Modifiers of human act/Obstacles
Affect a clear knowledge/free will.
May increase, decrease, or eliminate moral
responsibility or liability.
Ito ang “nakakaapekto” or
“nagpapabago” ng moralidad.
“Nababawasan ang pagkakusa ng
ginawa.”
Ignorance
Error
Inattention
Passion
Fear
Violence
Habit
Lack of a required knowledge of moral duties.
Classified into:
Invincible Ignorance
Vincible Ignorance
Supine/crass
Affected
Beyond control.
Precedes any act and is not willed by the
person.
Ex.
You lost your way and just found yourself
trespassing on somebody's property.
In ancient times, slavery was a common practice,
nobody realized (ignorance) that it was wrong.
Lack of knowledge due to negligence or
lack of effort.
Vincible- One can easily dispel ignorance
› Crass/Supine – no/little effort was made.
Ex.
A nurse has strong doubts about the medicine
administered to a patient but does not consult a
doctor.
(Pretended Ignorance)
Pretends to be ignorant to plead innocent
to a charge of guilt.
Affected- One wants to be ignorant
because of benefit/gain
Ex.
› Pretends not to have heard the instruction of
parents/teachers
› Not to have seen the red light
› Pleads insanity to be acquitted from a crime
1st. Invincible ignorance makes an act
involuntary (not accountable)
2nd. Vincible Ignorance does not destroy
voluntariness, it lessens voluntariness and
responsibility.
3rd. Affected ignorance does not excuse a
person from his bad actions; it increases
malice or moral responsibility.
Judging and acting wrongly or misguidedly due
to incorrect beliefs or opinions
Causes:
Lack of care or information.
Deficient education, bad company, the reading
of misleading books and papers, etc.
Aberratio Ictus – mistake in the blow.
Intended injury to one person accidentally
damaged another.
Ex. Missed the target and hits the teacher
Error in Personae – mistaken identity
h
Ex. Mistaken somebody as enemy
Praeter Intentionem – mistake in the
intended result
Injury is greater than intended.
Ex. Death in hazing
Principles
Moral duty to overcome errors in search
for the truth, views should be based on
sound reasons.
False opinions/beliefs lead to false
attitudes to life.
Is an actual, momentary
privation of knowledge.
Ex.
› Using a cell phone while
driving and meets an
accident
› Texting while walking
May result to negligence, thus,
one is liable.
Strong, compelling feeling
Intense interest, desire,
enthusiasm, overpowering
emotions or a sudden outburst of
emotion.
Passions are neither good nor
evil, but indiferrent (neutral)
Love
Desire
Delight
Hope
Bravery
Anger
Hatred
Sadness
Despair
Fear
Horror
Necessary for self-defence, growth, improvement
and devotion.
Passions may result to evil acts when not controlled
by reason.
A person should be a master of his/her passions
and not a slave of it.
Antecedent Passions – It arises spontaneously
before the act, before one can control it.
Ex.
› Spontaneous craving for a delicious food.
› Sudden anger
Consequent Passions – Intentionally stimulated and
kept.
Ex.
› Provoking hatred in your heart to carry out
revenge/murder.
Antecedent Passions may completely destroy
freedom and moral responsibility.
Ex:
Feeling of strong and deep anger over the rape and killing
of your daughter
Antecedent Passions blind reason and may lessen
freedom and responsibility. It increases voluntariness.
Ex: Crime of passion- lost control in the murder of his
adulterous wife and her lover (Nagdilim ang isip)
Alcoholics/Addicts- Voluntarily surrender to the
tendency, but with less freedom (less control)
Antecedent Passions do not always destroy
freedom, humans are rational
Consequent Passions increases
voluntariness because they are intentional
Ex.
› Reading or watching pornos to entice or arouse the mind for
masturbation.
Fear – is a disturbance of the mind caused
by the thought of a threatening evil.
It is an unpleasant feeling of anxiety or
apprehension caused by the presence or
anticipation of danger.
Acts done in spite of fear (internal).
(dangerous, risky acts, new situations)
› Climbing a mountain, boarding a plane, lock down,
being alone, speaking in front
Acts done out of fear (external forces)
› A sea captain throws cargos in a storm for survival
Fear may be slight or grave according to
the amount or nearness.
1. Acts done in spite of fear are always
voluntary(with full control).
Ex. Speaking in public
2. Acts done out of fear are simply
voluntary (in control)
Ex. Captain abandoning a sinking ship
3. Acts done out of fear are conditionally
involuntary (with pressure)
Ex. Drinking due to peer pressure
4) Acts done out of grave/intense fear
or panic are involuntary (obscures the mind)
Ex. Death threat
The application of external physical force
on someone to accomplish something
against one's will.
Human acts resulting from violence are
involuntary by themselves.
Ex. Rape victim
Involuntary when there is active resistance by
witholding consent.
Ex. Resisting sexual advances of your boss
With partial consent or less resistance lessens
voluntariness
Ex. Drug courier through torture
An action or pattern of behavior
that is repeated so often though
one may be unaware of it.
Synonymous to addiction,
obsession, tradition.
Habits do not destroy voluntariness and moral
responsibility
Ex. Drinking, gambling
Unintentional (remains unaware)- lessens
voluntariness and responsibility
Ex. Foul language since childhood.
Intentional habits, but with positive and constant effort
to resist- lessens voluntariness and responsibility
Ex. Smoking,gambling
