GE08 Natural Law-Ethics and Culture

Freedom

Knowing the best goal and being able to reach it through decisive action

St. Thomas Aquinas

Proposes the existence of GOD - the author (source) and the goal (end) of all reality

Goodwill

God reveals His _____________ as the Eternal Law

Choosing goal
Reach for it through decisive action

Freedom is: (2)

Eternal Law

Reveals God's Goodwill

It is the law which God in the creation of man infused into him for his direction and preservation

Divine will

Governing all that is; the man's task is to act in such a way his/her participation in the unfolding of nature directs it to fulfilment

Divine law

Historical laws of Scripture given to us through God's self-revelation

Natural Law

A system of right and justice held to be common to all humans and derived from nature

Human Law

Law enacted and enforced in society

What is legal then is not always necessarily moral

Etsi Deus non daretur

Expression that highlights the validity of this ethical system with or without faith in the Creator God.

Conscience

It is the proper functioning of reason in moving the human person towards an end goal that is fitting of his/her dignity

Uninformed/ignorant

Lacks education

Perplexed

Needs guidance in sorting one's confusion

Callous

Long time persistence in doing evil that the self is no longer concerned whether he/she does is good or bad

Scrupulous

Fails to trusts one's ability to do good , and hence overly concerns itself with avoiding what is bad to the point of seeing wrong where there is none

Identity

Ethics is a question of __________

Problem

Situation that must be resolved somehow

Dilemma

Situation where a person is forced to choose between two or more conflicting options, neither of which is acceptable

Moral dilemma

Situations where persons, who are called "moral agents" are forced to choose between two or more conflicting options, neither of which resolves the situation in a morally acceptable manner.

Consequentialist Morality

The greatest good for the greatest number (must take into consideration the interests of everyone affected by an action and think long term)

kharakter

Greek word of character

Character

Distinctive mark that differentiate one thing from another

Individuality; personality

Reason

Choice is determined by _________

Individuality

Personal identity

Someone rather than nobody

Autonomy

Free to make decisions and assume responsibility for them

Moral order

Shared of right and wrong

Progression

Morality develops in ___________

Social learning theory

Process and social behavior which proposes that new behaviors can be acquired by observing and imitating others

Autonomous morality

Critically evaluate rules and apply based on mutual respect and cooperation

Psychoanalytic theory

Governed in unconscious ideas and impulses that are rooted in childhood conflicts

Emotions

Feelings and values that shape or develop the moral standards of the individual

Knowledge

Learning the moral codes

Action

Decides about the appropriate action

Acts of Man

Actions but without reflection and free consent

Human Acts

Actions performed with knowledge (intelligence) and free will (free).

Knowledge
Freedom
Voluntariness

Elements of Human Acts (3)

Knowledge

Doer is conscious, active, aware of the reasons and consequences of his/her actions.

Freedom

Doer acts through his/her own initiative and choice without being forced (by another person/situation)

Voluntariness

Doer consents to the act, accepting it as his/her own and assumes accountability for its consequences

Object chosen

The concrete physical action taken

What a person has chosen to do

Intention

Purpose pursued in the action (motivation)

Goal of the activity

Circumstances of the action

Person as the doer (age, economic status, psychological conditions)

Acts of will

Actions performed freely (with free will)

Elicited acts

Acts initiated, performed and completed by the will alone

Commanded acts

Carried out by the mind and body as ordered by the will.

Acts of reason

Reason dictates what one ought to do

St. Thomas Aquinas

According to him, there is nothing that is pure evil

Murder

Evil act, however the immorality of this is determined by examining the act and in relation to the person who did it.

Modifiers of Human Acts

Circumstances where human acts may be modified and deemed as acts of man

Ignorance of the law

Lack of knowledge

Ignorance of the fact

Lack of realization that a law, mores or principles is being violated

Vincible ignorance

Lack of knowledge that a rational person is capable of acquiring by making an effort but s/he did not do it or at least has not yet done

Invincible ignorance

Lack of knowledge and has no way to obtain

Passion

Compelling desire for something

Fear

Induced by perceived danger or threat

Self preservation

Violence

Physical force exerted to compel a person to act against his/her will.

Habits

Considered to be the second nature

Acts acquired by repetition

Cor

Latin for heart

Heart

Seat of feelings

Courage

Do something that one is fearful of

Nelson Mandela

According to him, courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it

Virtue

Firm attitudes, stable dispositions and habitual perfections of intellect and will that governs action, order passion, and guide conduct according to reason and faith.

Requires the right desire and reason

Disposition to do good

Courage

Strength and firmness in pursuit of good

Culture

Complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society

Enculturation

The process of learning culture

Ethnocentrism

The belief in the inherent superiority of one's own ethnic group or culture.

Cultural Relativism

Any theory holding that criteria of judgment are relative, varying with individuals and their environments.

Xenocentrism

Culturally-based tendency to value other cultures more highly than one's own

Hypernorms

Norms which are accepted by all cultures and organizations.

Consistent norms

Norms which are culturally specific, but consistent with hypernorms and other legitimate norms, such as organizational cultures.

Moral free space

Norms which could be in tension with hypernorms, but are unique cultural beliefs.

Illegitimate norms

Norms which are incompatible with hypernorms.

Micro-level

Personal level

Human values and principles, including their preferable modes of behaviors and outcomes

Meso-level

Professional level/organisational level

Judgements could be affected by what guides their values in terms of what is seen as being accepted by the organizations and the professions they are in.

Macro-level

At the societal/environmental level,

One's personal networks, including family, friends and community

Country-specific factors, including changing political, economic and socio-cultural conditions also affect ethics