Study sheet: Foundations of Human Morality

Exam-Oriented Revision Sheet

1. 📌 Essentials

• Human dignity: Inherent worth of every person, created in God's image.
• Virtues: Habits that perfect moral character; divided into theological (faith, hope, charity) and cardinal (prudence, justice temperance, fortitude).
• Free will: Capacity to choose good or evil; central to moral responsibility.
• The STOP method: Analyzing moral acts via Object, Intention, Circumstances.
• Paschal Mystery: Christ’s Passion, Death, Resurrection and Ascension; foundation of salvation.
• Law elements: Reason, dictate, authority; guide moral behavior.
• Types of law: Natural, civil, canon; Old Law (Moses), New Law (Gospel).
• Eudaimonia: Human flourishing achieved through virtue.
• Impediments to freedom: Ignorance, habit, duress, attachments.
• Moral evaluation: Based on object, intention, and circumstances.

2. 🧩 Key Structures & Components

• Human person — possesses dignity, free will, and rational capacity.
• Virtues — moral habits cultivated through practice.
• Law — guides moral actions; includes natural, civil, and divine laws.
• Theological virtues — faith, hope, charity; orient towards God.
• Cardinal virtues — prudence, justice, temperance, fortitude; practical moral virtues.
• Paschal Mystery — Christ’s Passion and Resurrection; basis of Christian morality.
• Moral acts — composed of object, intention, and circumstances.
• Freedom — external (from constraints) and internal (from passions/ignorance).
• Impediments — factors hindering moral choice and responsibility.

3. 🔬 Functions, Mechanisms & Relationships

• Virtues develop through repeated moral acts, fostering moral excellence.
• Free will enables choosing between good and evil, influenced by impediments.
• Law provides a framework for moral decision-making, based on reason and authority.
• Moral acts are evaluated holistically: object (what), intention (why), circumstances (context).
• The STOP method helps discern moral goodness by analyzing parts of an act.
• Eudaimonia results from living virtuously, fulfilling human telos.
• The Paschal Mystery exemplifies ultimate love and moral perfection.
• Impediments such as ignorance or habit diminish moral responsibility.
• Types of law serve different roles: natural (human reason), civil (state), divine (God’s law).

4. Comparative Table

Item	Key Features	Notes / Differences
Human Dignity	Inherent, unconditional worth; created in God's image	Foundation of moral respect
Virtues	Habits for moral excellence; theological & cardinal	Cultivated through practice
Free Will	Capacity to choose good or evil	Central to moral responsibility
Paschal Mystery	Christ’s Passion, Death, Resurrection, Ascension	Salvation and moral model
Moral Act Components	Object, intention, circumstances	Determines morality of an act
Types of Law	Natural, civil, divine (canon); Old & New Law	Different sources and purposes
Impediments to Freedom	Ignorance, habit, duress, attachments	Reduce moral accountability
Eudaimonia	Flourishing through virtuous living	Ultimate human goal

5. 🗂️ Hierarchical Diagram (ASCII)

Human & Moral Life
 ├─ Human Person
 │    ├─ Dignity
 │    ├─ Free Will
 │    └─ Rational Capacity
 ├─ Virtues
 │    ├─ Theological Virtues
 │    └─ Cardinal Virtues
 ├─ Moral Acts
 │    ├─ Object
 │    ├─ Intention
 │    └─ Circumstances
 ├─ Law
 │    ├─ Natural Law
 │    ├─ Civil Law
 │    └─ Divine Law (Old & New)
 ├─ Paschal Mystery
 │    └─ Salvation Model
 └─ Impediments
      ├─ Ignorance
      ├─ Habit
      ├─ Duress
      └─ Attachments

6. ⚠️ High-Yield Pitfalls & Confusions

• Confusing object (what is done) with intention (why it is done).
• Mistaking law as only civil; neglecting natural and divine laws.
• Overlooking the role of circumstances in moral evaluation.
• Assuming free will is unlimited; ignoring impediments.
• Confusing theological virtues with cardinal virtues.
• Misinterpreting Eudaimonia as mere pleasure rather than human flourishing.
• Thinking Old Law and New Law are identical; they differ in content and purpose.
• Ignoring internal vs external freedom distinctions.
• Overgeneralizing relativism or subjectivism as the only moral frameworks.

7. ✅ Final Exam Checklist

• Understand the concept of human dignity and its basis.
• Know the virtues: theological and cardinal, and their role.
• Explain free will and impediments to moral responsibility.
• Describe the Paschal Mystery and its significance.
• Analyze moral acts using Object, Intention, Circumstances.
• Differentiate types of law: natural, civil, divine; Old vs New Law.
• Recognize Eudaimonia as the goal of virtuous living.
• Identify the elements of moral evaluation and their hierarchical importance.
• Distinguish internal vs external freedom and common impediments.
• Recall the hierarchy of moral principles and their application.
• Be aware of common pitfalls in moral reasoning.
• Master the structure of moral decision-making and the role of discernment.