WGWR_Keenan

8/14/2019 WGWR_Keenan

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]ames F. KeenanWHAT IS GOOD AND

WETATIS RIGI{TA New Distinction in Moral Theolory

Ovlr thc p.st FrE.European moralists hare ben givingtlieii aticntjon b r distinction in moral theotogy, thedistin


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TTY, ,^" car*, nrdcr will fnd h both Democirusend Moon a hesrlancy b frillydis&r6h goodness 6omrlthtrtcas. Bot!_lTiteG g,esrrnre that dolng thc.figh.t ld.is a necessarli thongh tlot anfdcietrt, cond,ition for mgralloodnccc In a s,Esd, though botli see irutancts w.llen

.pcoplc with bad ao'livations act rightty, .they do .notdescribc ary irstanes of persorg who ac wrongly.lndrre sdl capable d bciry described rs good. In fact, if oncreads Kttli3 Fonta"tt;zs ol e Maafutla d Motd& onefinds e distinction si!$br to Mooreb and r sigrilarhesitancy b des6ib. ls good pcopte who ac wrongty.

In thcology, hq{B,q moalisc hrlle dwsys been aon-, carnd rnorl r;vi8r urhcthcr e rerson b iood or bid hIIi&f/ $an whether onct bch.rvtri is ;gtrt-ot *tq"g. ihi. i;

Dcctusc thc iudgnat of goodness orbedness consid!_rqwhthlr q no r,rrt srswtt thc cell of testis.9{5g pcoptc good 6/rn whcrr rhcy;cr wrolglv was.t ihc hE6fa-ZEEiFlnif6a6ffiAfr lFC-naefth end

tldttccath ccnttrricr. tr r cottccftin tif hts cs".to-t*cnt-" ty trul9lalld hro Erylirh Ghtitthn tlontityitt o t*at@n.' FI/'hr, lqFd.hdrs dborssE ora detii.. tn ridcr

to profit &oar it we will sbrplif-y the debate significantly._Etrq$1glyr. thc question rrasi tf onc fotto^rs'rn enonl

ous coruciencg is onc good of lidin An ermneous con- .:qT9J94.!t-whsF csFlee4EtrlegleCe.the.right-tllarb, trics to fouo,v onds conscicncr, but S_at-.SplSciens:..is Eont. Rrer AteJard iaia tliti ttnCpenon .B rood;Bcrrienl of Oairrarr:c said he or stti ir-Ura. -I

f *, 1* ** rhones Agrll,rg-E F -ssne:n -olog@tiuned the i"esuon *fiil_iliirp. t$ -rsf


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.1':i?-i:

-.r..f,rr;t j.: ;::--. i:jr'|:?T:;+?-::.":-",..,7t.!:'.- .1.

;ji';:::i:

ordered self so thet I can better sewe

come trtter, regardless of whether our cflorts attain suc.cesg we

do respond.

-

1.. The disgcrion betr,^qq! E)gClress and righhess sos toi" thc hc t of hunen liuing. Here rG ri,iilfirsr*-*ia#somc anrptes od lrow dre tno guestions di6er and honrgoodness relerr solely to whethlr one strirres out oflovclo makc oncsclf bcttq md the wprld a bettel place. Ihenwc r,vill consider tfie r{o(d -intention and iUsUngubhit fiocr -rnotiratlonl ?hc {orzrer pertains !o righicss,the Lttcr to

Consider a politicien whose sole motiration is powetwho has no inrerrrt er dl h thc welfan of his con-stinrcnE, end ls only hercstrd in again duping thcelecorate into reetadqB hiur. 'the conititu"nd

""jort-ominanry scnior citizms, and rc ttre politician vites{or 6!ry qE rrendth progran ft'r thc ciderly. The poti.ticianl votint tcccd b rigta, but to call thi politi-ciangood is unwerracrtcd. ort tha orhcr hand, cinsider Iwoman who was rhanddnbd during her putlr and who-notwitlsanding thc lad< d being lond ;r:lt atempte tolote qcn in e resuicred rny. This pcrson may conductherself wmngly, ;nt, d'len her gcrsonal hiSory, heritritrht to loq b en hdication of the personal hcetgoodncsr in hcr liia Sinilarly, e pcrsonsuffering frornncurosb may 6nd hb actral conduct sorely wantlng butin his attcrnps lo becourc I more integrited person inordcr to scrve the churh, he too is good. Finally, con-sider thc pcnon born with r betterordercd pers6nattythrn urojt peoptc md whocc faarityt enLci"t rnienotiorul support hrs fortificd this Frsonafity. ts thatbettcr-ordcred persondity m indkation of goodncss or

riShfless? b lt not sirlPly a rEhtty odered personatity?A{td I nq podness, on the other hand, iquestion ofwhetlrcr that pctson or lrty petson stives io becomccven bctter so .3 to rcn/G othets?

e pcrfpnt motivation in acting, we are r.rsually rskingr -why' question. t{tfy {a-:ri_s_Ailh.r? is e iuestioi

.!orm for borh intentjon _q4C-$gti!adon^.HouafCf'!!re.iorm of the answer is differeht.

The question of gmdness doesjrot q{tt l,.vh3t.w_e atfain..Rightnesi ailc thar{i:am-m. fii question of gogftsas*

.. esks, do I srive to aiain rightnessi Oo_tgri,,it" iti"irr*

Goodncsg rnd Rlghlrcr &t< Difftnnt eucstionr

If I ask former presidiru Refg1n .Why dd.joq. peltaiffi-io Fiji? the anlswef -ro iiilTi trosrige+ i an a1-sr,er Ftinent to intention. Here we debbte whalrer thatintmtjon b ritht or wron$ Is it right or wl9n6 ro sellarms in ordc! to free hostages? If, however, the..prssj.dent ed&, I sreant weu or t iid it our of compassi6n forthe fasrilies of the hostages, tfrc.presiacnt_iiiiUtlr!.Cisomslhint about his nioral motivation: H is tdling us,pcrhaps I was wrong to have such a; iaia, Uut I *iiriotbad or selfuh. The q'uestion for intention alwaln ask.a"why, guesHon, bui a -why. qu$rion inteF;tcd in_.

ta . c.rrurc}r . Suaarr Ng


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Goodncsr dcscCb"3 . pcrson who tcting qut o( torr SH\lsto Lt rightt!'. Rightncss drscrlbes lilhavior thrt promotr6r"Iu? in lha rvorid, Goodncss rsks whcthcr J p.rlon strivlslo enswar thr c:ll of lisus to lovc God rnd nciglrbor.Righincss llks whcthrr (trtain tctions actueily arakc theutrld r bctler pleca

specific klnd of ensrvec !{tpt did pu do this? wans toEfrEhil rd-Ciiins-idr you give for doiirg whrt yriu !id,,!n other lror&, whrt wcrr ]'ou thinking? On th othethand, thc gucstion rcgardhg rrotivation asks not wtirfSorreone thought, bbt nthr what noved r peFon tothinfr ebout ecting h 0rc 6irl phce; motintion asks que+'.ticiru $out oneS herrl lhus, many people arguc thatwhile the Fcsidrnl mry hevc bem unong for thinl


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As tlrc distincion ir Eccnt so are thc subrle chinq.r inir6dil' chiinti rcrilGg:For fi 4aft;iurbt ri*it],' tfr..-

.$o. p_l9.yh9 d.p- nol,usc birth conrol, er lrave abortions,c engage in honosaud !:Llitiry, df diiir Sunday obli-gations, and so ort at sonetiures consjdcred looil Deo-ptc. This is nor necessanly tnre. In faa. tror:ghihcy fi"rcnot psrtorEtd thesc.pmhibitcd aCions, they Euty not .hnre perfotured .ny-dSht actions. p.nsciniiry'frornwhcthg!

lbey iqyc_ prrf.grElqg gthtldglts_qr- 44, ttrequestion of being goodasks wlrctlier c notl drsailifu.ally srives out o{lac b bccesiffi-Ei${tE +r *inglocrrsad on loErc atatk notion of goodness (t notidr th*wes iiau hdri by eny ctrurth cichtrgl, whcn pcoplecsruidcr.thcnscl .vcs good for aoiding prrtinrleily ietsudncd rlnong tctions, the contcmporarJr r:rc o( gpod.ncss b nudr aror dynaadc. Whencrervic hit o strirrcout dlov! to becorni Uatcq, lve fii miirellv rhat is. wcrin. Whcncvrr r.ve are cornptecent with oursitres hra fritlIndecd, whcnarcr we ncisun or goodness by the bathat rryc do not perforur ccrt& pdttDrit d acions, wefail.to hear thciill and o girrc a niponse b thc on whotltr.itas ut

bth! rac?.

drurch hes desobed sornc rtioru as .indirlricaltv'-df,-or trd.1.On qlhcr qc?sioru, thc churclr

has sai-d*rlirl9om. ..ffons r.,t! -objcetirrcly evif" c ,tad.' Brrt str?dEunau rliac, 6a durdrS t ading has grade rigniEcrrtshifti Or,v:rd grrrtcr &ity. Rether then talt


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-Moliuation rdyresscs tha pr:oo ss s.tf-mo\q. For aror{tnoiil'atlon we want to know out oi whrl fundencntat stancionc moyc3 oncs.lf inlo tction. .Votivtlion rsks whlthct thc

pcrson is derermining himsclf or hcrsclf nonIj,. This rnorelErolivalion ti.ves mor.l signifi(ancc to t intentions.nd choi(cs.

at o. who I pcrlon ir trying o become. In lbht ofe


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NOTES

rTo *ono-, t Dclian, pescne 0o ur.rone inrolrcdin partorl c.r! r ncrrt ontd for addr-crsing thc qucs-ions of nspondbefy ttd !rd.l tuilt .nd opens I tope

r ncrrr doc frr spttud diredtofu Th* ncw door is&imcd in parr by . .!roE corcd, postconciliar rnonlthcologr. Whrt nneiru to bc ten is wh.t rninistcFlikc

L B. Schiiller otten rdcrs ro thc distinction, d. 18 Dit Bctria.dnng tirtli.hst Urra?r,(Ditr!ldo : htno* l9tol. t\lirlr!Scitrag. zuar Th?m. ?"grtrdung ritttklrcr Nonacn.' Iftro,lqidi Bcti.hk 1ea. F. Hrq:r (Zri*h: Ecrui3!' llrleE lgAt)pD. l(B{1. ',\Arious Tvoci o{ Groundinr Ethlcrl NotEla-S;.dings in Monl Thaftrt Na t po.

Wn-ri. c' Curan rna

R. McCorarick (Ncw York Frulfir h,c$ t"t DD. t8{-98. l-Fuchs hes oftclr-usd rh: dlstinaion bur I niii cottcctoid hls css:rc fu clrti(rrtlrly notc$Ethv, 6D.cidlv 'OuitttmMcrriry: Eblifi Odmbfron rnd Huinrnlnhitoo" gti-cln IL Srlvation, Rt'onrt Mordlty. tUglrt lclrrvlc,' endebon rll 'lv{orrlity: Rtron ead lctr.'Cl;iri'|' Malr,lihr ftcVhd 8(tr;',r.6 ndL Orr.rhinstofl, Di Gcoar:tovar Ui*,nr-sitv B|ts+ f9Ez). K Dcuuner iddrlrlcr th. lmrc h hir Da.ertvrd I'Iatdrln. Grrrtar. SwiEarlmd: UnirlurlllEvrltr. 198$,L Irnsscru niicd rhc-fsuc rrc:nttv lr "Oroc Goa fr pl,'I,[rl'!;,tr S,u.Ii6 12 (19&1, w.6,2-Sa n- Mcorr c& rdcrr roir in hb Nor.r on Monl fidIoN t9t1 throgdr lgtl (!:nhJnMD: Uttivcr:ity hcsr of Anaricr, 1t0l) lid h Aishol,g ltTcrchcn md Jlsuits rs Listmcrs.' Srr.db in ,hc Sqiritielity{l*nts XI/IX3 (M.y, f986). Fndly. l.l:lw, fr',trioa,.l-isa: Thc Amcrieta

Dibste ead i/s FJrtwn trg,tc,(ttrihington,

DC: Georgctorvn Unirtrsity Pr:sr,- 196/).ursclvcr do with it tr

1ts all.in ya* niadi

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