Reading 2 LAW AS THE SUBJECT NORM OF MORALITY

II.
Law as the subject norm of morality
A. Meaning of Conscience (Cum Scientia)
 ‘Cum’ (together) and ‘Scientia’(to know)
 Second norm of morality
Conscience is the choice of a particular good in a given situation. People refer to

conscience as “the voice of God” – a whisper of admonition.
Conscience is the practical judgment of reason telling us what should be done because
it is good, or what should be avoided because it is evil. The judgment is “practical” because it
leads to a course of action.
Conscience is “judgment of reason” because it derives from our understanding of what

ought to be done as good and what ought to be avoided as evil. This is how actions are said to
be in accordance with dictate of reason.
Conscience has two functions. Before the commission of an act, conscience directs
towards that which is good. After the commission of an act, conscience either approves or
reproves the act. A reproaching conscience punishes the doer with remorse. an approving
conscience rewards the doer with “peace of mind”.
B. Conscience as an Act of Intellect (Judgment of Reason)
1. It is an act of practical judgment of reason deciding upon an individual action as good and to
be performed or as evil and to be avoided
2. Conscience can only be applied to intellect
3. Only the intellect can detect the rightness or wrongness of our actions
C. Conscience as a Practical Moral Judgment
1. Deals itself with the moral quality of a person’s concrete act, dictating the person to perform
what is good and to refrain from doing what is bad or evil o
2. Extension of the natural law which guides man
D. Conscience as the Proximate Norm of Morality
1. Allows a person to have a direct and personal access in his conscience.

2. Must conform to a higher norm (eternal divine law)
E. Kinds of Conscience
According to the conscience’s:
 Harmony or disharmony with objective truth
1. Correct or True Conscience. It judges the good as good and evil as evil
2. Erroneous of False conscience. It mistakes the good as bad and what is bad is good
a. Invincibly erroneous conscience. Kind of judgment where the error could not have
been avoided.
b. Vincibly erroneous conscience. .Kind of judgment where the error could have been
avoided if the person exerted diligence on his part .
c. Perplexed conscience. When faced with two alternative options, fears that’s in is
presenting both choices 
d. Pharisaical conscience. Imagines grave sins as small ones and magnifies little
offenses as serious
 Firmness in its judgment of the morality of the act
1. Certain Conscience-is sure whether something is good or bad, right or wrong, moral or
immoral
2. Doubtful Conscience is unsure whether something is good or bad, right or wrong, moral
or immoral.
3. Scrupulous Conscience is very cautious or extremely fearful to the extent that the
person refuses to act.
4. Lax Conscience. Takes what is wrong or sinful very lightly, even
considering it as something good and okay
F. Principles Governing Conscience
1. A certain conscience must always be obeyed, whatever it commands or forbids

2. The invincibly erroneous conscience must be followed. The vincibly erroneous
conscience cannot be followed as legitimate rule of action
3. A person who is of lax conscience has the general and grave obligation to reform this
state of mind
4. The person with a perplexed type of conscience, when making choices has to ‘postpone
any action’
5. If a person has a doubtful conscience, one may never act
G. Conscience vs. Civil Authority
Whenever there is a conflict between civil authority (state law) and divine
law (natural moral law), the person has to obey God rather than men
Compulsory Conscience
“Our bond with the natural moral law”, (Bernard Haring), “ is an exalted participation in
the eternal law of God manifested by our conscience whose natural function it is to reveal our
likeness to God” (Law of Christ: 1-147).
► Conformity and Non-conformity
The conformity or non-conformity of a human act with the norms constitutes morality. We
recall the definition of Aristotle of the good as that which fits the function. For example, it fits the
function of a talented singer to sing well. Similarly, it fits the function of a decent and honorable
person to do what is honorable.
The Order of Reason
Every living thing acts in accordance with its nature. Man acts in a way proper to him
through the use of reason. “In a morality based on the order of reason”, writes Richard Gula,
“the human person is not subject to the God-given order of nature in the same way the animals
are. The human person does not have to conform to natural pattern as a matter of fate.
Rather, nature provides the possibilities and potentialities which the human person can
use to make human life truly human. The given physical and biological order does not provide
moral norms; rather, it provides the data and the possibilities for the human person to use to
achieve human goals.
► Moral Pretension
It is, however, possible for a person to do good without having a good character. People
do laugh while deep inside they are hurting and unhappy. The receptionist greets you with a
most beautiful smile without a bit of respect for you. This means an evil person can pretend to
be good.
Ethical standard requires that we have a clean mind and a pure heart. This is how moral
laws bind the whole of being-our senses, our emotions, our thoughts, our desires, and our
actions. And so, we say that the authenticity of a good act comes from the soul. If our soul is
untainted, we may pretend to do evil but still remain good.

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II.

Law as the subject norm of morality

A. Meaning of Conscience (Cum Scientia)

 ‘Cum’ (together) and ‘Scientia’(to know)

 Second norm of morality

Conscience is the choice of a particular good in a given situation. People refer to

Conscience is “judgment of reason” because it derives from our understanding of what

B. Conscience as an Act of Intellect (Judgment of Reason)

2. Conscience can only be applied to intellect

C. Conscience as a Practical Moral Judgment

2. Extension of the natural law which guides man

D. Conscience as the Proximate Norm of Morality

1. Allows a person to have a direct and personal access in his conscience.

According to the conscience’s:

 Harmony or disharmony with objective truth

 Firmness in its judgment of the morality of the act

F. Principles Governing Conscience

1. A certain conscience must always be obeyed, whatever it commands or forbids

G. Conscience vs. Civil Authority

► Conformity and Non-conformity

The Order of Reason

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