ETHICS - LECTURES ABOUT MORALITY AND ACT
- 1. THE ACT Sheryl Alvez Kris Humag Ruby Jane Sacdalan
- 2. Understanding Morality Exploring the determinants of morality according to the Catholic Dictionary. This presentation delves into the act itself, intention, and circumstances as crucial factors influencing the moral character of human actions.
- 3. According to the Catholic Dictionary, there are three determinants of morality: the act itself, the intention, and the circumstances. These three factors answer the questions of the badness or goodness of human actions. FACTORS INFLUENCING MORALITY
- 4. The act itself refers to what the free will chooses to do – whether in thought, word, or deed – or chooses not to do. It represents the choices made by the free will that shape the nature of human actions. DEFINING THE ACT
- 5. UNDERSTANDING INTENTION Intention or end refers to the purpose for which the act is willed. This may be the act itself, such as an act of loving God, or some other purpose, like reading to learn. The end is the motive or reason behind an action, influencing its moral nature.
- 6. THE ROLE OF CIRCUMSTANCES Circumstances encompass all elements surrounding a human action that affect its morality without being essential to its essence. They include answering questions like who, where, how, how much, by what means, and how often. Some circumstances can change the species of an action, while others alter its degree of goodness or badness.
- 7. CRITERIA FOR MORALLY GOOD ACTIONS For a human act to be morally good, it must align with the norm of morality on all three counts: its nature or act, its intention, and its circumstances. Any departure from these criteria renders the action morally wrong.
- 8. Do you believe that it is completely wrong to follow our emotions or feelings in response to moral dilemmas? What are the risks of letting our feelings affect our decisions? What about the dangers of following merely logical reasoning without affecting our feelings? ROLE OF EMOTIONS IN DECISION- MAKING
- 9. SURVIVAL AND EMOTIONS Human creatures, being the most self-conscious animals, develop basic emotional responses for survival and innate social responsibilities. Our emotions, such as fear, play a crucial role in triggering the 'fight or flight' mode, aiding our ancestors in surviving threats like predators in a desert environment.
- 10. DARWIN'S UNDERSTANDING OF EMOTIONS Charles Darwin's research into human feelings provides insights through three principles: 1. Functional Habits 2. Antagonistic-Thesis 3. Involvement of the Enthused Nervous System. These principles explain emotional responses as useful habits based on experience, communication tools for clarity, and the discharge of excess nervous energy.
- 11. Can we rely solely on our emotions when making decisions? EMOTIONAL DECISION- MAKING CHALLENGES
- 12. COMPONENTS OF MORALITY The requirements of morality involve the capacity to see the interconnectedness of things and the logic behind processes, known as reason. Impartiality is the principle of detaching oneself from bias and prejudice, ensuring an objective criterion that treats all individuals fairly.
- 13. BALANCING FEELINGS AND REASON Should we completely refrain from listening to our feelings? No. Learning to balance feelings and rational thought is crucial. While feelings connect us with our humanity, reason and impartiality enable us to see things objectively, detaching from selfish desires. It's about finding harmony between emotions and logic in decision-making.
- 14. Understanding morality involves considering the act, intention, and circumstances. Striking a balance between emotions and reason is essential for making morally sound decisions. In a nutshell:
Editor's Notes
- #2: We're exploring what determines if our actions are right or wrong according to the Catholic Dictionary.
- #3: Three things decide if an action is good or bad: the act itself, why you did it (intention), and the situation around it (circumstances). Example: Imagine borrowing someone's pen without asking. The action (taking the pen) might be neutral, but the intention (borrowing without permission) and circumstances (who the person is, where you are) can make it good or bad.
- #4: The act is what you decide to do or not do – in your thoughts, words, or actions. Choosing to help a friend with homework is an act. Deciding not to help when you can is also an act.
- #5: Intention is why you do something – it could be the action itself or some other reason behind it. Example: Reading a book to gain knowledge is a good intention. Reading a book to show off is a different intention.
- #6: Circumstances are everything around your action – who, where, how, how much, by what means, and how often. They can change how good or bad an action is. Example: Stealing medicine to save a life changes the circumstances. The act of stealing becomes a complex moral situation.
- #7: For an action to be good, it must be right in the act, the intention, and the circumstances. If any of these are wrong, the action is morally wrong. Example: Donating to charity is good, but if you do it with the intention of showing off, the goodness diminishes.
- #8: We're asking if it's wrong to follow our feelings in moral dilemmas and exploring the hazards of letting emotions cloud our decisions, or relying solely on logic without considering feelings. Example: If you're angry, you might say something hurtful. It's important to think about the consequences of your words before acting on the feeling.
- #9: Our emotions, like fear, help us survive by triggering a 'fight or flight' mode. This was crucial for our ancestors facing threats without the protection we have today. Example: Feeling fear when crossing a busy road triggers the 'fight or flight' mode, making you more alert to avoid danger.
- #10: Charles Darwin's three principles explain that emotions are habits based on experience, tools for clear communication, and the release of excess nervous energy. Example: Smiling when happy is a functional habit. Shrugging when confused communicates uncertainty, following the principles Darwin outlined.
- #11: Unfortunately, no. While emotions have positive impacts, excessive feelings can cloud our minds, hindering proper decision-making. Examples include irritability leading to discontentment, hindrance in hearing others' opinions, and emotions like anger causing rush decisions. Depending only on emotions for decisions is not good. Excessive emotions can cloud judgment and lead to discontentment, hindrance in hearing others, and rush decisions. Example: Making impulsive decisions when extremely happy, sad, or angry can lead to regret later on.
- #12: To make morally good decisions, we need reason to understand the connection between things and impartiality to be fair and unbiased. Example: Considering the consequences of actions, like the interconnectedness of cheating on a test leading to unfairness and the logic behind it.
- #13: We shouldn't ignore our feelings but find a balance with rational thought. Emotions connect us with humanity, while reason and impartiality help us see things objectively. Example: Helping a friend move might be driven by both empathy (feelings) and practicality (reason).
- #14: In summary, making good decisions involves considering the act, intention, and circumstances. Finding a balance between emotions and reason is key to making morally sound choices. Example: Striking a balance is like making a decision both from the heart and the mind, ensuring it's morally sound and well thought out.