THEOLOGY
NOTIONS OF CONSCIENCE
inner voice which guides us in our moral life
basic tendency toward the good
always summoning us to love the good and avoid
evil. Tayo ang mali; tama ang conscience natin;
follow your conscience
Also known as the subjective norm of morality
Meaning that conscience has the final say in the
making of moral decisions
-pag sinabi ng conscience mo, even if its wrong, just do it
(basic principle)
-The object of the act is the primary basis of moral judgement
-Hindi porque sinabi ng conscience ay dapat gawin na natin
-conscience: wag ka pumasok/ hindi ka full self , madali kang
maano ng conscience mo
-papasok ang conscience mop ag may naisip ka na hindi
maganda
-wala talagang standard, walang perfect norm
CONCEPT OF CONSCIENCE
summons us to love the good and avoid evil
It is the most secret core and sanctuary of an
individual
To be alone with God gumagawa ka ng masama tapos
na-realize mo
THE MORAL CONSCIENCE
man detects a law which he does not impose upon
himself, but which holds him to obedience
Always summoning him to love good and avoid evil
for man in his heart detects a law written by God
To obey it is the very dignity of man; according to it
he will be judged.
There is something higher than the Human Law
-you will be judged by men by following the law
-you will be judged by God by following your conscience
Divisions of Conscience
1. True conscience - conforms to what is objectively
right
2. False or erroneous conscience - the conscience errs
because of the false principles or from incorrect
reasoning
KINDS OF ERRONEOUS CONSCIENCE
Scrupulous conscience - little or no reason
judges an act to be morally evil when it is
not mina-magnify mo yung mali
Perplexed Conscience - One fears that sin is
committed whether it was actually done or
not sinabi mo or not, mali ka pa ren
Lax Conscience- judges on insufficient
ground that there is no sin in the fact, or that
sin is not as grave as it is in fact, or it is
insensitive to a moral obligation in a
particular area you dont see anything
wrong/e.g. not making simba is okay
Pharisaical Conscience- minimizes grave
sins but maximizes small ones binabalikan
mo yung tapos na/ di ka maka-move on
FEAR OF PENALTY- reduces conscience
DOUBTFUL CONSCIENCE- wala kang trust
CERTAIN CONSCIENCE
without any prudent fear or error, it decides that the
act is either lawful or unlawful
a conscience can be certain at the same time
erroneous
a certain conscience is not necessarily right
a certain conscience excludes all fear or error about
acting rightly
certain conscience contradicts true conscience / alam ko ang
sasabihin niyo, mali ako pero tama ako
DOUBTFUL CONSCIENCE
when it fails to pass a moral judgment in the
character of the act due to a fear or error, or if
the person is unsure about the correctness of his
judgment
e.g. di mo alam kung papasok ka ba or hindi
not necessarily wrong/ either right or wrong
hindi ka sure kung true or false
SOME MORAL PRINCIPLES INVOLVING THE USE
OF CONSCIENCE:
A person who follows an erroneous conscience
without causing injury to others should not be
prevented from acting , unless the person objects
unreasonably against ones own welfare like in the
prevention of suicide or an injury to ones health.
-E.g. someones using contraceptives pero di mo
sinasabihan kasi baka ma-offend
A person who follows ones erroneous conscience
and injures others should be prevented from
performing ones external deeds.
A person who follows ones erroneous conscience
and injures others should be prevented from
performing ones external deeds.
SOME PRINCIPLES GOVERNING/ FORMING
CONSCIENCE
One is obliged to form a right and unerring
conscience.
Everyone is obliged to follow ones conscience.
One is not permitted to follow an erroneous
conscience; so the error must be corrected before one
acts upon it.
If the person with a perplexed conscience finds it
impossible to ask for an advise, one should choose
what seems to be the lesser evil. The person follows
the Reflex principles.
Only the certain conscience is the correct guide to
moral behavior.
CERTAIN CONSCIENCE !! **
-One is obliged to form a right conscience// not permitted if
one will follow erroneous conscience
-perplexed conscience finds it impossible to seek advise
-only certain conscience
THEOLOGY
REFLEX PRINCIPLES
rules of prudence which do not solve doubts
concerning the existence of a law, moral principle, or
fact by intrinsic or extrinsic evidence
instead, they only indicate where, in cases of
unreasonable doubts, the greater right is usually to be
found and the lesser evil is to be feared, and which
side therefore is favored as long as the doubt persists.
-when in doubt but you still have to make a choice,
gagamitan mo ng prudence/ e.g. contraceptives,
divorce, abortion
-CHOOSE THE LESSER EVIL
Reflex principles wherein doubt presumption stand:
In doubt, the condition of the possessor is the
better. (lost and found)
In doubt, favor the accused; or (which comes to
the same): Crime is not to be presumed, it has
to be proven. (may evidence but lacking)
In doubt, presumption stands on the side of the
superior.
In doubt, stand for the validity of the act.
-validity of act depends on instruction
-there is hierarchy in what you hear and see
-words can be action
-iba yung act at iba yung sinasabi [basis]
(inside senate)
In doubt, amplify the favorable and restrict the
unfavorable.
In doubt, presumption stands for the usual and
the ordinary.
In doubt, favor the customary and hitherto
approved.
A doubtful law does not oblige.
-Magtanong ka muna kung what is proper//e.g. may
date ba tayo, may bagyo kasi
MORE PRACTICAL PRINCIPLES IN THE
FORMATION OF CONSCIENCE (Finley and Pennock):
Principle 1. Yes, we are told to follow our conscience.
Conscience is Supreme. In moral decisions, we must follow
our conscience, even if it is wrong. Two points should be
emphasized here:
Because a person is ultimately responsible
for ones actions nobody else can be blamed
for them.
But by saying that conscience is supreme, it
does not mean that an individual is superior
to God, the Church, or other people. True, a
person is responsible for ones action, but
these are not in isolation from others.
Principle 2. One has the duty to continuously develop an
informed conscience.
Have a pure intention
Consult the teaching of the New Testament,
the Prophets, Moses, and Paul.
Ask the question: How will this action of
mine measure up to the yardstick of love?
Consult the people of God where Christ and
His Spirit reside.
Follow the current debate on the great
moral issues.
Pray for Gods graceful guidance in all our
actions.
Be sorrowful for our sinfulness, not just our
sins, by confessing them fully and humbly,
asking for Gods help in the process.
THE PRINCIPLE OF DOUBLE EFFECT
Also known as the voluntary indirect principle
Man always acts for a purpose (always)
Distinctions:
Purpose or intention of the agent (finis operantis)
Purpose of the action (finis operis)
UNINTENDED OR INVOLUNTARY
CONSEQUENCES when an action results to more
consequences or effects than what was originally
intended or expected.
Unintended but foreseen consequences
consequences of our action, even if we do
not include them in our deliberate planning.
Medical procedure tapos na-coma
Unintended and unforeseen consequences
when we never know what particular
effects would follow from our action.
Nabagsakan ka ng ilaw
Whether Foreseen or Unforeseen, these
consequences are called INDIRECTLY
VOLUNTARY
WHAT IS ONES MORAL RESPONSIBILITY OVER
THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF ONES
ACTION?
There is no moral responsibility (unforeseen and
unintended), neither the will nor the mind are
involved.
For the unintended but foreseen, it should be noted
that it is not a question of justifying the evil
consequences. Even if these are unintended, by the
fact that they are evil means that they can never be
justified. The question then pertains to the otherwise
good action, and whether it can still be morally
justified by reason with the evil consequences that
follow.
*THE END JUSTIFIES THE MEANS DOES NOT APPLY
AT ALL
FOUR CONDITIONS OF THE PRINCIPLE OF
DOUBLE EFFECT
The action itself must be morally good or at least
indifferent.
The good effect must precede the evil effect, or at
least be simultaneous with it.
The intention of the agent should be directed towards
the good effect, never to the evil effect.
Proportionality: the good effect must be more
important than or at least equal to the bad effect.
TO ASSURE THE VALIDITY OF THE CONDITIONS, THE
PERSON IS EXPECTED TO HAVE DEVELOPED AND
ACCEPTED A HIERARCHY OF VALUES IN ONES
THEOLOGY
MORAL AND PERSONAL LIFE BASED ON HUMAN
AND CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES.
For if this fails, the reference to the principle of the
double effect to solve difficult moral situations,
especially in the practice of medicine, will just be an
easy way to justify most arbitrary decisions.
THE PRINCIPLE OF TOTALITY
Rests on the proposition that the whole is more
important than its parts.
In this sense, the whole traditional Christian moral
theology justifies the sacrifice of one part of organ as
long as it threatens the integrity of the human
organism or presents a serious obstacle to its proper
functioning.
TWO CONTROVERSIES:
Interpretation of whole human organism in terms of
ones physical integrity or whether it can be extended
to include ones psychological, emotional, and moral
wholeness or well being. Total Integrity.
Justification of a person in perfect state of health can
donate an organ for the benefit of one who needs it.
*Justification is of charity and brotherly concern and/ or
proportionality
Dapat kapag nag-sacrifice ka ng buhay, dapat
proportioned// bigay ng kidney w/o value
PRINCIPLE OF STEWARDSHIP
Humans are at the top of the world: the most
perfect creatures in the universe.
There is a general, universal experience of
respect and protection for human life as the most
basic and indispensable condition for any further
development of human potentialities, which
becomes clearer when enlightened by faith and
religion.
-you cannot change order
-emphasis on food: para sa self- preservation// e.g. eat ur pet to
not die
-care for creation for personal consumption
-drinking saltwater is not a principle of stewardship bcos
mamatay ka lalo
Principle of stewardship is extending life
Man is the subject of a special creation.
A reflection of beauty and perfection of God
Can think, will and understand, yet,
Not totally independent.
Man is given a certain dominion over all the
created things. The relationship of man and
created things are reflected as:
A Useful Dominion. All things were created for
the service and use of man, to use them
reasonably and responsibly to satisfy his needs.
Accountable Stewardship Over Mans Life.
Man does not have the same dominion over
himself, he is accountable to God for what he
makes of himself. To realize himself is his
mission, included in the Divine plan.
Human life, then, is the most basic and fundamental
requirement for man to carry out his mission.
PRINCIPLE OF EPIKEIA
Is an interpretation of Human Law not according to
its letter but according to its spirit for those border
cases which have not sufficiently been taken into
consideration by positive law.
A restrictive interpretation of the law by private
authority excusing one from the observance of the
law in some particular difficult case in accordance
with the genuine meaning of legislation.
-May mga batas na may butas
Speed limit nawawala na yung spirit or yung essence ng
mabilis at mabagal
-mawawala ang inggit sa mundo kapag epikea yung
pianairal
INNER JUSTIFICATIONS FOR EPIKEIA
The legislator cannot foresee all the circumstances
which may arise for individuals and, even if one
does, often fails to cover them all with the wordings
of a general law.
Laws are often not fast enough to follow the
developments of life and the changes in society. NO
PERFECT LAW
SPIRIT OF THE LAW-SAFETY AND SECURITY
Human legislation itself has the jural duty to admit the right
of its subjects to resort to the law of epikeia, in order to
compensate for the unavoidable deficiencies of the law.
CONDITIONS AND CAUTIONS IN OBSERVING
EPIKEIA:
It only applies to positive laws.
It must remain with the genuine meaning of
legislation. Epikeia must be justified by the superior
needs of the common good and ultimately by the
demands of the ultimate end of humanity.
Consultation with others is very much urged,
especially for instances with more important
exceptions.
Recourse to a superior is required in doubtful cases,
unless one is terribly difficult to approach.
It cannot be applied to void acts (Invalidating laws)
or to laws that render persons incapable of
undertaking certain legal actions (Incapacitating
laws).
MORAL MAXIMS
Right reason is indeed a true law, in accord with nature,
diffused among all men, unchangeable, eternal
Let it not be forgotten, let it be emphasized, repeated,
emblazoned in the halls of every legislative body, that morality
is a fundamental principle in legislation; but for this principle,
this law of nature, this law of God, this law of man popular
government would fail. Morality cannot be disregarded by the
legislature, it must be regarded, or the action of the body is
void. Moral law was not created by a legislative body. It was
never enacted. It was never created by the constitution of the
state or of the nation. Neither the constitution itself nor the
THEOLOGY
legislature can disregard it and the action be valid (Ritter,
Moral and Civil Law, p.83).

1. One who acts through an agent is himself

responsible.
2. No one is obliged to betray himself.
3. In doubt, one may do what is generally done.
4. An object cries out for its owner.
5. No one can give what he does not have.
6. The end does not justify the means.
7. No one is a judge in his own case.
8. Accessories belong to the principal object.
9. If one is willing to cooperate in an act, no injustice is
done
10. A law giving a privilege may be interpreted in the
broadest way possible, a law restricting our liberty
may be given the narrowest interpretation.