Ethics in Human Actions

Ethics in human actions is a crucial aspect of moral philosophy that deals with the rightness and wrongness of actions. It involves analyzing and evaluating actions based on various ethical theories and principles to determine whether they are morally acceptable or not. In this context, some key points and headings related to ethics in human actions are:

• Importance of ethical behavior: Ethics plays a critical role in shaping human behavior and decision-making, and it is essential for individuals to act ethically in all aspects of their lives. Ethical behavior helps in establishing trust, maintaining social order, and promoting the well-being of society as a whole.
• Ethical theories: There are various ethical theories that provide frameworks for analyzing and evaluating human actions. Some of the most prominent ethical theories include utilitarianism, deontology, virtue ethics, and care ethics. Each theory offers a unique perspective on how to determine the moral rightness or wrongness of an action.
• Ethical principles: Ethical principles are fundamental guidelines that provide a basis for ethical decision-making. Some of the most common ethical principles include autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence, justice, and fidelity. These principles help in evaluating actions and determining their moral value.
• Ethics in professional settings: Professional ethics is an important aspect of ethics in human actions. It involves the application of ethical principles and values in various professions, such as medicine, law, business, and engineering. Ethical conduct in these professions is crucial for maintaining public trust and ensuring that professionals act in the best interest of their clients or patients.
• Ethics in personal life: Ethics is not limited to professional settings, and individuals must also act ethically in their personal lives. This involves making ethical decisions in various situations, such as personal relationships, financial matters, and social interactions. Ethical behavior in personal life helps in building strong relationships, maintaining integrity, and promoting a just and fair society.
• Moral reasoning: Moral reasoning is the process of using ethical principles and values to evaluate actions and make ethical decisions. It involves considering various ethical theories and principles, as well as the consequences of actions, to determine their moral value. Developing strong moral reasoning skills is essential for making ethical decisions in various settings.
• Ethical dilemmas: Ethical dilemmas are situations where there are conflicting moral values, and it is difficult to determine the right course of action. These dilemmas require individuals to engage in moral reasoning and make difficult ethical decisions. Ethical dilemmas can arise in various settings, such as professional and personal life.

St. Thomas Aquinas was a philosopher and theologian who contributed significantly to the development of Christian ethics. Here are some of his ideas related to ethics in human actions:

1. Natural Law: Aquinas believed that ethical principles could be derived from natural law, which he saw as the moral law that God had established for humanity. He held that human reason could discover the natural law, which was based on human nature and guided human behavior towards its proper end.
2. Divine Law: Aquinas also believed that divine law, as revealed in the Bible, could supplement and clarify natural law. He held that divine law provided guidance on issues that natural law did not address, such as specific religious practices.
3. Virtue Ethics: Aquinas believed that human beings could develop virtues through practice, which would enable them to live a good life. He identified four cardinal virtues - prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude - and three theological virtues - faith, hope, and charity - which were necessary for salvation.
4. Human Dignity: Aquinas emphasized the intrinsic value of human beings as created in God's image. He held that every human being deserved respect and dignity, regardless of their social status or wealth.
5. Free Will: Aquinas believed in the importance of free will in ethical decision-making. He held that human beings were capable of making rational choices, guided by natural law and divine law, and that they were responsible for their actions.
6. Ethics of Justice: Aquinas believed that justice was an essential component of ethical behavior. He held that justice required that people be treated fairly and that they fulfill their obligations to others.
7. Common Good: Aquinas believed that human beings had a duty to promote the common good, or the well-being of the community as a whole. He held that the common good was a necessary condition for individual flourishing and that individuals had a responsibility to contribute to the common good.
8. Ethics of Love: Aquinas emphasized the importance of love in ethical behavior. He held that love was the greatest of the theological virtues and that it should guide all human actions, motivating individuals to act in the service of others.

He believed in the concept of free will and its importance in ethical decision-making. Here are some of his ideas related to free will in ethics:

1. Human beings have free will
2. Free will is necessary for moral responsibility
3. Free will allows for moral growth
4. Free will must be guided by reason and faith

Overall, Aquinas's ideas related to ethics in human actions reflect a commitment to human dignity, justice, and the common good, as well as an emphasis on the importance of reason, free will, and love in ethical decision-making.

Impediments to Human Actions/Factors that Render Actions Non-Human in Ethics:

Ignorance:

• Absence of knowledge in a subject capable of having knowledge
• Lack of knowledge in a subject who should have knowledge
• Civil servant can be ignorant if he lacks knowledge of Civil Service (Code of Conduct)

Passion:

• Powerful emotions from a pretence of something perceived as good or evil
• Increases the will to act but simultaneously diminishes free will
• Deliberately arousing a passion before acting increases voluntary nature of action
• For instance, a person deliberately causing herself to become enraged to kill another person

Fear:

• Emotional reaction arising from impending danger
• Can be inflicted justly or unjustly
• Strong enough fear destroys freedom of choice and voluntariness of action

Violence:

• External physical force exerted on a person
• Unfree actions done in these circumstances are not human actions

Habit:

• Quality acquired through frequent repetition
• Good habits are virtues and bad habits are vices
• Some habits may become less voluntary because of a lack of advertence to a particular action
• Foreseeing results does not lessen voluntariness of an action

Temperament:

• The sum of a person’s natural propensities
• Character is the collection of a person’s acquired propensities, such as habits
• May sometimes lessen the voluntariness of actions but never destroy it

Examination of the Morality of Human Action:

• Human actions are subject to ethical examination and deciding morality
• Actions that fall under the above factors are beyond the scope of ethical examination

E.g. A person killing in a fit of rage due to passion is a non-human action and cannot be examined ethically.