Slide 1:THE Morality of Human acts


Determine the morality of human acts :Elements of morality Determine the morality of human acts See Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1750 a.k.a.


Slide 3:ELEMENTS OF MORALITY Moral Object Intention


Slide 4:helping the poor murder Answers the question: What is being done? What are you choosing to do? Moral Object


Slide 5:murder indifferent evil An act willed by the person insofar as it is related to the moral law helping the poor good


Slide 6:Answers the question: Why is this being done? What is the reason why you are choosing this course of action? WORKING to beat deadline to be famous to be rich INTENTION


Slide 7:INTENTION the end towards which the will ordains the object chosen.


Slide 8:INTENTION Enriches or perverts the goodness of an action. Either good or bad, never indifferent.


Slide 9:CIRCUMSTANCES Answers the question: Who? When? Where? How?


Slide 10:A moral circumstance modifies the act, but it does not cause the act to be the kind of moral act that it is.


For a building to be solidly good, its elements must be good. :For a building to be solidly good, its elements must be good.


A good building can be spoiled by any one of these… :A good building can be spoiled by any one of these… a bad foundation a bad electrical wiring bad walls Bell Tower of Pisa The Windsor Tower in Madrid Chengdu, China


Slide 13:In order for an action to be morally good, all three elements (moral object, intention and circumstances) must be good. MORAL PRINCIPLE


Slide 14:Evil is a deficiency. It’s a lack of something that ought to be there.


Slide 15:If a link of a chain is defective,, the entire chain is


Slide 16:If any of the elements are evil, the entire action is evil (defective). MORAL PRINCIPLE


Slide 17:In order for an action to be morally good, all three elements (moral object, intention and circumstances) must be good. If any of the elements are evil, the entire action is evil (defective). MORAL PRINCIPLES


Example (Moral Object = Evil) :Example (Moral Object = Evil) Moral Object: A married man has an affair (adultery). Motive: In order to comfort the woman with whom he’s having an affair. Circumstances: She’s depressed, she’s married but going through a tough time, etc.


Example (Motive = Evil) :Example (Motive = Evil) Moral Object: Helping an old lady cross the street. Motive: Merely in the hope that she will give you some money. Circumstances: Slippery road, need money for cigarettes, etc.


Example (Circumstances that render an otherwise good act immoral) :Example (Circumstances that render an otherwise good act immoral) Moral Object: Eating a sandwich. Motive: For nourishment. Circumstances: Where? Inside the church, while Mass is being celebrated, etc.


Slide 21:The 3 common but oversimplified moralities Each exaggerates one of the factors and downplays the other two. Legalism Subjectivism Situation Ethics


Slide 22:Stresses the objective act itself. Legalism


Slide 23:Subjectivism Stresses the subjective intention.


Slide 24:Situation Ethics Stresses changing situations and circumstances.


Resolutions :Resolutions If you are unsure that you are acting well, ask yourself if the object, end and circumstances are good. At times we have to be heroic, without letting ourselves be dominated by the circumstances and the environment, which never justify immoral conduct