FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS IN BIOETHICS Flashcards
a conscious and free exercise of one’s
faculties, therefore, conscious and free.
THE HUMAN ACT
voluntary actions– any actions that you do willingly.
Human acts
act beyond the control of one’s will
Act of man
involuntary actions which are beyond the control of your own will. (Ex.: beating of the heart, blinking of the eye, etc.)
Act of man
Morality or ethics is more concerned with?
human acts rather than acts of man.
3 CONSTITUENTS OF HUMAN ACT
Knowledge, Freedom, Voluntariness
resides in the intellect and is the mindfulness of what the moral agent is doing. You should know what you are doing
Knowledge
the quality of the free will by which one is able to choose between one or more alternatives. You have the freedom and ability to choose.
Freedom
the quality of the human act whereby any commission or omission of an act is a result of the knowledge that an agent has of the end. Refers to the act of doing the action itself.
Voluntariness
3 SOURCES/DETERMINANTS OF MORALITY
The Object of the Act
Motive of the Agent
The Circumstances
○ The very substance of the act
○ “What was performed by the agent?”
The Object of the Act
○ Purpose for which a human agent does the act.
○ “What specifically does the agent want?”
Motive of the Agent
The Circumstances
○ What – the intended object of the act.
○ Why – personal intention of the agent.
○ By what means – tools or procedures used.
○ How – modes of doing the act.
○ When – the time the act was performed.
○ Where – the spatial setting where the act is done.
○ Who – the person who does/receive
Natural Law and Conscience
STANDARDS/NORM OF MORALITY
laws should stem out of reason; “makatarungan”.
Ordinance of reason
“dapat alam ng ibang tao”.
Promulgated
Common good of the society
beneficial for all
Law is necessary to regulate acts of the freewill.
STANDARDS/NORM OF MORALITY
3 Kinds of Law
○ Natural Law
○ Divine Law
○ Human Positive Law
A system of law that is purportedly determined by nature, and thus universal.
NATURAL LAW
The pattern of behavior of animals, plants, or minerals follow such actions or movements in accordance with the will of the Divine Mind.
NATURAL LAW
The practical judgment that determines that an act is good, therefore to be done, and evil, therefore to be avoided.
CONSCIENCE
Considered as subjective because it is borne out of the
mental process of man.
CONSCIENCE
4 Man has to follow his conscience:
○ Follow the law
○ Follow one;s cultural beliefs
○ Follow one’s feelings
○ Follow one’s religious beliefs
Inform themselves as fully as possible about the facts of the case and about the attendant ethical norms.
PRINCIPLES OF WELL-FORMED CONSCIENCE
Form a morally certain judgment of conscience on the
basis of this information
PRINCIPLES OF WELL-FORMED CONSCIENCE
Act according to this well-formed judgment.
Be responsible for the actions performed.
PRINCIPLES OF WELL-FORMED CONSCIENCE
The will is the human faculty whose function is to desire.
THE CONCEPT OF FREEDOM
The object of free will is that which is good, either in itself or as compared to other alternative good.
THE CONCEPT OF FREEDOM
Man alone is capable of morality because of his rational knowledge and freewill.
THE CONCEPT OF FREEDOM
Responsibility is an inherent outcome of an act done with freedom.
THE CONCEPT OF FREEDOM
