The Subjective Ultimate End of Human Acts

The name subjective is given to this end to indicate its possession by a subject (person who has it/
strives to have it)

The absolutely ultimate end of human acts with reference to its subject is the perfect happiness which
consists in the possession of the limitless good.

The absolutely ultimate subjective end of human acts is happiness.

Difficulty:

Man, acting in a human manner, is seldom conscious of the fact that he is acting for happiness.

So how do we say that man always acts for happiness?

Actual & Virtual Intention

Actual Intention- elicited here and now with direct consciousness of that which is intended. Happiness is
seldom the object of this intention.

Virtual Intention- exists in an act performed in virtue of a formerly elicited actual intention.

Man always tends towards the good in general, and his inborn bent of will for the good involves a virtual
intention for that good. The possession of good means happiness, therefore man acts for happiness by
a virtual intention.

BUT this virtual intention does not exist by reason of an actual intention formerly elicited.

Impicit= Implied

To illustrate:

A man who shoots a rabbit does not, in order to have an actual intention, require a moment’s pause in
order to elicit the will-act; he may not even be aware of his intention as an intention; he simply does
what the wants to do; he simply raises his gun and fires.

In this action, his actual intention is implied.

Similarly, we declare that a man, in his more serious and deliberate actions in life, makes up his mind to
do what he adverts to do best. Here, implicitly, we have an actual intention to act for good. The virtue of
this implicit actual intention endures and a man’s acts are performed for happiness.

i. Kinds of Happiness
ii. The Nature of Man’s Desire for Happiness
iii. The Manner in which happiness is to be possessed
Kinds of Happiness

Happiness is natural when it comes of man’s possession of that which he finds achievable by his
unaided natural powers (NOT beyond the reach of his nature)

Thus, man’s happiness that’s in the possession of sound health is natural happiness.

Happiness is supernatural when it consist in the possession of that which is of a value surpassing all the
natural powers can achieve unaided (Beyond reach of his nature)

Thus, man’s happiness in possessing the grace of God is supernatural.

Man tends towards the limitless good, and since this is infinite and beyond man’s finite powers, man
tends towards something which is beyond the reach of his unaided nature.

Man tends towards supernatural eternal happiness. The appetite of man’s very nature is for the
supernatural.

To confine our study within its proper limits, we must consider the limitless good and happiness in its
possession ONLY in so far as this is achievable by natural powers.

The Nature of Man’s Desire for Happiness

Man’s desire for limitless good & perfect happiness is NOT only a deceitful and vain desire.

It is capable of fulfillment. It is realizable.

St Thomas Aquinas- Nature does nothing in vain. Nature has implanted in man the desire for perfect
happiness. Therefore, this desire is not in vain; in other words, this desire is realizable.

Theodicy- There is only one God, the Creator. He is all-wise and all-good.

An all-wise Creator could not implant in his rational creation a fine and worthy desire that cannot be
realized, otherwise he would not be an all-wise God, but an author of futility.

An all-good God could not mock men by causing him inevitability to desire the unattainable. Because
this would be the opposite of good.

The Manner in Which Happiness is to be Possessed

An action is accomplished through powers or faculties.

An act is the crowning fact, the perfection of the faculty.

How is the act of happiness to be exercised?

Man has the following faculties: Senses, Intellect, Will

The Senses are NOT man’s highest faculties, but serve intellect during bodily life.