The document discusses different types of voluntariness in human acts: perfect vs imperfect, simple vs conditional, direct vs indirect, positive vs negative, actual vs virtual vs habitual vs interpretative. It also discusses the principles of indirect voluntariness and double effect. These principles provide guidance on when an agent is responsible for unintended harmful effects of an act, and when an act with both good and bad effects may be permissible.
The document discusses different types of voluntariness in human acts: perfect vs imperfect, simple vs conditional, direct vs indirect, positive vs negative, actual vs virtual vs habitual vs interpretative. It also discusses the principles of indirect voluntariness and double effect. These principles provide guidance on when an agent is responsible for unintended harmful effects of an act, and when an act with both good and bad effects may be permissible.
The document discusses different types of voluntariness in human acts: perfect vs imperfect, simple vs conditional, direct vs indirect, positive vs negative, actual vs virtual vs habitual vs interpretative. It also discusses the principles of indirect voluntariness and double effect. These principles provide guidance on when an agent is responsible for unintended harmful effects of an act, and when an act with both good and bad effects may be permissible.
The document discusses different types of voluntariness in human acts: perfect vs imperfect, simple vs conditional, direct vs indirect, positive vs negative, actual vs virtual vs habitual vs interpretative. It also discusses the principles of indirect voluntariness and double effect. These principles provide guidance on when an agent is responsible for unintended harmful effects of an act, and when an act with both good and bad effects may be permissible.
Perfect – when the agent fully knows and fully intends the act ( Example: telling a lie to your parents ) Imperfect – when there is some defect in the agent’s knowledge, intention, or both. ( Example: adding details in narrating an event ) b. Simple and Conditional
Simple voluntariness is present in a human act done, whether the
agent likes or dislikes doing it. ( Example: washing the dishes after the family meal ) Conditional voluntariness is present in the agent’s wish to do something other than that which he is actually doing, but doing with dislike. ( Example: washing the dishes with a wish of just watching TV ) c. Direct and Indirect
Direct voluntariness is present in a human act willed in itself.
Indirect voluntariness is present in that human act which is the foreseen result of another act directly willed.
A human act that is directly willed is called voluntary in se
while that which is indirectly willed is called voluntary in causa.
Consider this classic example:
A father kills a rabbit for dinner. He directly wills the act of killing as a means to an end to be achieved. He also directly wills the dinner as an end to be achieved by this means. (There is direct voluntariness in every aspect of the act.)
Suppose that the rabbit is a pet of his children. It gave them pleasure every time they played with it. The father knows that if he will kill the rabbit, it will cause his children sorrow. Nevertheless, he kills the rabbit to have something for dinner. (There is indirect voluntariness in the sorrow experienced by the children.)
The father’s direct act of killing the rabbit is called voluntary in se while the result, sorrow of his children, which he does not directly will, is called voluntary in causa. d. Positive and Negative
Positive voluntariness is present in a human act of doing,
performing. It is present in an act that the agent is ought to do and is doing it. ( Example: A student attends class on his scheduled time. ) Negative voluntariness is present in a human act of omitting, refraining from doing. It is present in an act that the agent is not ought to do but is doing it. ( Example: A student deliberately misses class. ) e. Actual, Virtual, Habitual, Interpretative
Actual voluntariness (intention) is present in a human act willed
here and now. ( Example: The “I do” vows of a man and a woman during the marriage rites. ) Virtual voluntariness (intention) is present in a human act done as a result of (or in virtue of) a formerly elicited actual intention even if that intention be here and now forgotten. ( Example: The faithfulness of the husband/wife with his/her spouse throughout their married life. ) Habitual voluntariness (intention) is present in a human act done in agreement with, but not as a result of, a formerly elicited and unrevoked actual intention. Consider this example:
You make an intention to be baptized in a Catholic religion. Years passed by, you did not realize it nor you revoked it. One day, you became seriously ill, fighting for your life. A priest came over and baptized you in your unconscious state. Here, the act of receiving baptism is in agreement with the actual intention once made and unrevoked. You possess then habitual voluntariness for the act of receiving the sacrament of baptism. Interpretative voluntariness (intention) is that voluntariness which, in the judgment of prudence and common sense, would be actually present if opportunity or ability for it were given. Consider this example:
The small boy who has to be carried literally to school and kept there against his will, has an interpretative intention of going to school. For parents and teachers know that, if the boy could but realize the value of schooling, he would certainly will to attend. II. Indirect Voluntariness
Indirect voluntariness, or voluntariness in causa, is present in that
human act which is an effect, foreseen or foreseeable, of another act directly willed. When we bring together indirect voluntariness and imputability, that is, as worthy of praise/blame, reward/punishment, two ethical questions on responsibility and permissibility of the act are raised: a. When is the agent responsible for the evil effect of a cause directly willed? b. When may one perform an act, not evil in itself, which has two effects – good and evil? Principle of Indirect Voluntariness (First Question)
The agent (doer of the action) is responsible (imputable) for the evil effect of a cause directly willed when the following conditions are met: a. when he can readily foresee the evil effect, at least in a general way b. when he is free to refrain from doing what causes the evil effect c. when he is bound to refrain from doing what causes the evil effect Principle of Double Effect (Second Question)
The agent may lawfully perform an act which has two effects, one good and one evil, when the following conditions are met: a. when the evil effect does not come before the good effect so as to be a means to it b. when there exists a reason, proportionately grave or weighty, which calls for the good effect c. when the agent intends the good effect exclusively, and merely permits the evil effect as a regrettable side-issue From these two principles, we may deduce the following thoughts before the performance of any act:
We must do good; we must avoid evil.
We must never do what is evil, even though good may be looked for and intended as a result of it.
