Christian: Moral Theology in the Light of Vatican Ii
CHRISTIAN
M ORAL THEOLOGY
I N THE LIGHT OF VATICAN II
Realization of the Moral Value in Human Acts
Chapter
J
V
REALIZATION OF THE MORAL VALUE
IN HUMAN ACTS
H a v i n g acquired the k n o w l e d g e of his moral responsibill a n d task, m a n must realize the guidelines a n d imperatives t h e m o r a l law in his a c t i o n s . A c c o r d i n g l y t h e n a t u r e un c haracteristics of h u m a n acts must be studied next, which ac e n a b l e m a n to proceed t o w a r d s or also to d e p a r t from hi u l t i m a t e e n d a n d to attain or to miss it.
A.
Concept and n a t u r e of the h u m a n act
I.
Concept of the human act
H u m a n acts (actus humani) a re actions that proceed from i nsight into the nature a n d purpose of o n e ' s doing a n d from c o n s e n t of free will; or shorter, they are acts which proceed f rom insight and free will. T h e y can also rightly be called p ersonal acts.
H u m a n acts are to be distinguished from acts of man
(actus hominis), w hich are performed without intervention < i
>
i ntellect a n d free will. T h e y comprise all spontaneous biological a n d sensual processes, like nutrition, breathing, sensual impressions; all acts performed by those who h a v e not the use o f reason, like p e o p l e a s l e e p , lunatics, d r u n k e n p e o p l e ; all s p o n t a n e o u s reactions which precede the activity of intellect a n d will, like first reactions of anger or sympathy. Likewise d istinguished from h u m a n acts are forced acts which, though e ffected with s o m e insight and cooperation of the intellect, a re carried o u t against a m a n ' s personal decision and will
( e.g. coercion of a defeated e n e m y to destroy his citadels).
S o m e authors s u b s u m e forced acts under the acts of m a n as w ell.
A s the definition of the h u m a n a re t w o principles w h i c h constitute a n d a volitive constituent.
The intellectual constituent. T h e
M ORAL THEOLOGY
I N THE LIGHT OF VATICAN II
Realization of the Moral Value in Human Acts
Chapter
J
V
REALIZATION OF THE MORAL VALUE
IN HUMAN ACTS
H a v i n g acquired the k n o w l e d g e of his moral responsibill a n d task, m a n must realize the guidelines a n d imperatives t h e m o r a l law in his a c t i o n s . A c c o r d i n g l y t h e n a t u r e un c haracteristics of h u m a n acts must be studied next, which ac e n a b l e m a n to proceed t o w a r d s or also to d e p a r t from hi u l t i m a t e e n d a n d to attain or to miss it.
A.
Concept and n a t u r e of the h u m a n act
I.
Concept of the human act
H u m a n acts (actus humani) a re actions that proceed from i nsight into the nature a n d purpose of o n e ' s doing a n d from c o n s e n t of free will; or shorter, they are acts which proceed f rom insight and free will. T h e y can also rightly be called p ersonal acts.
H u m a n acts are to be distinguished from acts of man
(actus hominis), w hich are performed without intervention < i
>
i ntellect a n d free will. T h e y comprise all spontaneous biological a n d sensual processes, like nutrition, breathing, sensual impressions; all acts performed by those who h a v e not the use o f reason, like p e o p l e a s l e e p , lunatics, d r u n k e n p e o p l e ; all s p o n t a n e o u s reactions which precede the activity of intellect a n d will, like first reactions of anger or sympathy. Likewise d istinguished from h u m a n acts are forced acts which, though e ffected with s o m e insight and cooperation of the intellect, a re carried o u t against a m a n ' s personal decision and will
( e.g. coercion of a defeated e n e m y to destroy his citadels).
S o m e authors s u b s u m e forced acts under the acts of m a n as w ell.
A s the definition of the h u m a n a re t w o principles w h i c h constitute a n d a volitive constituent.
The intellectual constituent. T h e