Moral Theology: A Complete Course Based on St. Thomas Aquinas and the Best Modern AuthoritiesCallan, Charles J. (Charles Jerome)
Religion
Moral Theology: A Complete Course Based on St. Thomas Aquinas and the Best Modern Authorities
Callan, Charles J. (Charles Jerome)
Christian ethics -- Catholic authors
645. Moral certitude is of two kinds: (a) certitude in the strict
sense, which excludes not only the fear of error, but every doubt,
prudent and imprudent, great and small, Example: Titus thinks of a way
in which he could easily make money dishonestly; but his conscience
sees that the thing is manifestly wrong and decides without the
slightest fear or doubt that it must not be done; (b) certitude in the
wide sense, which excludes all fear of error and every serious or
prudent doubt, but not one or other slight and imprudent doubt.
Example: Caius was baptized by an excellent priest, but the date was
omitted in the register. The doubt occurs to Caius that perhaps
something essential was also omitted, and that it may be his duty to
seek another Baptism. His doubt is unreasonable.
646. Moral certitude in the wide sense is sufficient for a safe
conscience, even in matters of great importance, since it is frequently
the only kind of certitude one can have, and he who would strive to be
free from every slight and baseless suspicion would be soon involved in
a maze of scruples and perplexities. Example: If the Caius above
referred to were to yield to his doubt and be rebaptized, a similar
doubt about the second Baptism might easily arise in his mind, and he
would be no more contented than before.
647. From the point of view of its object, certitude is twofold. (a)
Speculative certitude refers to a judgment considered as a general law,
abstraction being made from particular circumstances. Example: It is
speculatively certain that farm work on a holyday is a forbidden kind
of work, and that clerics are obliged to say the Divine Office. (b)
Practical certitude refers to a judgment which is an application of a
general law to a particular case, consideration being given to all the
pertinent circumstances. Example: It is practically certain that Titus
may make hay on a holyday, if otherwise he will suffer great loss; and
that a cleric is excused from the Divine Office, if his physician has
warned him that he is physically or mentally unable to perform it.
648. Speculative certainty is not sufficient for conscience, but
practical certitude is required, since conscience refers not to
abstract laws but to concrete cases--not to what is right if only the
object of the act is considered, but to what is right when one
considers the object, the motive, and all the circumstances here and
now present.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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