unit 4 ethics defintions
1. Key Terms and Definitions
Character: The way your actions, over time, tend to become fixed in your body
Commitment: Promise or pledge, something you resolve to carry out in the future
Conscience: Our moral compass. The only place where we are alone with God. An inner voice that tells us what is right and whe. God’s law inscribed on the human heart.
Habit: A manner of behaving acquired the frequent repetition; prevailing disposition or character.
Identity: The distinguishing character of a person. My identity is determined in large part by the moral stance that I take in life.
Judgment: The concrete decision of what I must do in the situation based on my personal perception and grasp of values.
Language: A communication of thoughts through the use of arbitrary signals, such as voice sounds, gestures, or written symbols. These signals symbolize specific ideas and reflect our experiences
Moral Stance: My moral orientation or direction in life, what I stand for
Narcissism: A disorder marked by self-absorption to the exclusion of others
Person: Two definitions, both defined by The Trinity (see note: Definition of “Person”)
Psychiatry: A branch of medicine that deals with mental, emotional, and behavioural disorders.
Phycology: The study of the mind, mental states, behaviour. Psychology tries to explain why people think, feel and behave as they do.
Superego: A part of the subconscious mind theorized by Sigmund Freud. Internalization of morals and restraints placed on us by society that censors our ego (the part of the subconscious). The ego of another superimposed on our own to serve as an internal censor to regulate our conduct by using guilt as its powerful weapon.
Trinity: “...the central mystery of the Christian faith and of Christian life. God alone can make it known to us by revealing himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” CCC #261
Theophany: A direct encounter or appearance of God to an individual, such as Moses at the burning bush.
Covenant: A sacred agreement between God and humanity; examples include the Abrahamic Covenant and the Mosaic Covenant.
Sin: In Christian theology, an act of wrongdoing against God’s commandments; pride is considered the deadliest sin.
YHWH: The name God revealed to Moses, often pronounced as "Yahweh," symbolizing His eternal existence.
1.The Preamble: Treaty begins with the name, titles and attributes of sovereign (strong one).
2.The Historical Prologue: an overview of the previous relations between the two nations. It often recounts the past benefits bestowed upon the vassal (weaker one) by the sovereign.
3.The Submission: outlines what is expected of the vassal. It includes a declarations on the future relations of the partners and it details certain conditions that must be met. Its focus is on loyalty.
4.The Witnesses: every legal document requires a witness. In the case of a covenant, the witnesses are the gods of the two parties or the deified elements of nature.
5.The Blessings and Curses: Treaty tells what will happen if the vassal(weaker nation) remains faithful or unfaithful to the treaty.
Encounter: God reveals Himself to humanity. One way the Creator encounters humanity is through Holy Scripture. Eg. The word “love” appears over 600 times in the Bible while the word mercy appears over 250 times. What does this reveal about God?
Passover: (Pesach) A Jewish holiday usually celebrated in the spring, it commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt by the hand of God.
Prophet: Messengers or spokespersons for God. When God calls them, they receive new identities. The summons transform them. Remember that the prophet is only acting as God’s messenger – the message delivered belongs to God. Some of the Old Testament prophets who received this “call” include Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Hosea. After their encounter with God and hearing His/Her call,they often experience intense turmoil. Mouth piece of God
Revelation: People have the ability to know God through God’s works. But there is a higher order of knowledge which comes not from human reason, but from Divine Revelation. The sacred scriptures reveal the loving actions of God in human history.