IMPEDIMENTS

TO
MORALITY
The greater the knowledge and freedom, the
greater the voluntariness and moral responsibility

Hence, in order to determine the moral
responsibility of human actions, we must study the
various degrees of these components of the
voluntary act.


IMPAIRMENTS TO HUMAN FREEDOM ARE REALITIES
WITH WHICH ETHICS AND JURISPRUDENCE
HAVE TO RECKON CONCERNING THE MORALITY OF THE
HUMAN ACT
IMPAIRMENTS OF REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE
IGNORANCE
ERROR
INATTENTION

IMPAIRMENTS TO FREE CONSENT
PASSION
FEAR AND SOCIAL PRESSURES
VIOLENCE
DISPOSITIONS AND HABITS
IGNORANCE

Positive Ignorance

lack of knowledge that
is required of the person

Negative Ignorance

lack of knowledge for it
has no importance to
the person

lack of knowledge which man should have of his
moral duties
DEGREES OF POSITIVE IGNORANCE


Invincible Ignorance that which cannot be overcome
by the person because:
he does not realize his own state of ignorance
it is almost impossible for him to acquire proper
knowledge of the matter

1
st
Principle: Invincible Ignorance makes an act
involuntary thus the agent is responsible for the said act.

Example: The speed limit in China is written
in Chinese.


IGNORANCE

Ignorance is lack of knowledge
about a thing in a being capable of
knowing.
Ignorance is divided as invincible and
vincible.
INVINCIBLE IGNORANCE
THAT IGNORANCE WHICH A MAN IS NOT
ABLE TO DISPEL
BY SUCH REASONABLE DILIGENCE

THIS COMPLETELY TAKES AWAY THE
VOLUNTARINESS OF THE MALICE AND
HENCE ITS RESPONSIBILITY TOO.
DEGREES OF POSITIVE IGNORANCE

Vincible Ignorance that which can be removed by
ordinary efforts If hardly any effort is used to dispel
ignorance

2
nd
Principle: For as long as all the necessary effort
has been exerted, vincible ignorance may lessen the
degree of culpability of the human act.
Example: You are driving in Manila, so you
must know that there is color-coding.


DEGREES OF POSITIVE IGNORANCE
Affected Ignorance occurs when a person
positively wants to be ignorant in order
to plead innocent to a charge of guilt (with malice)
3
rd
Principle: Affected or Pretended Ignorance
does not excuse a person from his
bad actions; on the contrary it actually increases
their malice.

VINCIBLE IGNORANCE

IGNORANCE THAT CAN BE DISPELLED
THIS DOES NOT TAKE AWAY
CULPABILITY
AS IT IS VOLUNTARY IN CAUSE
OR IS PROVOKED BY
CONSCIOUS NEGLIGENCE OR
EVEN BAD WILL
THREE KINDS OF VINCIBLE IGNORANCE

Simple exists when one uses some, but not enough
diligence in an effort to remove ignorance

Crass or Supine though not directly willed, could
and should be cleared up but left wholly undisturbed
(caused by negligence or laziness)

Affected - it is deliberately fostered in order to avoid
any obligation that knowledge might bring to light.
(Not just the lack of knowledge but the unwillingness
of the person to dispel his ignorance)
PRINCIPLES THAT APPLY TO IGNORANCE AND ITS
RESPONSIBILITY

INVINCIBLE IGNORANCE
PREVENTS THE HUMAN ACT
FROM BEING VOLUNTARY IN REGARD
TO THAT WHICH IS NOT KNOWN

VINCIBLE IGNORANCE
DOES NOT TAKE AWAY THE VOLUNTARINESS
DIMINISHES VOLUNTARINESS,
AS LONG AS THE IGNORANCE IS NOT AFFECTED

SIMPLE NEGLIGENCE OR LAZINESS
DOES NOT USUALLY IMPLY A FULL CONSENT
TO ALL THE POSSIBLE EVIL CONSEQUENCES
WHICH MAY COME THEREFROM

SUPINE IGNORANCE
IN A SERIOUS MATTER
GENERALLY MAKES THE SIN GRAVE

AFFECTED IGNORANCE
DOES NOT DIMINISH GUILT
BECAUSE THERE IS FULL CONSENT THERE IS
FULL CONSENT
TO THE SINFUL EFFECTS WHICH RESULT FORM
SUCH IGNORANCE
SIMPLE NEGLIGENCE OR LAZINESS
DOES NOT USUALLY IMPLY A FULL CONSENT
TO ALL THE POSSIBLE EVIL CONSEQUENCES
WHICH MAY COME THEREFROM
1. A cook served a meal which contains
mushrooms which was sold to her by
careless merchants. Is the cook
responsible? NO

2. A doctor prescribed a medicine to a
person which worsens his sickness. The
doctor said he is so busy with many
patients that he did not have time to
study the latest research regarding the
sickness. Is the doctor responsible?
YES, BUT NOT FULLY

Example
s
EXAMPLES
A businessman heard that there is a new
law on taxes that was just approved. He
intentionally did not read about it so he
does not have to follow the new laws. Is
the businessman responsible? YES


4. A team of government inspectors visited
a factory to find out if they comply with
labor laws. Upon arrival, they were
treated to lunch by the owner. They
reported that they did not see any
violations. Are the inspectors responsible? YES

ERROR

FALSE JUDGMENT OR CONVICTION
IT ARISES FROM DEFICIENT
EDUCATION,
BAD COMPANY OR
MISLEADING INFORMATION

ONE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE CONSEQUENCES
OF ERROR MADE IN GOOD
FAITH
INATTENTION
REFERS TO MOMENTARY DEPRIVATION
OF INSIGHT
IF ATTENTION IS COMLETELY LACKING,
THERE IS NO HUMAN ACT
BUT ONE IS RESPONSIBLE TO THE EXTENT
THAT THE ACT IS VOLUNTARY IN CAUSE
PASSION OR CONCUPISCENCE

A MOVEMENT OF THE SENSITIVE
APPETITE WHICH IS MOVED
BY THE GOOD OR EVIL APPREHENDED
BY THE IMAGINATION
MOVEMENT OF THE SENSITIVE APPETITE
THAT PRECEDES THE FREE DECISION OF THE WILL
PASSION


Strong tendencies towards the possession of
something good or towards the avoidance of
something evil.

11 chief passions:

love
hatred
joy
horror or dread
desire
sadness
despair
hope
courage
fear
anger


Passions are not bad in itself, but become
bad
when NOT controlled by reason.
PASSIONS MAY EITHER BE GOOD, BAD,
SPONTANEOUS, PREMEDITATED DEPENDING ON
CIRCUMSTANCES
Good- when ordered by the rational
will help man in the practice of
virtue or the attainment
of morally good

Antecedent Passions
- passions that are elicited
or arise before it is
controlled by the will
- spontaneous

BAD- when used by the rational
will to accomplish morally evil
actions

Consequent Passion
-passions that are already
passed through the
intellect and controlled by
the will
-premeditated

Example: hatred upon
seeing your father hurt
your mother.
Example: You keep on thinking
about how your boyfriend hurt
you, so you plan something to
hurt him back.
PRINCIPLES ON PASSION

Antecedent passion lessens voluntariness, and
therefore lessens responsibility.

Consequent passion increases voluntariness,
and therefore increases responsibility.

Two (2) Types of Concupiscence

1.Antecedent Concupiscence
arise spontaneously before the previous judgment or
reason and before the will controls the previous
judgment of reason and before the will controls the
psychological situation
- Precedes the act of the will and is not willfully
stimulated by the will
- Lessens the freedom, and hence, the responsibility of
the agent because antecedent passions tend to blind
the judgment of the intellect and block the freedom of
the will

Example : sudden feelings of joy, hatred, pity, grief, anger,
etc. as reactions to news and objects presented to the
senses

2. Consequent Concupiscence
It is deliberately aroused by the will to ensure a more
prompt and willing operation

Consequent passions, however, do not lessen the
voluntariness but may increase it because these
passions are deliberately excited and they are
voluntary in themselves

Example : continuously imagining and brooding over an
insult received from an enemy, a person may build
himself/herself to such a state of frenzy that she/he
finally attacks and kills his/her enemy,
DIVISIONS OF PASSIONS

CONCUPISCIBLE
PASSION THROUGH WHICH THE SOUL
IS SIMPLY INCLINED TO SEEK WHAT IS SUITABLE
ACCORDING TO THE SENSES,
AND TO FLY FROM WHAT IS HURTFUL.

IRASCIBLE
WHEREBY AN ANIMAL RESISTS THE ATTACKS OF ANY AGENTS
THAT HINDER WHAT IS SUITABLE AND INFLICT HARM;
AND THIS IS CALLED THE IRASCIBLE,

ITS OBJECT IS SOMETHING ARDUOUS,
BECAUSE ITS TENDENCY IS TO OVERCOME AND RISE ABOVE
OBSTACLES.
FEAR

IS MENTAL TREPIDATIONDUE TO AN IMPENDING EVIL
IT IS FEAR OF THE SENSES AND NOT
INTELLECTUAL FEAR
WHICH IS ONE OF THE PASSIONS

INTELLECTUAL FEAR
FOR EXAMPLE THREAT OF TORTURE
DOES NOT JUSTIFY DENIAL OF FAITH

THE EMOTION OF FEAR
WHICH COMPLETELY DARKENS THE
MIND OR PARALYZES THE WILL
EXCUSES FROM IMPUTABILITY

FEAR

a disturbance of the mind cause
by the thought of a threatening
evil.

Acts done with fear or in spite of
fear fear accompanies an act
which in itself voluntary

Acts done from or through fear
or because of fear when a
person is threatened



You go to night clubs with your boss
because you are afraid you might
lose your job if you do not.
Climbing a mountain
PRINCIPLES: EFFECTS OF FEAR ON THE VOLUNTARINESS
OF HUMAN ACTS

Acts done with fear are voluntary
(although they may not be pleasant)

Acts done from fear or through fear or
disturbance of the mind, in a certain sense is
involuntary for the agent is obliged to choose to
avoid the greater evil. It lessens the voluntariness
but it does not destroy it.

Two Types of Fear :

Grave Fear aroused by the presence of
a danger that is regarded by
most people as serious

Slight Fear aroused by danger that is
not serious and a grave danger
that is not very probable
VIOLENCE

COMPULSIVE INFLUENCE BROUGHT TO BEAR UPON ONE
AGAINST HIS WILL BY SOME EXTRINSIC AGENT.

VIOLENCE IS CAUSED BY SOME PHYSICAL OR PSYCHIC
AGENT
THERE IS NO IMPUTABILITY,
EXCEPT INSOFAR AS THE INNER WILL
MAY HAVE CONSENTED
OR EXTERNAL RESISTANCE HAVE
FALLEN SHORT
OF THE DEGREE NECESSARY AND
POSSIBLE IN THE CIRCUMSTANCE
INTERNAL RESISTANCE IS ALWAYS
NECESSARY
WHILE EXTERNAL RESISTANCE MAY NOT ALWAYS BE CALLED
FOR
IT IS REQUIRED ONLY TO THE EXTENT
THAT IT IS FORESEEN TO BE EFFICACIOUS
IN PREVENTING ACTION OR FORESTALLING SCANDAL
Two (2) General Types of Violence

Perfect one in which complete resistance
is given. Every possible means of
physical resistance is utilized as in the
case of a woman being raped by three
men, she resists perfectly but her
resistance is not good enough

Imperfect when some resistance is shown but
not as much as should be

VIOLENCE
application of external force on a person by another
free agent for the purpose (Compulsion) of
compelling him to do something against his will.

Principle:Physical Actions resulting from violence
are involuntary by themselves.

EXAMPLES
A woman resists three rapists as much as she
can, and is overpowered.


You resist, but not to the full extent that you
can, then you are still responsible, but not
fully.

Example:

Two suspicious looking people knock on your
front door. You refuse to open it, but when they
insist you open the door anyway, and they rob
the house.


You do not resist because it
would be useless
anyway, then you are NOT
responsible.

Example:

While riding a jeepney, a person
points a gun
to you and he tells you to collect
all the Cell phones of the other
passengers.
A person is beaten up until he is
forced to lie
during a police investigation.
HABITS
-a constant and easy way of doing things acquired
by the repetition of the same act

** What is important is the EFFORT of the person
to free himself from the habit
** Culpability of acts from habit increases or
decreases depending upon the effort exerted

HABIT
Can be a virtue or a vice.
A vice does not lessen the responsibility.
Example: I spit on the floor out of habit.

A vice can lessen responsibility if one is trying to
correct it.
Example: I am trying to correct my habit of
saying bad words.

HABITS

FACILITY AND READINESS OF
ACTING IN A CERTAIN MANNER
ACQUIRED BY REPEATED
ACTS
DELIBERATELY ADMITTED
HABITS DO NOT LESSEN
VOLUNTARINESS
AND ACTIONS RESULTING
THEREFROM
ARE VOLUNTARY AT
LEAST IN THEIR CAUSE
OPPOSED HABITS LESSEN
VOLUNTARINESS
AND SOMETIME PRECLUDE IT
COMPLETELY
THE REASON IS THAT HABIT
WEAKENS INTELLECT AND WILL
IN A THE CONCRETE SITUATION
IN A SIMILAR WAY.
Sources:

Christian Ethics (Moral Theology in the Light of Vatican II)
Rev. Dr. Karl H. Peschke, SVD

Christian Morality in Contemporary Society Esteban
Salibay, Jr.

CLASS ACTIVITY

1. Divide into groups of 5

2. Think of one situation for each of the Modifiers of Human Act.

It should show that the responsibility of
person changes because of the modifier.

3. Describe each situation in the class.

Example: A waiter in a restaurant did not issue a receipt to a
customer. He did this because he was told not to do it,
and he feared losing his job. (Modifier is fear).

4. Each situation is worth 5 points.

Read each case very carefully.
Identify the impairment (s)
present. State the morality of
the moral agents act and justify
your answer by using a moral
principle applicable to the given
situation.
1. A senior student working on one of the building floors
suspects that a recently hired cleaner is taking a petty
cash from patients when they are too sick to know of it.
She says to herself, what you dont know wont hurt you,
and fearing a scene if she brings the matter to the
attention of the nurse in charge, she decides not to
investigate the matter further but to let her suspicion
remain just that.
2. A young man deliberately reads an obscene book before a
date with his girlfriend. What follows next is sexually
deviant behavior known as PMS.