Morality of Human Act

What is human Act?

Human act
- is an act that proceeds from the deliberate
free will of man.
- The act has to be advertently or knowingly
done by the agent so as to be called human
act.
- It requires the use of both the rational
faculties of knowing ( intellect) and willing
(Freewill).
 Elements of Human Act
a. Knowledge (Advertense)
 - means that the act is d0ne in the light of the
agent’s knowing faculty.
- He is aware and conscious of what he is doing.
- He knows what he is performing means.
Knowledge
 Eg. A nurse who gave aspirin to a child who later
developed an allergy to the medication after being
told by the mother that the child has no history of
allergy to any drug cannot be held liable.
 Note: Negligence or ignorance should be avoided
by the nurse.
 Elements of Human Act
 b. Freedom (Volition)
- Means that the act is performed in accordance
with and not against the will. (freewill)
- It power resides in the will to choose to do or not
to do an act without any element of force or
coercion.
- The essential element of human act.
- Eg. The more a health care practitioner knows
about healthcare, of course, the more he can
exercise his freedom to apply what he knows.
Freedom
 Eg. Passion such as fear and anger are possible
impediments to human acts as they cloud a
person’s judgment and freewill.

 Nurses and doctors are not advised to get involved

in the treatment of their loved ones in critical
condition as their passion may impair their free
will and professional judgement.
 Elements of Human Act
 c. Voluntariness
- Means that the act done by the agent is
intentional.
- It is a product of his decision which is within the
power of his will or it is a willed act, an act that is
willfully done.
- It proceeds from the employment of knowledge
and freedom.
- Voluntariness is there only when knowledge and
freedom are present.
 The two rational faculties
of man

1. Intellect
- Is a rational faculty that tends towards the truth as
its object.
- It is commonly called mind or intelligence.
 2. Free will
- Is a rational faculty that tends towards the good as
its object.
- Eg. Loving as the greatest kind of good because of
his free will.
Double Effect:
 Human acts with good and bad effect/consequences or
wanted and unwanted effects.
 Principle of Double effect or twofold effect:
- To be judged as morally good, an action with double effect
must meet the following criteria:
- a. The action must be morally good and must not be evil in
itself (stealing,lying).
Principle of Double effect
- b. The good effect must be willed and the bad effect merely
allowed.
- The person intends only the good effect. The evil effect
though foreseen and permitted, is not wanted.
- c. The good effect must not come from an evil action but
must come from the initial action itself directly.
- The good effect must immediately occur after the action is
performed or at least occur simultaneously with the evil
effect.
Principle of double effect
 “The good effect must have a greater effect than
the bad effect. There should be a proportionately
grave reason to justify the evil effect.”
 Eg. Myomectomy, Ectopic pregnancy, PIH
 act of man
- Is an act that does not proceed from the
deliberate free will of man.
- It does not require the employment of the
rational faculties of intellect and free will.
- The three elements of human act are not present.
Act of man
1. There is no element of knowledge
- The agent is not aware and conscious of what he
is doing and what it means.
- Eg. Somnambulism( sleep walking)
 2. There is no element of freedom
- Act of man is not freely done.
- Eg. All acts of human infant.
Act of man
 3. There is no element of voluntariness.
- Does not proceed from both knowledge and
freedom.
- Requiring no decision of the will to make the
agent intend and willfully do such an act.
- Eg. The act of digesting- involuntary act.
- Eg. An insane person who attacks a nurse cannot
be jeld liable for his actions.
 What act is governed by the norm morality ?

 Morality – is the measure of relation between the

human act performed and its norm according to
the dictates of right reason, human nature, and
ultimately, God’s eternal law.
a. Good act- agreement with right reason, human
rational nature, and God.eg. Assist in delivery of
a baby.
b. Evil act- disagreement or in opposition to the
said norms.eg. Assist in abortion of a baby.
imputability
- Means the act is attributed to the agent and that
the agent is responsible and accountable for the
act.
a. Praiseworthy- when the act is good.
b. Culpability- when the act is evil..
 - Reasons dictates that deliberate, free, and
voluntary act should be ascribed to man’s
responsibility.
 Determinants of the morality of human act

1. The ACT itself (Object)- refers to the deed done

or performed.
- Its morality is determined by the motive of the
agent and the circumstances under which it is
performed.
 Types:
a. Intrinsic morality- an act which is being ordered
of right reason, human rational nature, and
God’s eternal law.
 -the goodness or evil resides in the act itself.
 Determinants of the morality of human act

 b. Intrinsically good act- is an act whose goodness

proceeds from its very nature capable of being ordered
to the good and to the ultimate end which is God.
- It is good because it is good as it is in itself.
 c. Intrinsically evil act- is an act whose evil proceeds
from its very nature incapable of being ordered to the
nature of the human person and God.
 - It is evil as it is in itself regardless of motive and
circumstances.
 Determinants of the morality of human act

 2. The Motive of the Agent ( End) – refers to the end or

purpose or goal to be achieved by means of the act.
- It is the objective for which the act is done.
- It is the intention of the agent in performing the act.
- An act which is good, in itself, may turn out to evil by
reason of the evil motive of the one performing it.
- If acts are intrinsically evil, a good intention(motive)
can diminish their evil, but they cannot remove it,
they remain evil acts per se.
 Determinants of the morality of human act

 3. The Circumstances – refer to the conditions in

which the act is done affecting its morality in one
way or another.
- They can increase or diminished the goodness of
an act, and can aggravate or mitigate the evil of
an act.
- Eg. Of circumstances:
- a. Person- refers to the agent performing the act
or to the person to whom the act is done.
Eg.doctor or aborted baby.
Circumstances
 b. Quantity or quality of the act- the extent of the act.
 Eg. Medication taken by the wrong patient.
- What is the extent of the evil effect? Is it serious or
slight.
 c. Place- the venue were the act is performed.
 Eg. Loud chatting/gossip in the ICU room.
 d. Means or Instrument- refers to that which is used
and employed in the performance in the act.
 Eg. Stolen BT
circumstances
 d. Manner- refers to the condition in which the act
is done or the way how it is performed by the
agent.
 Eg. The act of giving medication to patient.
 e. time- refers to the time when an act is done and
how long does an intention to do an act take place.
 Eg. Abortion is gravely evil.
 f. Motive of the agent- special consideration apart
from all other circumstances.
Conditions Affecting Morality:
 1. Ignorance- Is the absence of intellectual knowledge
in MAN.
 2. Fear- Is the agitation of mind caused by the
apprehension of impending evil.
 3. Concupiscence- are the passions of man which
include love, hatred, joy, hope, despair.
 4. Violence/ coercion- external force applied to a
person for the purpose of compelling him to perform
an act which is against his will.
 5. Habit- frequent repeated acts, for acting a certain
manner.