Morality Midterm Flashcards
Thoroughly explain the concept of full humanity. How did Jesus fulfill/fully express his nature? What is his nature? How does Jesus’ life explain our nature and purpose? How are we different from Him? How are we the same as Him? What are we given naturally and infused with at Baptism that helps us to fulfill/ fully express our nature?
Jesus’ nature is both divine and human.
We have free will. Full humanity is equal to full potential
Jesus is fully human, through this we learned his divinity
Our human nature is God-like. Paschal mystery.
Jesus- in/through his humanity, divinity was revealed.
His life said “look how great you are! Now act like it!”
Anything that gets in the way of reaching full humanity is either injustice (done to us) or sin (done by us)
If theres an increase in injustice, theres a decrease in freedom
The 10 commandments are only the starting point for living fully human lives. By following them we are merely insuring that we are not committing injustice against others.
Because of our freedom and power, we should go and undo the injustices done by others so all can express their full humanity/nature.
The relationship between God and Jesus is a model for all human relationships
Jesus was obedient to his nature, sacrificing himself because of his intense love for all, shared with God, his Father
God, as true Father, was faithful to his promise that death would not be the end of Jesus or us
Faithfulness and trust are the two keys to a healthy relationship.
If we understand hope we know God exists because hope means there is something more.
Human dignity
Quality of being worthy of esteem and respect because of our nature
Undiminishable (can not be lessened) worth based in our nature
Incalculable (can not be measured) worth because we are God-like and therefore we have infinite potential for goodness and love.
(Our nature is goodness and love)
Our nature can not diminish, but we can choose not to express our humanity and full potential. Some people are more able or more willing to express their humanity/full potential
Characteristics of human dignity:
Inherent- it is an essential characteristic of all humans
Inviolable- it is safe from violation or profanation
Inalienable- it cannot be transferred to or taken by another
What would Relativism, Natural Law, Kant, and Mill of Utilitarianism say about the act of stealing?
Relativism: All truth is relative to the individual and all points are equally valid
Natural law: what we are born with. As humans we all have the same dignity, some just express it better.
Kant: intentions matter, not just how things end up. All about intentions. Using someone as a means to an end is wrong.
Utilitarianism: how things end up matters despite how you got there. always act in the way that will produce the greatest overall amount of good (utility) in the world. Emphasis on consequences, not intentions. Utilitarianism suggests that we are responsible for all the consequences of our choices.
The problem is that sometimes we can’t foresee consequences of other people’s actions that are taken in response to our own acts. Are we responsible for those actions, even though we don’t choose them or approve of them?
Imagine a terrorist situation where the terrorists say that they will kill their hostages if we do not meet their demands. We refuse to meet their demands. Are we responsible for what happens to the hostages?
Imagine someone like Sadam Hussein putting children in targets likely to be bombed in order to deter bombing by the United States. If we bomb our original targets, are we responsible if those children are killed by our bombing?
Utilitarianism is concerned almost exclusively about consequences, not intentions
Then, no act could be evil in itself. The outcome will tell. If the outcome is good even if your intentions were evil it doesn’t matter. Ex. Person goes and shoots into a crowd and ends up killing a terrorist.
Shouldn’t the original intent of our decision/action matter morally? Yes according to Kant and Christianity.
Think of an example of a civil law that has been issued in human history that you would consider to be bad and explain it. Explain the criterion that the Church would use to classify this as bad law. Explain the Christian moral response to such a law and what contributes to this moral teaching. Explain if and how this law would affect either the internal or external freedom of the citizens. Finally, hypothesize about what impediments to true freedom the lawmakers might have been experiencing to bring them to pass such a law.
Abortion. Freedom is not doing whatever we want to do. That concept means complete reliance on self without being responsible to God. Human freedom is not absolute. It is limited because we cannot do everything we want to say or do. When people do whatever they want by disregarding God’s law, their own good, and the rights of others, evils like abortion result. External freedom includes freedom from factors outside ourselves that threaten or destroy our power to exercise choice, for example the freedom from poverty or tyranny. The circumstances you are placed in. Internal freedom includes freedom from interior factors that limit choice. Freedom from fear, addiction. Slavery to fear can limit one’s freedom.
Concisely explain how one is to form her “conscience.” (SEER/STOP etc). How might Aristotle’s ideas from Nichomachean Ethics regarding pain and pleasure relate to “conscience?”
Aristotle’s ideas- like activities produce like dispositions. Our actions define our dispositions. We become temperate by finding a balance between being so brave that we are rash, and avoiding danger so much that we are cowardly. We become temperate when we become used to abstaining from excess pleasures. Moral virtues are shown by courage and temperance. Someone who abstains from bodily pleasures and is happy to do so is temperate. It is because of pleasure that we do bad things, and because of pain we abstain from noble things. We need pain to know when we feel pleasure, and we need pleasure to know when we feel pain. Pain and pleasure are both very important parts of life to be able to handle. If we know a decision is right but might bring us pain, then it can be more difficult to make that decision rather than if we knew for a fact that a decision would bring us pleasure. We gain courage every time we do the right thing even if we know it is going to cause us pain. A virtuous faction is made virtuous when the person doing the action has knowledge of it, chooses to do it, choose ps to do it for the sake of the action, and the person’s action must proceed from a firm and unchangeable character. We feel things without a choice, but it is our decision how we act on our feelings. Aristotle said that happiness, or eudaimonia, is an ongoing fulfillment of joy, not just short term. It is the goal of human existence. We are happy when we use our conscience to make the right decisions. Happiness is reached by developing virtues, or positive character traits or dispositions) by practicing the proper functions of humanity. Virtues are both intellectual and moral. Seek the golden mean between excess and deficiency. We use pain and pleasure as markers in our lives. Virtue like conscience can be developed. Practiced and learned. Balance. Morality comes from within. Self directed. Aristotle draws an interesting contrast between continent people who have unruly desires but manage to control them like the puritans, and temperate people whose desires are naturally directed toward what is good for them.
Conscience is a practical judgement of reason that helps a person decide the goodness or sinfulness of an action or attitude. It is the subjective norm of morality that we must form properly and then follow. Is both personal and communal. It is a Christian’s responsibility to help a community/society examine its conscience. The primary teaching of Catholic morality is to responsibly form ones conscience and then consistently follow it. SEER: ongoing process for responsible conscience formation. Study(ongoing search for info both in research and consultation), Elect (decision making step insert STOP), Execute- putting into action what you have decided to do (To not do this is sinful),
Review- regularly examine how one’s conscience has been formed and acted upon (examination of conscience).
S.E.E.R. is an ongoing circular process. It is not a one time per issue exercise. We and the world are constantly changing and our ignorance is constantly being challenged as we grow in wisdom and holiness.
STOP: method of discernment. Search out the facts, think about alternatives and consequences, others-consider how your actions might affect them-, pray to the Lord for guidance.
Nature: Intrinsic characteristics and qualities
Nothing that exists by nature can form a habit contrary to its nature
Aristotle says we are predisposed to be virtuous
Our nature says that we are able to learn to be virtuous
Mother Teresa and heroine addict-both have an equal amount of goodness, it’s just that one is more willing to express that goodness
Like a muscle-the more we exercise good virtues the more we can call them habits. A builder becomes known as a builder by building
It is by the same thing virtues are both produced and destroyed
Good builder bad builder
The choices I make will define who I am
States of character=dispositions
