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Reading 2 LAW AS THE SUBJECT NORM OF MORALITY
Reading 2 LAW AS THE SUBJECT NORM OF MORALITY
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 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”.
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
3. Only the intellect can detect the rightness or wrongness of our actions
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
E. Kinds of Conscience
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
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
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).
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.
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.