Specific Determinan

ts of Morality

factors which essentially affect the goodness or badness of an action

The End of the Actionthe natural purpose of the actthat in which the act in its very nature terminates or results

The end of the action is the primary determinant of

morality.

The End of the Agentthe intention or aim of the doer of the action

varies with different individuals, while the end of the act is always the same

ExampleThe end or natural purpose of

going to school is to learn yet some go to school only to be with friends; some go to school only to satisfy the wish of their parents; some go to school only to engage in athletics or extra curricular activities.

An act good in itself may be spoiled by a bad intention.

Circumstancemay increase or decrease the gravity of an offense; or they may justify an act; or even exempt the agent from criminal responsibility, liability or punishment

A. Aggravatingare those which add to the seriousness of the offense

In the case of murder, aggravating circumstances are conspiracy, profession of the murderer, taking advantage of one’s position in the government.

B. Mitigating or extenuating circumstance are those that lessen or palliate the

gravity of a crime

In the case of murder, mitigating circumstances: provocation; lack of full consent or knowledge; no intention to kill.

C. Justifying circumstance are those that make the doing of an act

right; so that there is no crime committed nor is there any criminal or civil liability

In the case of murder, there can be no justifying circumstance. However, there can be a justifying circumstance in the case of killing an aggressor in self-defense.

D. Exempting circumstance

are those that exempt an agent from responsibility and punishment

In the case of murder, the following can be the exempting circumstances: age below 9 years old, insanity, violence, above 9 but below 15, who acted without discernment.

To be morally good, a human act must agree with the norm of morality on all three counts: in its nature, its motive, and its circumstances. Departure from any of these makes the action morally wrong.

Principles Involved in Circumstances (Paul Glenn)

An indifferent act can become good or evil through circumstance

Eating meat: indifferentEating meat on a Good Friday

intentionally:evil

A good act can become evil through circumstances

Giving money to indigents: goodGiving money to indigents for

votes: evil

An evil act can never become good through circumstance

Stealing money in order to buy food cannot make stealing good.

An intrinsically good act can become better or an intrinsically evil act can become worse through circumstance

Visiting a sick person for early recovery: good

Not visiting one’s sick father in a hospital out of hatred: worse

A good act done with evil means destroys the entire objective goodness of the act.

Giving money to the poor: goodGiving the money to the poor

through robbery: evil