Ethics 1.2

• The Moral Agent. This element refers to the doer of a moral behavior and this definitely includes you.
• The Moral Act. This element refers to the activity of the moral agent. It shows the behavior of the agent and/or it expresses the character of the agent.
• The Reason or Framework - This element answers the question why and how such moral act is right or wrong. It captures the reasons of the moral agent for doing the moral act.
• Human act refers to your activity which you perform knowingly, freely and willingly
• Act of a man refers to actions of man that he is not responsible of.
• For actions to be human act it must meet all these three qualities:

  1. Knowledge
  2. Voluntariness
  3. Freedom
• Knowledge: A human act is performed consciously.
• Freedom: A human act is performed freely.
• Voluntariness: A human act is performed willingly.
• Non-moral standards are those rules that only belong to a particular group of people.
• Moral standard refers to a set of principles that are aimed for universalization of a harmonious and good life.
• In short, moral standard promotes the welfare of all and common good. ________ is “a code of what is right or wrong without reference to specific behaviors or beliefs”
• According to Aristotle, human is composed of body and soul.
• The soul has three types:

  1. Rational
  2. Sentient
  3. Vegetative
• We share this type of soul with plants and animals

  Vegetative soul
• We share this type of soul with animals only

  Sentient Soul
• This is the type of soul that is unique to humans

  Rational
• Rational soul governs reason
• The rational soul has two functions:

  • Intellect
  • Will
• The intellect governs knowledge
• the will governs the action
• Every voluntary act is a human act
• Omission is negative voluntariness
• Voluntary act - proceeds from the will with a knowledge of the end.
• Can there be voluntariness in not acting?

  Yes, it is called a negative voluntariness.
• How much attention is needed for a voluntary act?

  At least at the virtual level of intention.
• Are unwanted but foreseen consequences voluntary?

  Yes
• Four levels of Intentions

  Actual, Virtual, Habitual and Interpretative
• Actual - present to consciousness
• Virtual - once made, unconsciously influencing the act
• Habitual - once made, never retracted, and not now influencing the act
• Interpretative - it would have been made had the agent ever thought of it
• Voluntary in itself - thing willed; intentionally done either as means or end
• Voluntary in cause - unintended but foreseen consequences of voluntary in itself
• Voluntariness is perfect if there is full knowledge and consent
• Voluntariness is imperfect if there is deficiency of knowledge and consent.
• What are the modifiers of Voluntariness?

  Ignorance, Passion, Fear, Force, and Habit
• Ignorance - affecting knowledge
• Types of ignorance

  Vincible ignorance, Invincible ignorance, Affected/studied ignorance.
• Vincible ignorance - can be overcome