Notes on Christian Morality Preliminary Discussions Ethics Ethics is derived from the Greek word ethoswhich means “Characteristic way of acting”. Its Latin equivalent is mos, mores,(moral) meaning “ tradition or custom”. - Ethos then is referred to those characteristics belonging to man as a rational being, endowed with intellect and free-will - Mores or moral usually is taken to refer to rules about what people ought to do and what they ought not to do. Before we ask ourselves about the rules to follow, however, we must first return to the fundamental question of Ethics. Why do we have to be good, and why must we avoid evil, why must we be ethical on our action? Aristotle answered this question by saying “every art and every inquiry, and similarly every action and pursuit, is thought to aim at some good” Some goods are desired only in order to attain greater goods.(to pass the exams-not for passing but because we want to graduate, but we want to graduate in order to get a degree, -find a job-earn money..so on and so forth) When all things are brought into account, we arrive at the point of non-existence in which all the goods we have been striving for becomes useless. Absurdity. So, we ask ourselves is there something good in itself? Ethics therefore begins with the question -What is good? and how am I to act in order to attain this good. However, it does not stop her. The search for good ultimately leads us to the question what is the meaning of life? Why am I here and what is my destiny. Aristotle cases the question in reference to that ultimate good and Supreme Good.” If then there is some end of the things we do, which we desire for its own sake..we desire for the sake of this good or the chief good. What then is the chief good of man? What is the end of mans action, his longings, his efforts, and his striving? Speaking from a purely natural level, says that it is happiness-the chief good for man.. All men are in agreement that happiness is the chief good for man…yet they do not agree as to what constitutes happiness. ..some people of superior refinement identify living well and doing well with being happy. For many people do not give the account as the wise..they think of it as some plain and obvious thing- pleasure, wealth or honor, --they differ from one another- some with health when they are ill, and some wealth, when they are poor. Aristotle’s approach to ethics then is teleological. “ in terms of the end, or telos”. For him everything tends towards a purpose of an end.but the approach of modern ethics, however, tend to veer away from the end and focus on the action itself…an action is not to be evaluated according to its end, but according to its nature. The action itself must be good in order to attain a good end… Thus ethics is not just the search for what is good for man, or what makes him happy. It is also a seeking for justifications, or why an action is good. In ethics we must first ask, what makes an act good? What is goodness itself? How do we evaluate goodness through the aid of our reason? Ethics is defined as the science of the morality of human acts. And because actions reflect the motives of the doer, ethics is said to be the study of human motivation, and ultimately, of human rational behaviour. That aspect of the subject matter which primarily interests ethics is morality. Morality then is the quality of human acts by which they are constituted as good, bad, or indifferent. That which is good is described as moral; that which is bad is immoral, and that which is indifferent is amoral. Ethics relies solely on human reason to investigate truths. Moral Theology in which Christian theology belongs employs reason insofar as it is enlightened by faith or divine revelation. 2 Divisions of Ethics 1. Philosophical Ethics – also called moral philosophy. It uses only human reason and experience in their reflection and systematization. - It is the philosophical analysis of the morality of human acts, the exploration for living a good life and the ultimate foundation of what is good or evil. - MORAL IS PRACTICAL and so it is concerned with ACTING, in other words “ETHICAL”. 2. Religious ethics – uses the sources of a specific religion such as its scripture, tradition, and teaching authorities. 2 Divisions of Philosophical Ethics/Moral Philosophy 1. Ethics of being – also called CHARACTER ETHICS. - focuses on the interiority of the person, or the person’s character. - It focuses on what is happening to the person performing actions rather than on the actions the person performs. - patterns of actions, habits, vision in life, values, convictions, intentions, dispositions, affections etc. 2. Ethics of Doing – focuses on right actions. It makes a decision to resolve conflicts of moral values so that we might do the right action. 2 Divisions of Philosophical Ethics/Moral Philosophy 1. Ethics of being – also called CHARACTER ETHICS. - focuses on the interiority of the person, or the person’s character. - It focuses on what is happening to the person performing actions rather than on the actions the person performs. - patterns of actions, habits, vision in life, values, convictions, intentions, dispositions, affections etc. 2. Ethics of Doing – focuses on right actions. It makes a decision to resolve conflicts of moral values so that we might do the right action. POSTULATES OF ETHICS 1. The existence of God – God is the author of our life and is the only CENTER OF VALUE. - It gives the human person a reason for being moral. - He is moral because God is good. - The goodness of God enables and requires us to be responsible for the goodness of ourselves, for/of others and of the world. 2. Human Intellect and free will First, God created man a rational (the capacity to think) being conferring on him the dignity of a person who can INITIATE and CONTROL his/her own actions. By free will one shapes one’s own life. Human freedom is a force for growth and maturity in truth and goodness. Freedom is so central to the moral life without it we cannot properly speak of being moral. 2 kinds of freedom a. freedom of self-determination or basic freedom -demands a deep involvement of a person’s being -the freedom to decide about one’s self. (Learning to make a virtue out of necessity) - Fundamental Option is a choice that emerges from a personal depth or reinforces the fundamental direction of our lives… b. Freedom of Choice—freedom is the power, rooted in reason and will, to act or not to act, to do this or that, and so to perform deliberate actions on one’s own responsibility. 3. IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL ETHICAL PARADIGMS 1. The Atheistic paradigm - The negation to acknowledge the existence of God. - Only matter exists and man is accountable only to himself. - Morality is simply an invention or a fabrication to preserve man and his society. - Moral truths are tentative. - The notion of good and evil is relative and static. - Atheistic paradigm adheres that matter is the sole reality. - The human person is a material substance only exercising freedom to foster the advancement of society. - He is only accountable to the state. - It is also a negation of spiritual horizon and its dimension. - It also declined the immortality of the soul. a.) Methodological atheism – brackets the existence of God for inquiry. (e.g. Natural and Social Sciences) b.) Reductionist atheism – advocates that religion can be exemplified without reference to the supernatural once a human person acknowledges the genesis of religion in human nature, human society or human desire. c.) Existential atheism – a negation of God for believing in God prohibits people from being fully human. d.) Christian atheism – a negation of God since the beginning of the enlightenment. e.) Evidential atheism – is a theoretical philosophical perspective advocating that there is a good reason in not believing in god and negates his existence. 2. Theistic Paradigm – is the threshold for postulating that God is the supreme Lawgiver and creator 2 ethical systems 1. The Atheistic approach – assumes that only matter exists and that man is responsible only to himself since there is no God who creates and rules the universe. In this sense, morality is an invention of man to suit his requirements and to preserve his society. Moral truths therefore are temporary and mutable depending on the situation. Accordingly, the concept of good and evil is always relative and changeable. Atheistic theories propose the following principles: 1. Matter is the only reality. 2. Man is matter and does not have spiritual dimension. 3. Man is free and must exercise his freedom to promote the welfare of the society. 4. There is no life after death. 5. Man is accountable only to the state. 2. The Theistic approach – begins with the assumption that God is the Supreme Lawgiver. Everything must conform to God’s eternal plan of creation. Man must exercise his freedom in accordance with God’s will. There are absolute principles of morality which are not changeable. Man is accountable for his actions and deserves either reward or punishment in this life or in the next. Theistic theories postulate the following truths: 1. God is the Supreme Creator and Lawgiver. 2. Man is free and must use his freedom to promote his personal and social interests along with his fellowmen. 3. Man has an immortal soul which cannot die. 4. Man is accountable for his actions, both good and evil. MORALITY AND FAITH HUMAN PERSON The person is a rational being. His/her nature emerges and is fulfilled in one’s various relationships. A.) In relation to the self 1. He has intellect and free will – everyone is endowed and blessed with natural capacities and abilities. Primary here is the ability to reason and decide freely. (Has the ability to grasp, recognize, and appreciate truth and goodness, and the ability to choose among options to promote or disregard truth and goodness. COROLLARY: A. The person has the right to seek the truth and act in freedom. He has the right to free expression, to information, to education, to assembly, to worship and to collective action to freedom. B. With freedom comes responsibility. While a person has rights, he also has the duty to respect the rights of fellow humans, to promote the welfare of everyone, and to be accountable and responsible for his acts. 2. He has dignity – everyone is bestowed an inherent dignity which demands unconditional respect. The person by virtue of his dignity is an end, and not a means or tool. 3. He is created in the image and likeness of God – he is both mind and spirit. The person is a co-creator, co-worker, and co-savior of God. Creation and salvation is an ongoing process, and we are all part of it. 4. He is ambivalent – man has the capacity for both good and evil. He has the ability to go beyond self-interest and work for justice and goodness. (Common good). On the other hand, he is also capable of selfishness and oppression. (there is a need for check and balance) 5. He is limited – man’s life is limited. This implies the need for an ongoing questioning of personal values, openness to criticism, the need for sharing and communication because there is no monopoly of truth. 6. He is unique – human person are sufficiently diverse. E.g. we have no control in establishing our uniqueness such as our genetic endowment, our conscious motives, and the social cultural conditioning to which we have been subjected in the process of unfolding and advancement. But we do have control over our: a. Beliefs (stable convictions giving us directions and meaning to our lives.) b. Dispositions (readiness to act in a certain manner.) c. Affections (sensitivities influencing the depth and swiftness of our moral responses.) d. Intention (basic direction of our actions governed by our knowledge and freedom.) Each person is different and has his own contribution to society. Because of this uniqueness, we cannot label or put a stereotype on anybody. The uniqueness of a person has to be respected. One should never try to impose what the other person cannot sincerely internalize, except the case of preventing grave injustice toward a third person. 7. He is an embodied subject – the person is a moral agent with a certain degree of autonomy, and self-determination empowered to act according to his or her conscience, in freedom and with knowledge. IMPLICATION: No one may ever use a human person as an object or as a means to an end the way we do other things of the world. Exploitation of human person for one’s own advantage is never allowed. - Embodied subject implies that our bodies are not accessories. - Our bodies are symbols of interiority; bodily expressions of love in a relationship ought to be proportionate to the nature of the commitment between persons. 8. A historical subject – an embodied subject is necessarily an historical subject. To be an historical subject is to be relentlessly temporal and is part of a progressive movement toward our full human development. Every moment of life is in compulsion with the past and the future. Integrating our past into the person we are becoming. B. IN RELATION TO OTHERS 1. Each person is a social being – every individual is oriented towards other people and needs their company. He is a relational being (no man is an island). He fulfills himself with and through others. Through and with the help of others a person’s limitations are filled and potentials furthered. 2. Each person is of equal value with other persons – God has gifted all with equal dignity. Although natural inequalities may exist. We are equal in basic rights and needs. C. IN RELATION TO SOCIETY The person’s relationship to society is not only to other people but to structure as well. STRUCTURE – it is an organized pattern of interrelated rights and obligations of persons and groups within society analyzed in term of status, roles, norms, and institutions. 1. Man as intervenor – he can help change and direct society and the history of the nation and not the history determining the person. 2. Man as patriot – the country is considered a person’s bigger family, since he/she is inextricably linked with others and society. We are responsible and accountable to the future generation. D. IN RELATION TO THE WORLD 1. Work – the person interacts with the world through his/her work. Work is a means to fulfill one’s personhood and to glorify God. In doing so, the lord’s mandate to have dominion over the earth is exercised. 2. Caretaker – we are responsible for the preservation and development of the earth. 3. Voluntary simplicity – the things of the world were given to us to help us know, love and serve God. E. IN RELATION TO GOD 1. Person as transcendent – the person needs to relate to a greater being. The person has but one final goal –God. 2. Person having a conscience 3. Person as a child of God –by virtue of our baptism, we have become adopted sons and daughters of God, we earned the right to the kingdom of God. The Person Adequately Considered: -the human person is adequately considered when taken as an historical subject in corporeality who stands in relation to the world, to other persons, to social structures, and to God, and who is a unique originality within the context of being fundamentally equal with all other persons. Hence, A person is Fundamentally Equal with others but uniquely original: • Human Beings are equal in dignity, though each one is unique in a sense that no two persons are totally identical. • Each person has his own life-history, physical make-up, psychological and emotional set up, spiritual development. Moral Implication: • Because each person is unique, we cannot expect two persons to respond to the same situation in the same way. • Even though there is an objective normsin relation to the same issue, each of us will only be able to live up to the norm and respond to the issue according to our capacity. • A person’s subjective responsibility for moral behavior is relative to the development of that person’s moral ability. A Person is morally culpable for failing to do what he is capable of doing. • An action is morally right if it is beneficial to the person adequately considered in himself or herself (i.e. as a unique embodied spirit) and in his or her relations (i.e. to others, to social structures, to the material world and to God) Good Luck….
Posted on: Fri, 08 Aug 2014 06:33:55 +0000
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