Human Acts are actions done

intentionally and freely. These actions proceed

from the deliberate(intentional: carefully thought
out and done intentionally) free will of man.
In broader perspective, the term human
acts refer to any activity performed by man.
Ex… Reading, working, playing, shopping,
daydreaming and the like.
Acts of Man on the other
hand are unconscious,
involuntary and instinctive.
It is not under the
control of the freewill. These
actions are done without
deliberation, reflection and
consent.
Ex…Breathing, sneezing, sweating, hearing,
dreaming and the like.
 THREE-FOLD ELEMENTS OR
ATTRIBUTES OF HUMAN ACTS

An act is considered a human

act, when it is done knowingly,
freely and willfully.
KNOWLEDGE
• A human act is done with knowledge.
• Doing the act with knowledge makes the act
deliberate which means that the gent has
intellectual knowledge of the act.
• An act is done knowingly when the doer is
conscious and aware of the reason and the
consequences of his actions-good or bad.
• Exemption: children below the age of reason,
insane, and the like – are considered incapable
of moral judgment
FREEDOM
• An act is done freely when the doer acts by his
own initiative and choice without being forced
to do so by another person or situation.
• The agent does an act under the control of his
will.
• A person is not acting freely when he gives up
his money to a robber who threatens him with a
knife.
VOLUNTARINESS
• An act is done willfully when the doer consents
to the act, accepting it a his own, and assumes
accountability for its consequences.
• Voluntariness requires the presence of the two
other constituents (knowledge and freedom).
• This means that the voluntary act is
synonymous with human act.
• Voluntary act is a willful act.
 A student of um Tagum is aware of the rules
and regulations of the school. One of the rules and
regulations is the wearing of the uniform
(knowledge). He is free to come to the school in
uniform or to wear casual clothes (freedom). He
comes to school in uniform (voluntariness).
An action can only be qualified a human
act if it has the three constituents or
elements of the human acts.
 P.S.
ACTS OF MAN CAN BECOME HUMAN ACTS WHEN HE
EMPLOYS HIS INTELLECT & WILL IN PERFORMING THE ACT.
PRINCIPLE

• THE GREATER THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE

FREEDOM, THE GREATER THE
VOLUNTARINESS AND THE MORAL
RESPONSIBILITY. (PANIZO: 38)
ACTS not morally accountable

• Acts of persons asleep or under hypnosis.

• Reflex actions where the will has no time to intervene.

• Acts performed under serious physical violence

• e.g. a hostage obliged to do an evil action.
• Since the will is constrained, then it is not a
moral act which could be evaluated.
EXERCISE:
Human Act or Act of Man?
1. Looking
2. Seeing
3. Dreaming
4. Day dreaming
5. Hearing
6. Listening
7. Walking
8. Sleepwalking
9. Talking
10. Fighting