Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person

FREEDOM OF THE HUMAN PERSON

The Human Acts and Acts Of Man

HUMAN ACTS
- actions done consciously and freely by the agent/or by man
- acts which proceed from the deliberate free will of man
- the free and voluntary acts of man
- acts done with knowledge

ESSENTIAL QUALITIES/ Three Elements of Human Acts

1. Knowledge of the act (one knows what he/she is doing)
2. Freedom (one is not forced by others; the will is free to do or not to do)
3. Voluntariness (one chose to do it)
• Man takes into responsibility of these actions

A human act is an action that is considered to be carried out voluntarily.

Examples of Human Act
a. Decision making on material things, like choosing what perfume to wear.
b. Doing things with reason, like putting makeup to impress.

ACTS OF MAN
- actions beyond one’s consciousness; not dependent on the intellect and the will
- are actions performed without intervention of intellect and free will

ESSENTIAL QUALITIES OF ACTS OF MAN

*Done without knowledge *Without consent *Involuntary
Examples: unconscious, involuntary, semi-deliberate, spontaneous actions

Acts of man can become human acts when he employs his intellect and will in performing the act.
If one of these is present, then it is considered as Act of Man:
Ignorance passion fear violence habits

ACTIONS AND CONSEQUENCES

* All our actions (spoken and physical) have consequences. Some are good (positive) and some bad (negative).
*Consequences are a result or an effect.
* It is important to try to behave in a way that has positive consequences.

Catholic Morality has a principle to help determine the right course of action to take in tricky situations.
If the act, intention, and circumstance are GOOD, but GOOD AND BAD things still result, we can use the Principle of Double
Effect.

The Principle of Double Effects by St. Thomas Aquinas

Thomas Aquinas followed the philosophy of Aristotle. So, he believed that the universe is organized so that each
thing in it has a purpose or goal. Reason helps humans discover and achieve their goals.
Actions which are in accordance with our natural goals are good and those that interfere with these goals are bad.
So, for example, since we are capable of reasoning we should develop our intellect and since all living things are inclined to
preserve their own lives, committing suicide goes against nature and is wrong.
Aquinas recognized that there are times when the action you think you ought to do will have good and bad effects.
In effect, you have an ethical dilemma or conflict.
Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person

The Principle of Double Effect is used to determine when an action which has two effects, one good and one evil,
may still be chosen without sin. This principle is attributed to St. Thomas Aquinas, who used it to show that killing in self-
defense is justified (Summa Theologiae I-II q64 art. 7).
The decision to carry out an action which, as a consequence, has unintended bad results may be made only when
the good effect cannot reasonably be brought about any other way and when certain conditions have been met.

Four Conditions of the Principle of Double Effects

1. The action itself is morally neutral or morally good.
2. The bad effect is not the means by which the good effect is achieved.
3. The motive must be the achievement of the good effect only.
4. The good effect is at least equivalent in importance to the bad effect.
EXAMPLES
1. Although euthanasia is illegal in the UK, doctors are allowed to administer potentially lethal doses of painkilling drugs to
relieve suffering, provided they do not primarily intend to kill the patient. This is known as the doctrine of double effect.
(BBC News, November 2000)
2. To kill a person whom you know to be plotting to kill you would be impermissible because it would be a case of
intentional killing; however, to strike in self-defense against an aggressor is permissible, even if one foresees that the blow
by which one defends oneself will be fatal.

What is prudence?
- the ability to govern and discipline oneself by the use of reason
- skill and good judgment in the use of resources
- caution or circumspection as to danger or risk (merriam-webster.com)

Prudence is care and good sense that someone shows when making a decision or taking action. (collinsdictionary.com)

Prudence - careful or wise in handling practical matters; exercising good judgment or common sense
(thefreedictionary.com)

Example: John is taking a test and is tempted to cheat by looking at his notes. He evaluates the situation: his notes are on
the floor, and he could easily look at them without being caught. Plus, if he aces the test, he will finish the semester with a
grade of 90 or higher. At the same time, he knows that cheating is wrong because it is a form of lying. So, he quickly
overcomes his temptation, and decides not to cheat.
* Prudence is a kind of virtue that one needs most when he/she is confronted with choices.
* A prudent person knows the right thing to do in each situation and acts upon that knowledge. (intellectualtakeout.org)
* The prudent man is one who does the good, as opposed to one who merely knows the good. - Douglas Mcmanaman,
(catholiceducation.org)

What are the practical applications of being prudent?

Being prudent in situations like:
- scolded by parents
- bullied by classmates
- chased with vices

What is the general implication of prudence?

- Being prudent helps the person to become rational in his/her manner of choosing between opposing options.