Lesson 3 - Modifiers of Human Acts Flashcards
refer to things that may affect the human act’s essential qualities and thus lessen the moral character of the act and consequently diminish the responsibility of the agent
modifiers of human acts
Five modifiers of human acts
Ignorance
Concupiscence
Fear
Violence
Habit
it means the lack or absence of knowledge
Ignorance
3 classifications of ignorance
Negative Ignorance
Privative Ignorance
Positive Ignorance
the absence of intellectual knowledge in man
Negative Ignorance
Ex: A Philosophy teacher lacks knowledge about higher mathematics
Negative Ignorance
is the absence of knowledge that ought to be present
Privative Ignorance
Ex: A licensed civil engineer lacks knowledge about strength of materials
Privative Ignorance
the presence of a false knowledge. This is also called mistake or error
Positive Ignorance
Ex: Judging someone in the mall as an acquaintance but really is not due to poor eyesight.
Positive Ignorance
This talks about the thing which the agent may be ignorant about.
Ignorance in its Object
this refers to the ignorance of the existence of a duty, rule, or regulation.
Ignorance of Law
this refers to the ignorance of the nature or circumstances of an act as forbidden
Ignorance of Fact
It is also lack of knowledge that what one is actually doing comes under the prohibition of a known law
Ignorance of Fact
this is a lack of knowledge of the precise sanction affixed to the law
Ignorance of Penalty
This refers to the agent in whom ignorance exists
Ignorance in its Subject
This is ignorance that can be dismissed by the use of ordinary diligence
Vincible Ignorance
This results due to lack of proper diligence on the agent, and is his fault
Vincible Ignorance
This is also called culpable ignorance
Vincible Ignorance
if it be the result of total or nearly total, lack of effort to dispel it
Crass (stupid/gross) Ignorance
if some efforts were done but not preserving and whole-hearted effort, be unsuccessfully used to dispel it
Simply vincible
if positive effort is made to retain it
Affected ignorance
This is ignorance that ordinary and proper diligence cannot dispel
Invincible Ignorance
This is also called inculpable ignorance
Invincible Ignorance
____ is not the fault of the agent
Invincible Ignorance
Degrees of Invincible Ignorance
a. Physically Invincible
b. Morally Invincible
ignorance if no human effort can dismiss it
Physically Invincible Ignorance
ignorance if it would be extremely difficult to dismiss it even with the aid of some good and prudent men
Morally Invincible
This refers to acts performed while ignorance exists
Ignorance in its Result
it is that which precedes all consent of the will
Antecedent Ignorance
it is that which accompanies an act that would have been performed even if the ignorance did not exist
Concomitant Ignorance
An act done in concomitant ignorance is voluntary or non-voluntary?
Non-voluntary
it is that which follows upon an act of the will
Consequent Ignorance
The will may directly affect it or crassly neglect to dispel it
Consequent Ignorance
An act, in so far as it proceeds from invincible ignorance, lacks voluntariness, is not a human act, and is not imputable to the agent
Invincible Ignorance Destroys the Voluntariness of an act
The agent has knowledge which bears indirectly upon the act which he performs in ignorance, and the act has, in consequence, at least indirect voluntariness, and is a human act imputable to the agent
Vincible Ignorance Does Not Destroy the Voluntariness of an Act
While vincible ignorance does not destroy the voluntariness of an act, it lessens voluntariness and diminishes the responsibility of the agent.
Vincible Ignorance lessens the voluntariness of an act
Despite the bad will which it implies, it is still lack of knowledge, direct and perfect, and lessens the voluntariness of the act that proceeds from it
Affected ignorance in one way lessens and in another way increases voluntariness
If being deliberately fostered to serve as an excuse for sin against a law, it shows the strength of the will’;s determination to persist in such sin, thus, increases the voluntariness of an act that proceeds from it
Affected ignorance in one way lessens and in another way increases voluntariness
It refers to those bodily appetites or tendencies, which are called passions (love, hatred, joy, grief, desire, horror, hope, despair, corage or daring, fear, and anger)
Concupiscence
Concupiscence can be classified into:
a. Antecedent
b. Consequent
when these passions spring into action unstimulated by the will-act
Antecedent Concupiscence
Ex: the automatic feeling of awe over a wonderful scenery
Antecedent Concupiscence
when these passions are directly or indirectly stirred up or fostered by the will
Consequent Concupiscence
Ex: getting angry on the teacher retained for a long time
Consequent Concupiscence
It is the shrinking back of the mind from danger
Fear
It is the anxiety or worry of mind (from slight disturbance to actual panic) brought about by the apprehension of imminent or coming evil
Fear
Types of fear
a. From Fear
b. With Fear
when actions are done caused by fear
From Fear
Ex: when a student cheats because he is afraid of failing
From Fear
when fear is the accompanying circumstance in doing an act
With Fear
Ex: A student cheating is afraid of being caught.
With Fear
It is the external force applied by a free cause (that is, human beings) for the purpose of compelling a person to perform an act which is against his will
Violence
This refers to operative habit, which is a lasting readiness and facility, born of frequently repeated acts, for acting in a certain manner
Habit
