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    Norms of Morality

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    krystalnew
    The document discusses norms of morality, beginning with an introduction on morality from childhood. It then defines norms and norms of morality, stating that they indicate right and wrong. It discusses two types of norms: 1) Objective norms of morality in the form of law, which are ordinances of reason promulgated for the common good. It classifies laws according to author, duration, manner of promulgation, whether they prescribe acts or forbid them, and effect of violation. 2) Subjective norms of morality in the form of conscience, which examines and judges moral actions as good or bad based on practical reasoning. It defines conscience and discusses types of conscience: correct, erroneous, certain, and doubtful.

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    Norms of Morality

    Uploaded by

    krystalnew
    40K views7 pages
    The document discusses norms of morality, beginning with an introduction on morality from childhood. It then defines norms and norms of morality, stating that they indicate right and wrong. It discusses two types of norms: 1) Objective norms of morality in the form of law, which are ordinances of reason promulgated for the common good. It classifies laws according to author, duration, manner of promulgation, whether they prescribe acts or forbid them, and effect of violation. 2) Subjective norms of morality in the form of conscience, which examines and judges moral actions as good or bad based on practical reasoning. It defines conscience and discusses types of conscience: correct, erroneous, certain, and doubtful.

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    The document discusses norms of morality, beginning with an introduction on morality from childhood. It then defines norms and norms of morality, stating that they indicate right and wrong. It discusses two types of norms: 1) Objective norms of morality in the form of law, which are ordinances of reason promulgated for the common good. It classifies laws according to author, duration, manner of promulgation, whether they prescribe acts or forbid them, and effect of violation. 2) Subjective norms of morality in the form of conscience, which examines and judges moral actions as good or bad based on practical reasoning. It defines conscience and discusses types of conscience: correct, erroneous, certain, and doubtful.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    40K views7 pages

    Norms of Morality

    Uploaded by

    krystalnew
    The document discusses norms of morality, beginning with an introduction on morality from childhood. It then defines norms and norms of morality, stating that they indicate right and wrong. It discusses two types of norms: 1) Objective norms of morality in the form of law, which are ordinances of reason promulgated for the common good. It classifies laws according to author, duration, manner of promulgation, whether they prescribe acts or forbid them, and effect of violation. 2) Subjective norms of morality in the form of conscience, which examines and judges moral actions as good or bad based on practical reasoning. It defines conscience and discusses types of conscience: correct, erroneous, certain, and doubtful.

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    of 7

    1

    NORMS OF MORALITY

    INTRODUCTION

    - since childhood, we learn early the difference between good


    and bad
    - It could then be said that everybody has a natural inclination
    towards morality = Even in primitive society, morality plays an
    essential role in the form of things allowed and prohibited
    - Morality then is a universal phenomenon; manifested in every
    person in every society

    NORMS

    - in general, they are considered as standard of measurement


    - it is an instrument through which the quality or quantity of a
    thing is determined

    NORMS OF MORALITY

    - are the standards that indicate the rightfulness or wrongfulness,


    goodness or evilness, value or disvalue of a thing
    - these are qualities that cannot be measured by any mechanical
    device because they are spiritual qualities that appeal only to reason

    - norms of morality “criteria of judgment about the sorts of


    person we ought to be and the sorts of action we ought to
    perform.”
    Criteria - a set of principles from which we may deduce a
    conclusion.

    - Morality therefore, consists in the relation of a thing or action with


    the norm (conformity or non-conformity). It can then be defined as the
    quality of things manifesting their conformity or non-
    conformity with the norm or criteria. That which conforms = good;
    that which do not = evil or immoral

    I. OBJECTIVE NORM OF MORALITY = LAW

     LAW
    - an ordinance of reason promulgated for the common good
    by one who has charge of the society

     ORDINANCE OF REASON
    2

    - rational deliberations intended to guide men towards what is


    good for them and for the society
    - it should not be arbitrary or whimsical but that which order
    and direct human acts toward their ultimate end/Ultimate
    Good
    - Reason recognizes what is good
    |
    - what we ought to follow
    |
    - Law makes us follow what is good
    |
    - flows from reasonable will – from illumined
    understanding of the will of an end

    - qualities of Law:
    - just
    - honest
    - possible of fulfillment
    - useful
    - permanent

     PROMULGATED
    - made known to the people who are bound to observe them
    - the public must be made aware of what is expected of them;
    law binds the subject until it is repealed by the lawful public
    authority
    - it is promulgated in a society = presupposes a community

     FOR THE COMMON GOOD


    - its objective purpose of the Laws is the attainment of the
    common good
    - it is made not to fulfill the lawmakers’ personal interests but for
    the good of all
    - a law is not meant to impose hardships or needless restrictions
    - True Law tends to make men good, liberate them from
    perverse and mistaken judgments so as to lead them to their
    ultimate end

     BY ONE WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE SOCIETY


    - a law can only be valid if they are the legitimate exercise of
    authority
    - only those who have the power and responsibility to govern have
    the power to enact law
    - lawful authority – implies lawful assumption of power and
    credibility
    3

    - Author of the Law: legislator, lawgiver

    LAWS = they are necessary to man. They regulate human activity


    = without laws, the best intention will be thwarted either by
    oneself or by others, anarchy and chaos will reign because
    each one will act according to one’s wishes without regard
    for the good of others or for the common good
    = without laws = man will not find his ultimate purpose in
    life

    CLASSIFICATION OF LAWS

     ACCORDING TO IMMEDIATE AUTHOR

    a) Divine (Positive) Laws


    - those promulgated, or made known to us by special command of
    God
    - they are explicit demands of our essential tendencies as rational
    beings
    - they direct man towards his proper end
    Ex. Decalogue

    b) Human (Positive) Laws


    - promulgated by a legitimate human authority = this authority
    resides either in the State or in the Church
    - they are intended to preserve peace and harmony within a society
    and to direct each member of that society to work towards the
    common good.

    b.1) Ecclesiastical Laws = enacted by the church


    - embodied in the Canon Law

    b.2) Civil Laws = enacted by the state


    - embodied in the Constitution and Code of Civil Laws

     ACCORDING TO DURATION

    a) Temporal Laws = all human laws


    b) Eternal Laws = God’s plan and providence for the universe

     ACCORDING TO MANNER OF PROMULGATION

    a) Natural Laws
    b) Positive Laws
    4

     ACCORDING TO WHETHER THEY PRESCRIBE AN ACT OR FORBID


    IT

    a) Affirmative Laws
    - those that require the performance of an act

    b) Negative Laws
    - those that require the omission of an act

     ACCORDING TO THE EFFECT OF VIOLATION

    a) Moral
    - fault or sin
    - binds in conscience, that is, enforced by our personal conviction
    about what ought to be done as good or to be avoided as wrong

    b) Penal
    - subject liable to penalty but not inflicted with sin
    - binds by virtue of the penalty imposed, that is, enforced by our
    fear of being caught and punished

    c) Mixed
    - both fault and penalty

    MORAL AND POLITICAL LAWS


    - they are those derived from the natural law
    - They direct man towards the higher values of development as a
    human being; rational being; a person.

    - Therefore, Moral Laws are universal laws binding all men alike;
    they regulate the mind, heart and body of man insofar as he is a
    man.
    - The so-called “natural moral laws” are those that are written in
    the hearts of all men. They are the inherent and essential
    tendencies of human nature towards the good proper to it.

    - Political Laws, (simply referred to as human positive laws)


    both civil and criminal laws, are those enacted by men to guide
    their actuations in society and in relation to one another. They
    regulate man’s external actions. Their objective is peace and
    order and material prosperity. They presume moral laws.
    5

    II. CONSCIENCE (Subjective Norm of Morality)

    - it is the proximate norm of morality


    |
    - it is what confronts an action as good or bad
     Function = to examine, judge and pass a sentence on all moral
    actions

     Etymology
    - from latin “conscientia” which means “trial of oneself” both in
    accusation and defense

     Definition
    - an act of practical judgment of reason deciding upon an individual
    action as good and to be performed or as evil to be avoided

     Practical judgment
    - it is an interference whose conclusion leads to something
    practicable
    - because its function is to “determine what ought to be done in a
    given situation.” = after the commission of an act, the
    conscience assumes the role of approving or reproaching

    - it is also a practical judgment because it is an interference


    leading to a practicable conclusion = as an interferential
    reasoning, it makes use of the principles of natural law. Thus,
    the conscience is but an extension of the Natural Law which
    guides man to seek the good of his nature

     KINDS OF CONSCIENCE

    1) CORRECT OR TRUE
    - judges what is good as good and what is evil as evil

    2) ERRONEOUS OR FALSE
    - judges incorrectly that what is good is evil and what is evil is good.

    Factor from which errors in conscience flows:

    a) Mistake in inferential thinking (such as deriving a wrong


    conclusion from a wrong principles)
    b) Ignorance of the Law
    c) Ignorance of the Fact and other circumstances modifying
    human actions
    6

    d) Ignorance of future consequences especially those


    dependent on the freewill of others

    Inculpable Conscience – error is not willfully intended

    Culpable Conscience – if error is due to neglect or malice

    Difference between them:


    - the distinction between voluntary and involuntary error
    - culpable = voluntary
    - inculpable = involuntary = honest mistake

    3) CERTAIN
    - subjective assurance of the lawfulness or lawlessness of a certain act
    - the person is sure of his/her decision
    - it is possible however to be sure of something as god when in fact it
    is just the opposite, and vice-versa
    Theologians – believed that a certain conscience should always be
    followed so as to preserve the integrity of the human reason – to
    contradict is morally guilty.

    4) DOUBTFUL
    - a vacillating conscience, unable to form a definite judgment on a
    certain action.
    - it should be first allowed to settle its doubts before resorting to
    action

    5) SCRUPULOUS
    - a rigorous conscience – extremely afraid of committing evil
    - meticulous and wants inconvertible proofs before it acts

    6) LAX
    - one which refuses to be bothered about the distinction of good and
    evil
    - rushes on and is quick to justify itself
    - having this kind of conscience, one follows the impulse of “bahala na”
    attitude on matters of morals

    FORMATION OF CONSCIENCE
    - It is our obligation to cultivate a clear and true conscience = we can
    accomplish it:

    a) Studying and searching for truths in the laws and in the sciences
    7

    b) Cultivation of good habits – this means that the practical truths we


    discover must be internalized and then externalized in actions

    c) Militate against evil, condemning it where we find it – not only turn


    our back on evil but to fight against it

    d) Developing proper use of freedom


    Human Freedom – if it is true freedom in action, it is not submission
    to the coercive pressure of external force, but self-fulfillment through
    inner love of the good in accordance with the pattern of divine holiness
    which is the eternal law reflected in man’s own nature

    CONCLUSION

     Conscience = our exalted participation in the eternal law of


    God because its function is to reveal our likeness our likeness to
    God. It is therefore, the voice of God within us.

    - it is compulsory – because it operates within the realm of truth


    and sound reason = only when it impels us to act according to
    our rational insights that it is truly the voice of God – but if it
    deviates from the correct norm, it ceases to be rational and no
    longer now the voice of God.
    - As long as it operates according to sound rational insight = it is
    infallible, it should then be followed

     Conscience – insofar as it is the “voice of God” - it assumes the


    authority of God. God is the ultimate norm to which
    conscience must conform to.

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