The human act

Catechism of Catholic Church on Human Acts

Freedom makes man a moral subject. When he acts deliberately, man is, so
to speak, the father of his acts. Human acts, that is, acts that are freely
chosen in consequence of a judgment of conscience, can be morally
evaluated. They are either good or evil.

Human Acts (Actus Humanus)

Human acts are actions or activities that emanate from the rationality of
man.A human act is an act of which a man is master, to do or not to do: it is
an act of free will. It is an expression of self. It is a man’s own act, not of
other agents about him. It is not an organic process going on in his body: it is
an output of his soul and spirit. Man is responsible to God for all his human
acts, and to his fellowman for many of them: and for none but his own
human acts is any man responsible.

Acts of man (Actus Hominis) Acts that is not proper to man as a rational
being. Acts of man include man’s animal acts of sensation and appetition
and acts that are not deliberate and free. An act of man is an act which man
performs but he is not the master of it for he has not consciously controlled
it, has not deliberately willed it, and is subsequently not responsible for it.
Ethics is not concerned with acts of man but only with human acts. Only
human acts are moral acts for man is responsible only for them and such
acts are imputed to him as worthy of praise or blame, of reward or
ppunishment.

Elements of Human Acts

Knowledge – The agent of act (the actor/person) knows what he is doing. He

knows its results, good or bad. The act in other words is done deliberately.

Freedom – the person who does the action is not pressured to do or not to do
the action. He is free from all external forces beyond his control. To do the
act out of fear make the action not his own. Human act must be done in
freedom.

Voluntaries – the agent does the act out of his own decision and will. He does
the act because he decides to do it. It emanates from his heart and reason.

The absence of one of these elements make an act not human. As a result,
since the action is done freely, knowingly and voluntarily, man is responsible
of such an act.

Classification of Human Acts

Elicited Act – if it begins and ends in the will without bodily movement

Commanded Act – if it requires both mind and body

Elicited Acts

Wish – a desire or love, or a longing for an objector anything, impossible or

possible to realize.

Intention – a purpose or aim, a determination to act in a certain way,

attainable or not but not obligatory.

Consent – an affirmation of the will to go on the intention of the agent.

Election – the agent chooses a way to carry out his intention.

Use – after the mind has selected the means to carry out the intention, this
time the mind uses the means.

Fruition – a result of the object being desired.

Commanded Acts

Internal Acts – seem to be like elicited act because it is also solely in the
mind of the agent. However it requires the body to complete it. Examples:
Efforts to remember, conscious reasoning, effort to control anger, deliberate
use of the imagination in visualizing a scene

External Acts – acts done by the body under the direction of the will.
Deliberate walking, eating, writing, speaking.

Mixed – this is the combination of the internal and external acts as the word
suggests. Example, when studying, one uses the mind and the body.

Morality of Human Acts

Morality of Human act refers to the goodness or badness of an act. These are
called “morally good” or “morally evil”. When the act is done in accordance
to the law of God and human reason, which is attested to by the conscience,
the act is morally good. On the other hand, if there is a violation on the law -
morally evil

Sources of Morality

1. The Object –It is the aim or goal of a certain action. The object directly
chosen by the will determines the basic morality (good or bad). The
person’s intellect sees this as according to moral standards (good) or
not according to moral standards (evil).
2. The Intention – the means of attaining the object.
The person also has an intention which determines the act’s morality.
An intention can guide many acts or even a whole lifetime (as loving
God). One act can have a multiplicity of intentions (Doing a favor to
help someone and also to receive a favor in return).However, a good
intention can never turn an evil act into a good one. A good purpose
cannot justify evil means. However, an evil intention can make a good
act into an evil one, such as giving alms to gain praise.
3. Circumstances – these are environments or conditions prevailing when
the action is done. These are the who, what, where, when, with whom,
under what condition and why the action was performed. Only the act
and the intention make an act good or bad. The circumstances can
increase or diminish the goodness or evil. For example, stealing a large
amount of money increases the evil, while fear of harm can lessen a
person’s responsibility. Circumstances can never make an evil act into
a good one.

HUMAN ACT AND ITS MODIFIERS

Modifiers of human acts-This refer to the degree or intensity of an act. “How

bad” or “how good” the human act is

Ignorance – The absence of knowledge Unavailability of information about

the causes or effects of a thing or action. Ignorance is invincible when a
person is not capable of getting rid of his ignorance, example, inadvertence
(unmind fullness) and forgetfulness. Ignorance is evincible if it can dispelled
by the use of the term moral diligence, example, avoidance to know a new
rule.

Division of Ignorance

Ignorance of the Law – when one is unaware of the existence of the law or at
least, a particular case comprised under its provision.

Ignorance of Facts – When not related to the law but the thing itself or some
circumstance is known.

Ignorance of Reality – When a person is not cognizant that a section has

been attached at a particular time.

Ignorantia juris non excusat, Ignorantia legis neminem excusat

In law, ignorantia juris non excusat (Latin for “ignorance of the law excuses
not”), or ignorantia legis neminem excusat (“ignorance of law excuses no
one”), is a legal principle holding that a person who is unaware of a law may
not escape liability for violating that law merely by being unaware of its
content. In the Philippines, this law principle and presumption can be found
in Article 3 of the Civil Code of the Philippines which states that “Ignorance of
the law excuses no one from compliance therewith.” This presumption in
Philippine Law is based on expediency, convenience, public policy and
necessity. It is said that the good hardly need law: when they do good acts,
this is not because they are deliberately complying with the law, it is
because they are simply good men. On the other hand, without this law
principle and presumption, the corrupt will make social existence
unbearable, abuses will increase, and feigned ignorance will be rewarded.

Concupiscence- Refers to the bodily desire of man sometimes called

passion. The word concupiscence is defined as a strong desire, a tendency or
attraction, usually arising from lust or sensual desires. It is, morally speaking,
the tendency to go off course.

Always leading to the satisfaction of the body.

Desire, Anger,Hope,Despair,Love,Hatred, Sorrow

Two kinds of concupiscence

Antecedent Concupiscence – a passion that suddenly flares up without

approval of the will or mind (ex: anger)

Consequent Concupiscence – when the will or mind acts in favor of the

antecedent (ex: anger deliberately fostered)

Moral principles regarding concupiscence: Antecedent concupiscence lessens

the voluntary nature of human acts and lessens the degree of moral
responsibility accordingly. Consequent concupiscence does not lessen moral
responsibility. Rather, a person acting with consequent concupiscence is
completely responsible.

Fear-This is a disconcerted state of a person’s mind due to the expected

danger that comes anytime.

Two kinds of acts relevant to fear:

Act out of fear (ex. Soldier who will run or not from the battle)

Act in fear (ex. Person under holdup gives up his money)

Moral principle of fear: Fear diminishes the voluntary nature of the act. A
sinful act done because of fear is somewhat less free and therefore less
sinful than an act done not under the influence of fear.

Violence-A force usually physical, inflicted upon a person for the purpose of
compelling the said person to amend or act against his will.

Two general types of violence: Perfect and Imperfect

In cases where the victim gives complete resistance, the violence is

classified as perfect violence. If a woman walking a dark street at night is
attacked and she attempts to fight of the attackers with all the physical
powers at her command, she has been the victim of perfect violence.
However, if the victim offers insufficient resistance, the violence is classified
as imperfect violence.

Habit-A repeatable act of a person in comfort and ease. It is an inclination to

do and finish something. Habits may be good or evil as to whether they
influence one to do good or evil. If a habit disposes a person to do good, it is
called a virtue. However, if a habit disposes a person to do evil, it is called a
vice.