THE VOLUNTAREITY AND MORALITY OF HUMAN ACT

Abstract

The question of human act (actushumanus), especially when it is distinguished from mere acts of man (Actushominis), still resonates in ethical discourse. The subject at hand is basic to the judgment or evaluation of the morality of those actions properly said to be human. There are a lot of problems associated with the voluntariness and, consequently, the morality of human acts. This work attempts to address some of them, namely, the definition of human act, the constituents of the voluntariness of human act, obstacles to the voluntariness of human act, and sources of moral evaluation of human acts. In an attempt to solve these problems, this research adopts the philosophical method of analysis for a deeper treatment of the identified issues. The paper, in conclusion, suggests that for a comprehensive judgement of the morality of an act properly human, the three sources or elements of moral evaluation—the object or nature of the act, the circumstances surrounding the act, and above all, the intention of the agent—must be considered. Again, before any act performed by man can be evaluated as morally good or bad, it must first of all be voluntary. This work is not only significant to the legislature; our judiciary is equally advised to take cognizance of the above-mentioned three elements of moral evaluation of human act, together with the level of voluntariness of an act before judgement delivery.