Norms of Morality
Download as DOCX, PDF10 likes26,880 views
The document explores the concept of morality, defining norms that govern human actions and detailing the types and sources of law, including eternal divine law, natural law, and human positive law. It emphasizes the role of conscience as a crucial guide for moral judgment, outlining different types of consciences and their implications for decision-making. Additionally, it underscores the prioritization of divine law over civil authority in instances of conflict.
More Related Content
![Charles Robert Darwin[2]](https://cdn.slidesharecdn.com/ss_thumbnails/charles-robert-darwin2-58711-3778-thumbnail.jpg?width=560&fit=bounds)
Similar to Norms of Morality (20)
Norms of Morality
- 1. NORMS OF MORALITY Norm Somethingbywhichanact or conductis measured as goodor bad,rightor wrong,moral or immoral; rule or standard;criteriafor judgement Norm of Morality The standard of right andwrong inhumanactions Types of norm: o Eternal Divine Law (objective) The ultimate andabsolute normof morality;independentof anystandard o Human Reason(subjective) As relatedtothe person’sconscience Law as the objectnorm of morality General Notionof Law Law isa norm whichgovernsnature andactions of things o Law of Nature Principlesthatgovernsthe natural phenomenaof the world (e.g.biologicalsystemof humans) o Natural Law Referstothe free acts of rational beings Moral Law Defined o Law isan ordinance of reasonfor the commongood,promulgatedbyone who has the care of the community. o Law isa kindof impositionwhich necessitiesobedience onthe partof the subjects. o Essential Elementsfor a Law to be Reasonable: i. It must be just Promote andupholdthe inherent rightsand dignityof everyhuman person ii. It must be honest Shouldnotcontradictin essence to any higherlaw iii. It must be possible offulfillment (practical) iv. It must be relativelypermanent v. It must be promulgated(publicize) vi. It must be directedto common good vii. It must be promulgatedby one who has the care of the community (e.g.president) Divisionsof Law o Eternal Law It ispromulgatedtocreaturesbyGod being embeddedintheirnature. i. Eternal law iseternal (endless) and unchangeable ii. Eternal law isabsolutelyuniversal o The Natural Moral Law (Law of Conscience) It isthe eternal law itselfwhichman understandsthroughthe lightof hisnatural reason(conscience). i. Attributesof the Natural Law Obligatory Universal Has its propersanctions Knowable or recognizable Unchangeable ii. The Contentsof Natural Law Formal norms Those that relate toour character to whatkindof personswe ought to be Material norms Oughtto be done OutlinesofNatural law: Fundamental principlesin theirgeneral applications General moral principles whichsustainandpreserve the basic relationsof manto God, to himself andto neighbors Applicationsof the general principlesof moralityto specificsituationsinlifeand society Remote conclusionsderived by a process of reasoning o Human Positive Law and the Moral Law Human positive lawis derivedfromthe natural law and promulgatedforthe commongood bya humanagencywhich has a charge of a society,particularlyof a sovereignone; juridical orderofthe society (e.g.law of the state or civil law;lawof the church or ecclesiastical law)
- 2. Law as the subjectnorm of morality Meaningof Conscience o ‘Cum’ (together) and ‘Scientia’(toknow) o Secondnormof morality o An innerfeelingorvoice viewedasactingas a guide to the rightness orwrongnessof one'sbehavior Conscience as an Act ofIntellect (JudgementofReason) o An act of practical judgementof reason decidinguponanindividual actionasgood and to be performedoras evil andto be avoided o Conscience canonlybe appliedtointellect o Onlythe intellectcandetectthe rightness or wrongnessof ouractions Conscience as a Practical Moral Judgement o Dealsitself withthe moral qualityof a person’sconcrete act,dictatingthe person to performwhatisgood and to refrainfrom doingwhatis bador evil o Extensionof the natural lawwhichguides man Conscience as the Proximate Norm ofMorality o Allowsapersontohave a directand personal accessinhisconscience o Must conformto a highernorm(eternal divine law) Kinds ofConscience Accordingto the conscience’s: o Harmony or disharmony with objective truth i. Correct or True Conscience Judgesthe goodas good andevil as evil ii. Erroneous of False conscience Mistakesthe goodas bad and whatis bad isgood Invinciblyerroneousconscience Kindof judgementwhere the error couldnot have beenavoided Vinciblyerroneousconscience Kindof judgement where the error couldhave beenavoided if the personexerteddiligenceonhis part Perplexedconscience Whenfacedwithtwoalternative options,fearsthatsinispresentin bothchoices Pharisaical conscience Imaginesgrave sinsassmall ones and magnifieslittleoffensesas serious o Firmnessin itsjudgementof the morality of the act i. CertainConscience Sure whethersomethingisgoodor bad,right or wrong,moral or immoral ii. Doubtful Conscience Unsure whethersomethingisgoodor bad,right or wrong,moral or immoral iii. ScrupulousConscience Verycautiousor extremelyfearful to the extentthatthe personrefuses to act iv. Lax Conscience Takeswhat iswrongor sinful very lightly,evenconsideringitas somethinggoodandokay PrinciplesGoverningConscience o A certain conscience mustalwaysbe obeyed,whateveritcommandsorforbids o The invinciblyerroneousconscience must be followed o The vinciblyerroneousconscience cannot be followedaslegitimaterule of action o A personwhoisof lax conscience hasthe general andgrave obligationto reformthis state of mind o The personwith a perplexedtype of conscience,whenmakingchoiceshasto ‘postpone any action’ o If a person hasa doubtful conscience,one may neveract Conscience vs.Civil Authority Wheneverthere isaconflictbetweencivil authority(state law) anddivine law(natural moral law), the person has to obey God rather than men