THE MORAL AGENT
CHAPTER II
Those who are present for
today will be given extra
points as part of the quiz!!!
LESSON 1 – MAN AS A MORAL
AGENT
Learning Objectives:
To explain the moral agent means
To discuss the meaning of fundamental
option
THE HUMAN PERSON AS MORAL
AGENT
Morals comes form a Latin “mores” referring to
society’s patterns, standards, rules of doing things.
“Agent” comes from Latin “agere” to do act.
Moral Agent refers to the one who performs an act in
accordance with moral standards. A moral agent is the
moral actor. One who acts morally.
Moral Agent is “a being who is capable of those actions
that have moral quality and which can be properly
denominated good or evil in a moral sense.
WHAT IS A SUFFICIENT CONDITION OF A MORAL
AGENCY?
Only a moral agent is capable of human acts.
That’s why “morality is for persons.”
The moral agent has a capacity to conform to
moral standards, to act for the sake of moral
consideration, that is for the sake of moral law,
qualifies one to be a moral agent.
A moral agent should have the capacity to rise
above their feelings and passions and act for the
sake of the moral law.
THE PURPOSE-DRIVEN MORAL
AGENT
Every human act is directed towards an
end.
Thomistic Principles regards on the
end or purpose.
Every agent that performs an action acts
for the sake of the end or purpose to be
attained .
Every agent acts for ultimate end
Every agent has the power of moving for
an end which is suitable or good for him.
THE FUNDAMENTAL OPTION
A person’s act is moral if it is realizes his/her
potentials and brings him/her nearer to this goal in
life, immoral it deviates from it.
The fundamental option is “the stance or position I
decide to take vis-à-vis the Absolute Value (God)
which then influences ultimately all my other
individual actions and decisions.
If one is used to a life in accordance with the
fundamental option, at the end moment of death,
he/she would be asked by God what his/her option
will be, and he/she definitely will say yes to God.
NO PRE- FIXED PLAN FOR MAN
A human person is or becomes what
he/she makes of himself / herself by
choices.
He/she is nothing, no “essence” until
he / she starts his/her “existence” by
making choices.
There is no pre-fixed plan for the
human as a moral agents.
REFLECTION
In 2 paragraph
From the innermost core of your being,
whom you have chosen-
God(goodness) or not God (evil. How
true have you been to your
fundamental option? Is your life of
communion with God or one of
isolation.
LESSON 2- THE DEVELOPMENT OF MORAL
CHARACTER OF THE MORAL AGENT
Learning Objectives
State defining moments in your moral
formation
Explain the relationship between moral
acts and character
MEANING OF DEFINING MOMENT
Defining moments refers to a
significant lie-changing events or
moment that reverberates throughout
your career and personal life and so
changes everything.
THE DEFINING MOMENT OF THE
SAINTS
St. Paul
defining moment was when suddenly a light
from heaven flashed around him on his way
to Damascus.
St. Augustine
defining moment was when while outdoors
he heard the voice o a child singing a song,
the words of which were, “Pick it up and
read it. “Pick it up and read it.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MORAL ACTS AND
CHARACTER
Moral character is necessary for moral
behaviour.
Moral character facilitates doing moral
actions
A person who has moral character does
moral actions more readily and more
willingly than one who does not. Therefore it
is good to develop moral character.
Moral character is formed by repeatedly
doing moral acts.
LESSON 3- THE STAGES OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT
Learning Objectives
Describe each stage of moral
development
Evaluate one’s personal growth against
the stages of personal development
MEANING OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT
Moral development refers to
the “process through which a
human person gains his/her
beliefs, skills and dispositions
that make him/her a morally
mature person.
STAGES OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT ACCORDING TO
WILLIAM A. KAY (1970)
1. Pre-logical Thinking
2. By Law
3. By Conscience
4. By Reciprocity
5. Social Consciousness
KOHLBERG’S STAGES OF
DEVELOPMENT
Level 1- Pre-Conventional Morality
Is the level where children don’t have a
personal code of morality. Instead, their
moral code is controlled by the standards
of adults and the consequences of
following or breaking adults’ rules.
Stage 1 – Obedience and Punishment
Orientation
Stage 2 – Instrumental Orientation
KOHLBERG’S STAGES OF
DEVELOPMENT
Level 2- Conventional
Throughout the conventional level, a
child’s sense of morality tied to personal
and societal relationships.
Stage 3 – “Good Boy, Nice Girl” Orientation
Stage 4 – Law and Order Orientation
KOHLBERG’S STAGES OF
DEVELOPMENT
Level 3 – Post Conventional
Morality
It is where morality is completely
internalized and not based on
external standards. Individual
judgement is based on self-chosen
principles and moral reasoning is
based on individual rights and justice.
Stage 5- Social Contract Orientation
Stage 6- Universal, Ethical, Principle Orientation
DEVELOPMENT OF CONSCIENCE –BASED MORAL
DECISION
Conscience based moral decision is
“an act of the practical judgment
of reason deciding upon an
individual action as good and to e
performed and as evil .
THE FORMATION OF CONSCIENCE
1. Conscience formation begins with the deep-
seated decision to seek moral truth.
2. A sound conscience must stand on the firm
foundation of integrity, sincerity and
forthrightness.
3. Conscience formation is sustained by the
habit of consistently educating oneself by
exposure to objective moral norms and the
rationale behind those norms.