Understanding the Human Act and Being Responsible For It

Human Act

An action performed by a person with full knowledge and voluntary intention

Knowledge

The person understands what they are doing, meaning they are aware of the action’s nature and potential consequences.

Freedom

The act is performed freely, without external coercion or internal compulsion

Intentionality

The act is chosen for a purpose or goal, demonstrating a deliberate decision-making process.

Moral Positivism

• A belief that there is no natural law; therefore the human person has no right.The right of the human being comes from the government, contract and customs and tradition

• The rightness or wrongness of the human act is guided by the laws of soceity that should be obeyed.

Hendonism

• The highest good is related to the pleasure of the human being and that the motivation of the human person is to seek pleasure and to avoid pain

• The rightness of the human act depends on the choice of the person for what is pleasurable to him/her

Utilitarianism

• The standards of an action to be right right or wrong depend on the outcome of the action.

• The belief holds that the most ethical choice is the one that comes up with the greatest good for the greatest number of people

Moral Evolutionism

• Morality is not specific of tied to a particular period in time. The rightness of the human act is rooted in truth that does not change

• The rightness or wrongness of an action can change because the perspective of the person may change

Consequentialism

• The morality of an action based on its outcomes or consequences

• An action is considered morally right if it leads to good or desirable consequences, and morally wrong if it leads to bad or harmful ones. This approach focuses on the end result rather than the means used to

Double Effect

• One may perform an action which has two effects. One is good, and the other is bad. However, both effects must be for the common good.

• Action can be morally permissible even if it leads to a harmful outcome, as long as certain conditions are met