1. Understanding the Moral Act

2. Freedom Definition: the ability to choose the good. Freedom to
Freedom is what we have when we use our free will properly with our intellect to choose what is good. Free will used for good is real freedom.

3. Freedom Free will does not automatically bring us freedom.
Freedom depends on truth.
You have to know the truth about what is good in order to choose it. If we want to be truly free, we must search for the truth, form our consciences in order to choose what is good. Because what is good is good for us and leads to true freedom.

4. Jesus then said to those Jews who believed in him,[p] “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:
Remember Objective Truth

5. Woman at the well
John 4:4-39 What does the woman have to do? Why does she have to do it at noon? What does Jesus offer her? How will this set her free?

6. License
Definition: belief that we can do whatever we want. Freedom from Think “License to kill!”

7. Freedom for Excellence vs. Freedom of Indifference.
Law is not opposed to freedom. Good & Just laws are boundaries in which we can be free.
Sports analogy – if I play within the boundaries of the rules of the game then I am most free to play the game to the best of my ability.
GPS

8. Freedom for Excellence
Freedom of Indifference
Definition: power to act freely with excellence and perfection; proceeding from reason and will, therefore rooted in inclinations to truth and goodness
Definition: simply the power to move in two opposite directions, two contraries; freedom resides in the will alone

9. Freedom Quotes
For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others. Nelson Mandela No woman can call herself free who does not own and control her body. No woman can call herself free until she can choose consciously whether she will or will not be a mother. Margaret Sanger

10. The Human Act
Object Action itself Intention Desired end Circumstances Context
CCC

11. Basic Moral Principles
Do good and avoid evil
2. The end does NOT justify the means! (an evil cannot be done to bring about a good)

12. Moral Responsibility
Culpability: responsibility for a fault or wrong; blame. Guilt: the fact of having committed a specified or implied offense or crime.

13. Conditions for determining guilt/moral responsibility
Invincible Ignorance
- Genuinely not knowing something
Vincible Ignorance
- Not knowing something that you should know.
Fear
Concupiscence
- Tendency toward sins, due to original sin.
Coercion
Habit
Mental Illness

14. Principle of Double effect
Can you perform and act that you know will bring about both good and evil effects?
Principle of Double effect

15. Principle of Double Effect
If an act has unintended bad consequences then it may only be made when the good effect cannot be reasonably brought about in any other way and when conditions have been met.

16. Distinctions
Directly willing some consequences VS merely tolerating a consequence
Doing some good that has both positive and negative consequences VS doing something evil that has positive and negative consequences.

17. Principle of Double Effect Criteria
The action must be good in itself (or neutral)
The agent must have the right intention
The evil effect cannot be the means to the good effect.
The good effect must be proportional to the evil effect.

18. Example
A boy wounds his thumb. The doctor must put antiseptic medication on it to prevent infection. The medication works but it stings for a while.

19. Action: Putting on antiseptic
Intention: Treat the boys’ thumb
Good effect – Thumb is healed. Evil effect – Boy feels pain. Did evil effect bring about the good effect?
Is it proportional? Does the good effect outweigh or balance the good.

20. Example A pregnant mother discovers she has a fibroma.
She has 3 options.
Options
Abort the baby resulting in her survival and the chance for future children.
Remove the entire uterus which will result in the death of the baby.
Remove the fibroma which would most likely lead to further complications.

21. Option B Action: Removing of uterus Intention: To cure the mother
Good effect – Mother survives. Negative Effect – Child cannot survive outside the womb.
Proportional: The result of the mother surviving outweighs the death of both.

22. A bomber attacks military targets but knows that civilian lives will be lost.
Fireman steals money to purchase better fire equipment, rationalizing that the lives he can save with the better equipment are more important than the money stolen.
Say that you know a woman named Anne who is pregnant with her third child. Early in the pregnancy, she is diagnosed with cancer in her uterus. There is nothing wrong with the pregnancy itself (the baby is fine), but unless the woman has the cancerous uterus (containing the baby) removed, both she and the baby will die. By removing the uterus, the baby will lose its life but the mother’s life will be saved. Does the principle of double effect apply in this situation to make the mother morally justified in having her cancerous uterus removed?

23. "Yep, temptations. They're the wrong things that seem right at the time, but, uh.... even though the right things may seem wrong, sometimes, or sometimes, the wrong things [chuckles] may be right at the wrong time, or visa versa. [clears throat] Understand?“ - Jiminy Cricket

24. Conscience
See CCC A practical judgment of reason. An interior voice within the soul that uses intellect and reason to make judgments about actions. The law inscribed on our hearts. NOT a feeling

25. What it is not
What people say: “I must follow my conscience” (What bad moral philosophy is this?) What people mean: “Please do not interfere with my life, we all have the right to make our own lifestyle choices; you can’t tell me what’s right any more that you can tell me what’s right”

26. How does conscience work?
Formed by learning the truth.
Applies the true moral principles to the specific choices and actions of my life.
Tells me which choice would be right or wrong.
Allows my will to act on the judgment that was made.
*If we go against our conscience they we are reminded of this through guilt.

27. Our Role in Conscience Obligated to form our conscience.
Obligated to follow our conscience.

28. Forming Conscience Fill mind with truth (moral principles)
Recognize the obligations based on your state in life.
Remember the consequence of not following your conscience.
Make time for prayer and reflection.

29. Sources of Truth in order to Form Conscience
Scripture – 10 commandments, Beatitudes etc.
Tradition – moral customs of the Church reveal teachings through practice.
Magisterium – Teaching authority of the Church.
Natural Law

30. (All Catholics Eat Friday Pizza)
Precepts of the Church
Attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor.
Confess your sins at least once a year
Eucharist received at least once during the Easter season.
Fast and abstain on the days established by the Church.
Provide for the needs the church.
(All Catholics Eat Friday Pizza)

31. Distortions of Conscience
Ignorance of Christ and His gospel
Bad example of others
Enslavement to passions
Belief in individualistic or autonomous conscience.
Rejection of Church authority and teaching.
Lack of conversion and charity.

32. Types of Conscience
Correct or Objective (what we’ve been covering) Erroneous – incorrectly judging the goodness or badness of an act. - Vincible and Invincible ignorance Certain or Subjective – My conscience says this yours might “say” otherwise Doubtful – When you are unsure whether something is permissible or not.

33. Errors within Conscience
Scrupulous – Judging an action to be more seriously wrong than it actually is. Lax – Judging an act to be less sinful than it is.