Determinants of Human Actions

The determinants of human actions are complex and multifaceted and can be influenced by a wide range of factors, including

1. Biological factors: Human actions can be influenced by biological factors such as genetics, brain structure, and hormones. For example, certain genetic predispositions may make someone more likely to engage in risk-taking behavior.
2. Psychological factors: Human actions can also be influenced by psychological factors such as personality traits, beliefs, attitudes, and emotions. For example, someone with high levels of empathy may be more likely to help others in need.
3. Social factors: Human actions can be influenced by social factors such as cultural norms, peer pressure, and socialization. For example, in some cultures, it may be considered rude to speak loudly in public, and individuals may be more likely to conform to these cultural norms.
4. Environmental factors: Human actions can be influenced by environmental factors such as physical surroundings, access to resources, and weather conditions. For example, someone who lives in an area with limited access to healthy food options may be more likely to consume unhealthy foods.
5. Economic factors: Human actions can be influenced by economic factors such as financial incentives, wealth, and income inequality. For example, someone who is struggling financially may be more likely to take on risky jobs with poor working conditions in order to make ends meet.

To determine whether an action aligns with human nature or not, it is essential to examine three parts of every action. These three parts are:

1. Object

of a Human Action

• The object of any action is its essence, which makes an action what it is. It can be good, bad, or indifferent. The following principles apply to the object of every action:
• An action whose object is bad will remain bad, and nothing can improve it, neither circumstances, nor purpose, nor intention.
• An action that is good may become bad because of circumstances or purpose.
• An action that is indifferent may become good or bad because of circumstances or purpose.

2. Circumstances of a Human Action

Circumstances refer to the particular time, place, agent, and manner in which the act is being done. Moral circumstances are the criteria for assessing the goodness or badness of human action. The following principles apply to the circumstances of human action:

• Aggravating moral circumstances increase the goodness or badness of an action.
• Extenuating moral circumstances decrease the amount of badness of an action.
• Specifying moral circumstances make an indifferent act become good or bad.

3. End or Purpose of a Human Action

It refers to the purpose the person had in mind while doing the act. The following principles apply to the purpose of human action:

• An action that is indifferent because of its object may become good or bad because of the purpose.
• An action that is good because of its object may become better or less good or even bad because of the purpose.
• An action that is evil by its object may become more wrong or perhaps less wrong but never good by its purpose.