Morality of Human Acts and Its Determinants

Lesson Nos.
4 & 5
Morality of Human Acts

Determinants of Morality
 THE MORALITY OF HUMAN ACTS
 Morality is described as that quality of human acts which leads us to

call some as good or evil (not good).
 A thing is good inasmuch as it can answer a tendency, appetite,

or desire; otherwise, it is evil (not good).
 In Ethics, we consider moral good or evil.
 A human act always has a last end towards which it tends.
o Objectively, the end is the Summum Bonum, the Limitless
Good, God.
o Subjectively, the end is the perfect happiness in the
possession of the Summum Bonum.
 Thus, human acts are good inasmuch as they serve to carry the
agent towards the attainment of this end; otherwise, it is not good
or evil.
 Norms (Standard) of Morality
a. Divine Reason / Eternal Law – the ultimate norm

b. Human Reason / Conscience – the proximate norm
 Human acts are good or evil inasmuch as they agree or conflict with
the Divine Reason.
 Conscience is the judgment of human reason recognizing and
applying the Eternal Law in human acts.
 From what has been said, morality can now be defined strictly as the
relation of human acts to their norm.
 Furthermore, morality is also defined as that quality or property of a
human act whereby it measures up to what it should be as a step
towards the objective last end of human action, or fails so to
measure up.
 DETERMINANTS OF MORALITY
 These determinants will decide whether a human act measures up or

does not measure up to the norm of morality.
 There are three determinants of morality, and the human act to

be morally good must be in agreement with the norm of morality
on all these three; it is evil if it does not agree with any of the
three.
 They are the object, the motive, and the circumstances.
 The Object
 This refers to the act itself, the deed done or to be done.

 There are certain acts that are intrinsically good or evil.
 The morality of indifferent acts is determined by the end (motive)
for which it is done and the circumstances which affect it.
 The Motive (End of the Agent)
 This refers to the agent’s personal intentions or wishes to be

achieved by the act over and above what it naturally tends to.
o An act which is good in itself may still be evil by reason of the

agent’s motive for which it is done BUT an act which is evil in
itself cannot be made good by reason of the end for which it
is performed.
 Ethical Principles Governing Motive
a. A good act done for a good motive becomes better; it will become
best if done for several good motives.
b. An evil act done for an evil end becomes worse; it will become worst if
done for several evil motives.
c. An good act done for an evil end, is entirely evil if the end is the whole
motive of the act.
d. An evil act can never become good by reason of a good end.
e. An indifferent act becomes good if done for a good end, and evil if
performed for an evil end.
 The Circumstances
 They are the conditions that affect an act, and may affect it
morally, although they do not belong to the essence of the act
as such.
o Seven circumstances can be given: who, what, where, with
what ally (means), how, when, why.
1. Circumstance of Person (WHO)
 Who is the agent? To whom is the act done?
2. Circumstance of quality or quantity of the act (WHAT)
 What is the extent of the act? Was the injury slight or serious? Was the amount
stolen large or small?
3. Circumstance of Place (WHERE)
 Where did the act took place?
4. Circumstance of Means (WITH WHAT ALLY)
 What is used in the performance of the act?
5. Circumstance of Manner (HOW)
 How did the agent perform the act? Was he in good or bad faith? Was his evil
disposition intensely malicious or only slightly so?
6. Circumstance of Time (WHEN)
 How long did the agent retain an evil thought, long period or momentarily?
7. Circumstance of the End of the Agent (WHY)
 This is similar to the second determinant.
 Ethical Principles
a. An indifferent act becomes good or evil by reason of its circumstances.

b. A good act may become evil by reason of circumstances.
c. A good or evil act may become better or worse by reason of
circumstances, and may even become best or worst from its
circumstances.
d. An evil act can never be made good by circumstances.
e. A gravely evil circumstance destroys the entire goodness of a good act.
f. A circumstance which is not gravely evil does not entirely destroy the
goodness of a good act.

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Lesson Nos.

Morality of Human Acts

 Morality is described as that quality of human acts which leads us to

 A thing is good inasmuch as it can answer a tendency, appetite,

a. Divine Reason / Eternal Law – the ultimate norm

 These determinants will decide whether a human act measures up or

 There are three determinants of morality, and the human act to

 This refers to the act itself, the deed done or to be done.

 This refers to the agent’s personal intentions or wishes to be

o An act which is good in itself may still be evil by reason of the

a. An indifferent act becomes good or evil by reason of its circumstances.

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