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I. AN OVERVIEW OF THE MORAL SITUATION TODAY:

CONTEMPORARY MORAL TRENDS
- Describe the apparent and observable value system, sense of right and
wrong
Our present generation is characterized by an extraordinary
increase and gravity of threats to life = alters life, against life, be
oblivious to the value of life
of individuals and peoples
especially where life is weak and defenseless
JOHN PAUL II = EVANGELIUM VITAE = Gospel of Life

- promote the culture of life to counter the apparent CULTURE OF:

D - divorce
E - euthanasia
A - abortion
T total birth control
H homosexuality
ROOTS AND SOURCES OF THIS CULTURE OF DEATH
a) Profound crisis of culture
cause = skepticism in relation to the foundations of knowledge and ethics
effects = difficulty in grasping clearly:
- The meaning of what man is he finds himself lost
- forgetting man as subject
- The meaning of mans rights and duties
b) existential and interpersonal difficulties (made worse by):
- complexity of society where people no longer want to take
responsibility for their neighbors = indifference

- extreme weight given to freedom

- Situation ethics = as long as it is motivated by
love, it is valid
- Ethics of Conformity = Everybody does it
- instant solution to difficult problems
- loss of the sense of God
c) Situations of acute poverty, anxiety or frustration in which
the struggle to make ends meet becomes a common scenario

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- Situation ethics = as long as it is motivated by
love, it is valid
- Ethics of Conformity = Everybody does it
- instant solution to difficult problems
- loss of the sense of God
AS A CONSEQUENCE:
= make the choice to defend and promote life so demanding and extremely
challenging sometimes reach the point of heroism

THIS IS WHAT MAN SHOULD BE = THE BASIS OF HIS DIGNITY

= only when he lives accordingly to his being that he truly lives

THREATS TO LIFE: PHYSICAL

INTEGRITY = WHOLENESS OF THE PERSON
HUMAN DIGNITY = STATUS
Man has indirect ownership of his own body; not absolute ownership; steward
3 principles
1) We dont exercise absolute ownership over our life we are just stewards
2) Life of innocent - untouchable
3) Life of the guilty can be taken only either by legitimate self-defense,
death penalty and just war
a) Whatever is opposed to life itself
Murder killing of a person attended with one or several aggravating
circumstances(as worded by the revised penal code)
Homicide indirect killing of an innocent person
Genocide murder of a clan or race
Abortion an expulsion from the womb of an immature, non-viable
fetus.
Miscarriage spontaneous abortion; due to causes
beyond human control; involuntary
Induced abortion due to voluntary and effective human
intervention. Sought as an end or means
Euthanasia an act or omission which by intention causes death to
eliminate suffering = HOPE & BURDEN
Willful self-destruction suicide, drugs, vices, dangerous stunts

b) Whatever violates the integrity of the human person

Mutilation with sterilizations, amputations, organ transplants = if
done out of therapeutic claims, endangers your health and makes you
less of a person
Torments inflicted on mind and body - Terrorism, kidnapping,
discrimination, torture = makes our world smaller, limits our actions
Attempts to coerce the will itself Rape, etc.
c) Whatever insults human dignity
Subhuman living conditions
Arbitrary imprisonment
Slavery
Prostitution
Selling of women and children
Disgraceful working conditions = where people are treated as
mere instruments of gain rather than free and responsible persons
Corresponding questions to the aforementioned trends:
What orientations and frames of mind do people have to resort to these
trends? Why did they decide for these trends? When is it offensive and illicit?
ALL THESE TRENDS ARE:
= Poison to the human society = harms and destroys relationship and life
itself
=Against the order of reason = we are bothered and felt guilty about it
= it has an impact; we are affected by it
= expanding with new prospects = now becoming a trend and producing
sub-cultures
= opened up by scientific technological progress = effect of our
philosophy of instants; motivated by practicality
IRONY = progress in science and technology results in a regress in moral
life
RESULT = new moral paradigm emerges and a new climate is developing
and taking hold === broad sectors of public opinion justify certain crimes

= they do it in the name of the rights of individuals

= by claiming exemption from punishment & authorization

from the state so that these crimes can be done with total
freedom

THESE ARE SYMPTOMS OF MORAL DECLINE

CRIMES AGAINST LIFE ------- go unpunished

------- made legal
choices considered criminal and rejected by common sense

- gradually becoming socially acceptable

ex. Certain sectors of medical profession directed to the
defense and care of human life are willing to carry out
these acts against the human person = they therefore
contradicts the very nature of medical profession (concrete
example)
= Because of these trends = CONSCIENCE is gravely disturbed and
darkened

= it has become difficult to distinguish

between Good and evil