CHAPTER 6 : SOCIETY

Defining Society through

its Causes

CAUSALITY

To identify the cause is the

concern of all species of science.

There is at least one cause for

everything.

RECALL AQUINAS AND ARISTOTLE…

"Certain knowledge through

causes" and "Systematic and

mediate knowledge of beings and

their properties through causes"

TYPES OF CAUSES

CAUSE

Intrinsic - Internal• Material – Matter

• Proximate - Direct• Remote - Relative

• Formal - Form

Extrinsic - External• Final - End• Agent - Person

• Instrumental - What acts in subordination to a principle cause.

• Principal - Guides the action as a norm or rule of behaviour

• Primary - Is a basic, foundational proposition or assumption that cannot be deduced from any other proposition or assumption.

• Secondary - Sub sequential, dependent of the primary cause.

SOCIETY AS A CAUSE

Cause - Society• Intrinsic - People

• Material - People living in the society

• Proximate - Families• Remote - Individuals

• Formal - Moral union of will.

Extrinsic - Love for common good• Final - Common good• Agent - Government officials

• Instrumental - Political authority• Principal - Justice

• Primary- Principle of solidarity, of subsidiarity, of participation

• Secondary - Liberalism and Socialism

COMMON GOOD – FINAL CAUSE OF SOCIETY

Totality of all social conditions

that allows people as groups

and as individuals to reach their

proper fulfilment – is what is

morally good for man as man.

BREAKDOWN OF DEFINITION

Very basis which justifies public authority or makes it

necessary.

Ultimate goal which civil authority strives to attain.

Premised on the assumption that every man has the right

to all he needs.

Based on the moral order. It builds on the notion and

principles of right and wrong. Not amoral.

PREREQUISITES OF COMMON GOOD

All citizens enjoy freedom (of will), peace and

security.

Freedom is exercised according to right reason;

respect for natural law.

Protection of person’s fundamental rights.

Each individual can develop to his/her fullest.

UNIVERSAL COMMON GOOD

Concept of common good as applied to the

good of the entire world and the whole

creation.

Greatly helped by worldwide collaboration

since we all suffer or benefit, in one way

or another, from each other.

PRIMARY PRINCIPLES

THE PRINCIPLE OF

SOLIDARITY• It is also called “Principle of

Fellowship”.• Solidarity is unity (as of a group or

class) that produces or is based on community of interests, objectives, and standards. It refers to the ties in a society that bind people together as one.

• It requires that all units of society – the individual, the family, various institutions like schools, churches, etc. – regardless of size, must actively and selflessly participate in managing all economic, political, and cultural activities.

• There must be a sense of cooperation among the people in working for the common good of their society.

THE PRINCIPLE OF SUBSIDIARITY

• It is also called “Principle of Supplementary Assistance”.

• Subsidiarity is an organising principle of decentralisation, stating that a matter ought to be handled by the smallest, lowest, or least centralised authority capable of addressing that matter effectively. The Oxford English Dictionary defines subsidiarity as the idea that a central authority should have a subsidiary function, performing only those tasks which cannot be performed effectively at a more immediate or local level.

• It maintains the relationship between the state or any higher body and the lower bodies that is conducive to or favourable to attaining the common good.

THE PRINCIPLE OF PARTICIPATION• Participation can be expressed

essentially in a series of activities by means of which the citizens either as an individual or in association with others, whether directly or through representation, contributes to the cultural, economic, political, and social life of the civil community to which he or she belongs.

• It develops the qualities of the person, especially in the sense of initiative and responsibility and helps guarantee his/her rights.

• It also seeks and facilitates the involvement of those potentially affected by or interested in a decision, holds that those who are affected by a decision have a right to be involved in the decision-making process, and implies that the public's contribution will influence the decision.

LIBERALISM AND SOCIALISM

Liberalism • Espouses individualism which naturally leads to free enterprise and competition.

• It gets bad when profit is made supreme good to which values, morals, and other higher good may be ignored or sacrificed in its favour.

Socialism• Wreaks greater havoc as its effects on man and his society far exceeds those of liberalism.

• Attacks on our person is conscious, deliberate and premeditated.

• Based on wrong assumptions that only universal social is real and therefore the only one that counts.