Keywords
absolute moral prohibitions
object
end
circumstances
physicalism
proportionalism
intentionality
choice
Veritatis Splendor
St. Thomas Aquinas
How to Cite
Abstract
The article presents the issue of so-called intrinsically evil acts forbidden by absolute moral prohibitions, which are the subject of the moral teaching of the Catholic Church, recalled and reaffirmed by John Paul II in his encyclical letter Veritatis Splendor. This teaching was contested and revised by some theologians after Vatican II. The paper presents the essence of this revision, which in time came to be known as proportionalism, and the influence on its genesis of an erroneous understanding of the object of a moral act called physicalism, which originated in the casuistic tradition. Next, the essential elements of the critique of proportionism were presented, especially the failure of its proponents to recognize the role and importance of the act of choice for the proper understanding of human action and the moral qualifi cation of the entire act and its agent. In this context, one of the main points of contention between proportionalists and the Catholic theological, moral tradition is discussed, which is the concept of the object of the moral act. The paper also points out some of the consequences that this dispute may have on moral life and moral theory. The stated goals of the paper were achieved on the basis of the teaching of the Magisterium and the analysis of human action by St. Thomas Aquinas, using relevant biblical texts and arguments formulated in the contemporary theological debate triggered by the teaching of the encyclical Veritatis Splendor.
References
Aurelius, S. Augustinus, Contra Mendacium, ed. J.P. Migne, PL 40, Bibliotheca Cleri Universa, Brepolis–Turnhout, 517-548.
Biblia Tysiąclecia. 1991. Poznań: Pallottinum.
Cahill, Lisa Sowle. 1984. “Contemporary Challenges to Exceptionless Moral Norms.” In: Moral Theology Today: Certitudes and Doubts, edited by Donald G. McCarthy, 121-135. St. Louis, Missouri: The Pope John XXIII Medical-Moral Research and Education Center.
Cahill, Lisa Sowle. 1993. “Accent on the Masculine.” The Tablet, 247: 1618-1619.
Curran, Charles. 1979. “Utilitarianism and Contemporary Moral Theology: Situating the Debates.” In: Readings in Moral Theology No. 1: Moral Norms and Catholic Tradition, edited by Charles E. Curran and Richard McCormick, 341–361. New York: Paulist Press.
Deidun, Thomas J. IC. 1984. „Exceptionless Norms In New Testament Morality: A Biblical-Theological Approach.” In: Moral Theology Today: Certitudes and Doubts, edited by Donald G.
McCarthy, 165-181. St. Louis, Missouri: The Pope John XXIII Medical-Moral Research and Education Center.
Fuchs, Joseph SJ. 1974. „Podstawowa wolność a moralność”. W: Fuchs, Józef. 1974. Teologia moralna, 96-115. Warszawa: Instytut Wydawniczy PAX.
Fuchs, Joseph SJ. 1979. “The Absoluteness of Moral Terms.” In: Readings in Moral Theology No. 1: Moral Norms and Catholic Tradition, edited by Charles E. Curran and Richard McCormick, 94-137. New York: Paulist Press. Inne wersje tego artykułu uwzględniane w literaturze przedmiotu: tenże. 1971. “The Absoluteness of Moral Terms.” Gregorianum 52, 415-458; oraz tenże. 1983. “The Absoluteness of Behavioral Moral Norms.” In: Personal Responsibility and Christian Morality, 115-152. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press, 1983.
Grisez, Germain. 1985. “Moral Absolutes: A Critique of the View of Joseph Fuchs, S.J.” Anthropos. Rivista di Studi sulla Persona e la Famiglia, 2: 155-201.
Grisez, Germain. 1997. The Way of the Lord Jesus, t. I: Christian Moral Principles, Quincy IL: Franciscan Press.
Hildebrand von, Dietrich. 1975. „Rola «obiektywnego dobra dla osoby» w dziedzinie moralności”. Znak, 256: 1289-1308.
Jan Paweł II. 1984. „Adhortacja Reconciliatio et paenitentia”. Acta Apostolicae Sedis, 77: 185-275.
Jan Paweł II. 1993. „Encyklika Veritatis splendor”. Acta Apostolicae Sedis, 85: 1134-1228.
Janssens, Louis. 1972. “Ontic Evil and Moral Evil.” Louvain Studies, 4: 115-156.
Kaczor, Christopher. 2002. Proportionalism and The Natural Law Tradition. Washington DC: Catholic University of America Press.
Katechizm Kościoła Katolickiego. Poznań: Pallottinum, 2002.
Knauer, Peter SJ. 1994. “Zu Grundbegriff en der Enzyklika Veritatis Splendor”. Stimmen der Zeit, 212: 14-26.
Kongregacja Nauki Wiary. 1976a. „Persona humana. Deklaracja o niektórych zagadnieniach etyki seksualnej”. Acta Apostolicae Sedis, 68: 77-96.
Kongregacja Nauki Wiary. 1976b. „Quaecumque sterilizatio. Odpowiedź na pytania Konferencji Episkopatu Ameryki Północnej dotyczące sterylizacji w szpitalach katolickich”. Acta Apostolicae Sedis, 68: 738-740.
Kongregacja Nauki Wiary. 1994. „Odpowiedzi na przedstawione wątpliwości dotyczące «izolowania macicy» i innych zagadnień”. Acta Apostolicae Sedis, 86: 820-821.
Kongregacja Nauki Wiary. 2019. „«Responsum» Congregationis pro Doctrina Fidei ad dubium de liceitate hysterotomiae quibusdam in casibus”. Acta Apostolicae Sedis, 111: 59-61.
May, William E. 1984. “Aquinas and Janssens on the Moral Meaning of Human Acts.” The Thomist, 48: 566-606. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/tho.1984.0003
McCormick, Richard A. SJ and Paul Ramsey. 1978. Doing Evil to Achieve Good: Moral Choice in Conflict Situations. Chicago: Loyola University Press.
McCormick, Richard A. SJ. 1994. “Some Early Reactions to Veritatis splendor.” Theological Studies, 55: 481-506. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/004056399405500303
Müller, Gerhard Ludwig and Stephan Kampowski. 2022. “Going Beyond the Letter of the Law. The Pontifical Academy For Life Challenges The Teachings of Humanae Vitae and Donum Vitae.” First Things, 27.08.2022. Access: 20.06.2023. https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2022/08/going-beyond-the-letter-of-the-law.
Paweł VI. 1967. „Przemówienie do członków Zgromadzenia Najświętszego Odkupiciela”. Acta Apostolicae Sedis, 59: 961-963.
Paweł VI. 1968. „Encyklika Humanae viatae”. Acta Apostolicae Sedis, 60: 481-503.
Pinckaers, Servais OP. 2005. “Revisionist Understanding of Action in the Wake of Vatican II.” In: The Pinckaers Reader. Renewing Thomistic Moral Theology, edited by J. Berkman and C.S. Titus, 236-270. Washington DC: The Catholic University of America Press.
Plich, Robert OP. 2018. „Legalistyczna neutralizacja nauki o czynach wewnętrznie złych i absolutnych zakazach moralnych w adhortacji Amoris laetitia”. Teologia i Moralność, 1(23): 89-123. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14746/tim.2018.23.1.6
Plich, Robert OP. 2019. „Aktualizacja dotycząca zagadnień bioetycznych w praktyce spowiedniczej”. Homo Dei, 2(331): 77-80.
Rhonheimer, Martin. 2000. Natural Law and Practical Reason. A Thomist View of Moral Autonomy. New York: Fordham University Press.
Rhonheimer, Martin. 2008a. “Norm-Ethics, Moral Rationality, and the Virtues. What’s Wrong with Consequentialism?” In: Rhonheimer, Martin. 2008. The Perspective of the Acting Person. Essays in Renewal of Thomistic Moral Philosophy, edited by William F. Murphy, 18-36. Washington DC: The Catholic University of America Press.
Rhonheimer, Martin. 2008b. “Intrinsically Evil Acts and the Moral Viewpoint: Clarifying a Central Teaching of Veritatis Splendor”. In: Rhonheimer, Martin. 2008. The Perspective of the Acting Person. Essays in Renewal of Thomistic Moral Philosophy, edited by William F. Murphy, 37-67. Washington DC: The Catholic University of America Press.
Rhonheimer, Martin. 2008c. “Intentional Action and the Meaning of Object: A Reply to Richard McCormick”. In: Rhonheimer, Martin. 2008. The Perspective of the Acting Person. Essays in Renewal of Thomistic Moral Philosophy, edited by William F. Murphy, 68-94. Washington DC:
The Catholic University of America Press.
Rhonheimer, Martin. 2008d. “The perspective of the Acting Person and the Nature of Practical Reason. The ‘Object of the Human Act’ in Thomistic Anthropology of Action.” In: Rhonheimer, Martin. 2008. The Perspective of the Acting Person. Essays in Renewal of Thomistic Moral Philosophy, edited by William F. Murphy, 195-249. Washington DC: The Catholic University of America Press.
Ross, David W. 1930. The Right and the Good, Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Shaw, Russell. 1997. “Proportionalism.” In: Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Catholic Doctrine, edited by Russell Shaw, 541-542. Huntington IN: Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division.
Sobór Trydencki. 1547. „Sesja VI, Dekret o usprawiedliwieniu”. Dokumenty Soborów Powszechnych. Tekst łaciński i polski, red. A. Baron i H. Pietras SJ, Kraków: Wydawnictwo WAM, 2004, t. IV, 289-311.
Sobór Watykański II. 1964. „Konstytucja dogmatyczna o Kościele Lumen gentium”. Sobór Watykański II. Konstytucje, dekrety, deklaracje, Poznań: Pallottinum, 2002, 104-166.
Sobór Watykański II. 1965a. „Konstytucja dogmatyczna o Objawieniu Bożym Dei Verbum”. Sobór Watykański II. Konstytucje, dekrety, deklaracje, Poznań: Pallottinum, 2002, 350-363.
Sobór Watykański II. 1965b. „Konstytucja duszpasterska o Kościele w świecie współczesnym Gaudium et spes”. Sobór Watykański II. Konstytucje, dekrety, deklaracje, Poznań: Pallottinum, 2002, 526-606.
S. Thomas de Aquino. 1954. “In duo praecepta caritatis et in decem legis praecepta”. In: Opuscula theologica, Marietti, Taurini-Romae, t. 2, 245-271.
S. Thomas de Aquino. 1996. “Quaestiones de quodlibet.” In: Sancti Thomae Aquinatis Doctoris Angelici Opera omnia iussu impensaque Leonis XIII P.M. edita, t. 25, 1, Roma: Commissio Leonina; Paris: Les Éditions du Cerf.
S. Thomas de Aquino. 1982. “Questiones disputatae de malo.” In: Summa Theologiae. In: Sancti Thomae Aquinatis Doctoris Angelici Opera omnia iussu impensaque Leonis XIII P.M. edita, t. 23, Roma: Commissio Leonina; Paris: Librairie Philosophique J. Vrin.
S. Thomas de Aquino. 1929. “Scriptum super Sententiis”, lib. 1-2. In: S. Thomae Aquinatis Ordinis Praedicatorum Doctoris Communis Ecclesiae Scriptum super libros Sententiarum Magistri Petri Lombardi Episcopi Parisiensis, t. 1-2, wyd. P. Mandonnet, Parisiis: P. Lethielleux.
S. Thomas de Aquino. 1933-1947. “Scriptum super Sententiis”, lib. 3-4. In: S. Thomae Aquinatis Ordinis Praedicatorum Doctoris Communis Ecclesiae Scriptum super Sententiis Magistri Petri Lombardi, t. 3-4, wyd. M.F. Moos, Parisiis: P. Lethielleux.
S. Thomas de Aquino. 1969. “Sententia libri Ethicorum.” In: Sancti Thomae Aquinatis Doctoris Angelici Opera omnia iussu impensaque Leonis XIII P.M. edita, t. 47, 1, Romae: b.w.
S. Thomas de Aquino. 1889-1892. “Summa Theologiae.” In: Sancti Thomae Aquinatis Doctoris Angelici Opera omnia iussu impensaque Leonis XIII P.M. edita, t. 5-7, Romae: S.C. de Propaganda Fide.
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Robert Plich
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.