ETHICS
AND THE
HUMAN ACTS
MARL LECHBEN O. GAPUTAN, MPA, LPT
2024
Table of Contents
Title Page i
Table of Contents ii
About the Author iv
Chapter 1 - Introduction to Ethics and the Human Acts 1
Chapter Quote and its Explanation 1
Learning Outcomes 1
Definition of Ethics 2
Categories of Ethics 3
Meta-ethics 3
Normative Ethics 3
Applied Ethics 3
Importance of Studying Ethics 4
Differences of General Ethics and Special Ethics 6
Methods of Ethical Inquiry 7
The Objectivist Method 8
The Subjectivist Method 8
Definition of Human Acts and its Key Elements 8
Importance of Studying Human Acts 10
Chapter 2 - Human Acts and Acts of Man 13
Chapter Quote and its Explanation 13
Learning Outcomes 13
Distinction of Human Acts from Acts of Man 14
The Categories of Human Acts 15
Elicited Acts 15
Commanded Acts 16
Chapter 3 - Classifications and Components of Human Acts 18
Chapter Quote and its Explanation 18
Learning Outcomes 18
Classifications of Human Acts 19
Components of Human Acts 20
Chapter 4 - Voluntariness in Human Acts 23
Chapter Quote and its Explanation 23
Learning Outcomes 23
Degrees of Voluntariness in Human Acts 24
Perfect and Imperfect Voluntariness 24
Simple and Conditional Voluntariness 25
Direct and Indirect Voluntariness 26
Positive and Negative Voluntariness 27
Actual and Virtual Voluntariness 28
Habitual and Interpretative Voluntariness 28
Chapter 5 - The Modifiers of Human Acts 31
Chapter Quote and its Explanation 31
Learning Outcomes 31
The Ten Modifiers of Human Acts 32
Ignorance 32
Passion 34
Fear 38
Violence 39
Habit 40
Punishment 41
Reward 42
Intention 44
Circumstance 45
Consequence 48
Chapter 6 - The Ends of Human Acts 51
Chapter Quote and its Explanation 51
Learning Outcomes 51
Definition of End 52
Human Appetency 52
Relationship between Human Appetency and Human Acts 54
Ends and Means of Human Acts and Its Ethical Considerations 55
Classification of Ends in Human Acts 57
Immediate Ends 58
Intermediate Ends 58
Ultimate End 58
Significance of the Classification of Ends in Human Acts 58
The Ultimate Ends of Human Acts 59
The Objective Ultimate End 59
The Subjective Ultimate End 60
Glossary 62
References 70
About the Author
Marl Lechben O. Gaputan, MPA, LPT
The author graduated with a degree in AB Philosophy from Xavier University - Ateneo
de Cagayan in 2007. In 2012, he pursued a master's degree in Public Administration
at Camiguin Polytechnic State College and successfully graduated in 2014.
Throughout his career, the author primarily taught subjects related to public
administration, however, for the academic year 2022 onwards, he exclusively taught
ethics. The author holds the position of Assistant Professor I at the Institute of Arts
and Sciences in Camiguin Polytechnic State College.
