4. Conflicts Between Conscience and Civil Law
Ideally there would be no conflict between a well-formed conscience and just civil law
When is a law unjust?
St. Thomas Aquinas: In order for a law to be valid it must:
Promote the common good
Promote an equality of proportion
Acknowledge all authority comes from God
5. Morality and Action: An analysis of the Human Act
Every moral action changes us for better or worse
3 Criteria for evaluating the morality of human actions:
The object-
Intention
Circumstance
6. The Principles of Double Effect
Acts may have…
Object-
Right intention
Good circumstance
… But never the less bring bad effects
Double Effect requires:
1. Actions be good
2. Has a right intention
3. Good action must be the means of the good act
7. The good effect must be proportionate to the evil effect
A. Abortion- no good in killing
B. Surgery to rid the body of cancer