IN ITSELF IS NOT EVIL, IF THE EVIL AND GOOD EFFECT IS SIMULTANEOUS OR AT LEAST THE GOOD EFFECT COMES FIRST IF THE BAD EFFECT IS NOT INTENDED IF THERE IS SUFFICIENTLY GRAVE REASON TO PERMIT THE EVIL.
POSITIVELY VOLUNTARY ACT THE WILL EFFECTS SOMETHING POSITIVELY BY EXERCISING ACTIVE INFLUENCE ON THE CAUSATION OF AN OBJECT
NEGATIVELY VOLUNTARY ACT THE WILL EFFECTS SOMETHING NEGATIVELY BY VOLUNTARY OMISSION OF AN ACT WHICH COULD HAVE AVERTED AN EVIL TO ANOTHER PERSON OR HELPED HIM TO SECURE A GOOD FOR EXAMPLE, NOT TO EXTINGUISH A FIRE ALREADY STARTING IN A NEIGHBORS HOUSE
THE OBJECT OF THE HUMAN ACT IS THAT EFFECT WHICH AN ACTION PRIMARILY AND DIRECTLY CAUSES THE OBJECT CHOSEN IS A GOOD TOWARD WHICH THE WILL DELIBERATELY DIRECTS ITSELF
CIRCUMSTANCES THE PARTICULARS OF THE HUMAN ACT WHICH ARE NOT NECESSARILY CONNECTED WITH THE HUMAN ACT BUT WHICH AFFECT THE MORALITY OF THE ACT
FINIS OPERANTIS
THE REASON FOR WHICH THE AGENT UNDERTAKES THE ACT
THE END OR EFFECT INTENDED BY THE AGENT IN AN ACTION MAY BE THE SAME AS THE OBJECT OF THE ACTION IN WHICH CASE, FINIS OPERIS AND FINIS OPERANTIS ARE THE SAME IN PLACE OF END, THE TERM INTENTION IS ALSO OFTEN USED TO NAME THE THIRD SOURCE OF MORALITY INTENTION RESIDES IN THE ACTING SUBJECT
IMPEDIMENTS TO MORALITY
IMPAIRMENTS TO HUMAN FREEDOM ARE REALITIES WITH WHICH ETHICS AND JURISPRUDENCE HAVE TO RECKON CONCERNING THE MORALITY OF THE HUMAN ACT IMPAIRMENTS OF REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE: IGNORANCE ERROR INATTENTION IMPAIRMENTS TO FREE CONSENT: PASSION FEAR AND SOCIAL PRESSURES VIOLENCE DISPOSITIONS AND HABITS
INVINCIBLE IGNORANCE
THAT IGNORANCE WHICH A MAN IS NOT ABLE TO DISPEL BY SUCH REASONABLE DILIGENCE THIS COMPLETELY TAKES AWAY THE VOLUNTARINESS OF THE MALICE AND HENCE ITS RESPONSIBILITY TOO.
THIS DOES NOT TAKE AWAY CULPABILITY AS IT IS VOLUNTARY IN CAUSE OR IS PROVOKED BY CONSCIOUS NEGLIGENCE OR EVEN BAD WILL
VINCIBLE IGNORANCE GENERALLY DIMINISHES VOLUNTARINESS AND RESPONSIBILTY, SINCE ACTUAL INSIGHT AT THE TIME OF ACTING IS LACKING
IT ARISES FROM DEFICIENT EDUCATION, BAD COMPANY OR MISLEADING INFORMATION ONE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONSEQUENCES OF ERROR MADE IN GOOD FAITH
IF ATTENTION IS COMPLETELY LACKING, THERE IS NO HUMAN ACT BUT ONE IS RESPONSIBLE TO THE EXTENT THAT THE ACT IS VOLUNTARY IN CAUSE
PASSION OR CONCUPISCENCE A MOVEMENT OF THE SENSITIVE APPETITE WHICH IS MOVED BY THE GOOD OR EVIL APPREHENDED BY THE IMAGINATION
MOVEMENT OF THE SENSITIVE APPETITE THAT PRECEDES THE FREE DECISION OF THE WILL
DIVISIONS OF PASSIONS CONCUPISCIBLE: PASSION THROUGH WHICH THE SOUL IS SIMPLY INCLINED TO SEEK WHAT IS SUITABLE ACCORDING TO THE SENSES, AND TO FLY FROM WHAT IS HURTFUL. IRASCIBLE: WHEREBY AN ANIMAL RESISTS THE ATTACKS OF ANY AGENTS THAT HINDER WHAT IS SUITABLE AND INFLICT HARM ITS OBJECT IS SOMETHING ARDUOUS, BECAUSE ITS TENDENCY IS TO OVERCOME AND RISE ABOVE OBSTACLES.
CONCUPISCIBLE
SIMPLE INCLINATION WITH RESPECT TO SENSIBLE OBJECT
IRASCIBLE
INCLINATION IN VIRTUE OF AN ARDUOUS OBJECT
FEAR:
IS MENTAL TREPIDATIONDUE TO AN IMPENDING EVIL
IT IS FEAR OF THE SENSES AND NOT INTELLECTUAL FEAR WHICH IS ONE OF THE PASSIONS INTELLECTUAL FEAR (FOR EXAMPLE THREAT OF TORTURE DOES NOT JUSTIFY DENIAL OF FAITH) THE EMOTION OF FEAR WHICH COMPLETELY DARKENS THE MIND OR PARALYZES THE WILL EXCUSES FROM IMPUTABILITY
VIOLENCE
COMPULSIVE INFLUENCE BROUGHT TO BEAR UPON ONE AGAINST HIS WILL BY SOME EXTRINSIC AGENT. VIOLENCE IS CAUSED BY SOME PHYSICAL OR PSYCHIC AGENT
THERE IS NO IMPUTABILITY, EXCEPT INSOFAR AS THE INNER WILL MAY HAVE CONSENTED OR EXTERNAL RESISTANCE HAVE FALLEN SHORT OF THE DEGREE NECESSARY AND POSSIBLE IN THE CIRCUMSTANCE
WHILE EXTERNAL RESISTANCE MAY NOT ALWAYS BE CALLED FOR IT IS REQUIRED ONLY TO THE EXTENT THAT IT IS FORESEEN TO BE EFFICACIOUS IN PREVENTING ACTION OR FORESTALLING SCANDAL
HABITS :
FACILITY AND READINESS OF ACTING IN A CERTAIN MANNER ACQUIRED BY REPEATED ACTS
DELIBERATELY ADMITTED HABITS DO NOT LESSEN VOLUNTARINESS, AND ACTIONS RESULTING THEREFROM ARE VOLUNTARY AT LEAST IN THEIR CAUSE
OPPOSED HABITS LESSEN VOLUNTARINESS AND SOMETIME PRECLUDE IT COMPLETELY. THE REASON IS THAT HABIT WEAKENS INTELLECT AND WILL IN A CONCRETE SITUATION IN A SIMILAR WAY.