Science, Philosophy, Religion, Ethics, and Human Acts

Science, Philosophy, Religion, and Ethics

• Science: Rigorous and objective, it is based on observable data and is subject to verification. Scientific knowledge is not judgmental.
• Philosophy: Rigorous, objective, and rational, it goes beyond what is observable without falling into myth, belief, or groundless speculation. It is specifically rational and rationally justified, representing evaluative knowledge.
• Religion: Provides explanation and valuation, going beyond science. It is not exclusively rational. Beliefs are based on faith in something that is not provable, not on factual evidence or rational arguments.
• Ethics: Rational reflection on good and evil, including the principles and foundations of moral norms and values.

Instinct, Morality, and Kant's Good Will

• Instinct: Innate behavior linked with genetically programmed key stimuli.
• Morality: A set of rules that indicate what is right or wrong.
• Kant (Good Will): Depends only on the intent, meaning serious attempts "to gather all the means at our disposal."

Human Acts vs. Acts of Man

• Human Act: An act performed with full awareness and full freedom in a voluntary form. We are responsible for these acts.
• Act of Man: Acts performed by a man missing full consciousness or freedom.

Voluntary Acts, Will, Habits, and Character

• Voluntary Act: Putting all necessary means to achieve something.
• Will: To feel an attraction to something.
• Habit: A permanent course of action gained by the repetition of acts.
• Character: Part of the innate personality; it is not constituted by the set of acquired habits.

Negative Emotions: Jealousy and Malevolence

• Jealousy: Feeling anger for the benefit of others.
• Malevolence: Rejoicing over the misfortunes of others.

Virtue and Vice

• Virtue: A lifelong habit for good.
• Vice: A habit standing for evil.

Phases of a Voluntary Act

1. Knowledge: Collection of alternatives for making a decision.
2. Deliberation: Assessing and weighing the pros and cons.
3. Decision: The phase when deliberation is cut, choosing the act.
4. Execution: Proceeding to perform acts necessary to achieve the chosen objective.

Types of Voluntary Acts and Responsibility

• Direct Voluntary Act: The act is willed and determined. The degree of responsibility is maximum.
• Indirect Voluntary Act: The act is attempted or unwanted but predictable. We are responsible for the act and its consequences.
• Involuntary Act: An act that is neither wanted nor expected. It is totally unintentional, and we have no responsibility.
• Other Responsibilities: By default, and collective tasks in hierarchical organizations.
• Violence: External constraint that forcibly compels us to perform immoral acts. We are not guilty or responsible.
• Passions: Emotions that arise when capturing physical good or evil with shock in the body.
• Fear: Passion caused by the threat of an imminent evil that is hard to overcome.

Factors of Morality

To take account of the goodness or badness of human action, three factors must be considered:

• The Object: The factor that lends morality. It is the reality pursued immediately and directly by the act.
• The Intention: The finality that moves the person to perform the act. It may or may not match the object of the action. Therefore, it is unlawful to perform a bad action for a good end (the end does not justify the means) or to perform a good action for a bad end.
• The Circumstances: Factors affecting the human act. For an act to be good, it must be good in intention, purpose, and circumstances. An act is wrong if any of the three elements are wrong.