Catholic Ethical Problems

In today’s modern society, there are is an abundance of problems that challenge and attack Catholic morality. For such ethical dilemmas it is important to bear in mind the principles of Catholic moral reasoning and the goal of Catholic moral reasoning. While each problem or dilemma may appear to be rife with trouble, difficult, or hopeless, they present an opportunity as Catholics to practice what our belief and increase in virtue in for the betterment of one’s personal and intimate relationship with God. Many ethical problems are often clear and addressed by Jesus’s teachings and word within the bible as well as Catholic doctrine. However, there are still multitudes of ethical predicaments that progress in complication as technology progresses

It is important to realize that such problems that have not been formally recognized as doctrine are still developing and being understood, with that in mind it is important to use the sources and norms of Catholic teaching, keeping an open mind to perspectives, while still strivings for the ultimate goal, friendship with God. One problem in particular is the idea of rational tools being morally inscribed and what that entails with regards to their purpose and relation to humans, their creators. While Catholic doctrine does not directly address the problem, the primary source of Catholic moral reasoning, the Bible, along with other resources, like perspectives from theologians and critical thinking, keeping in mind friendship with God, one can conceive an idea as to whether or not rational tools are morally inscribed and what their relationship looks like in relation to human

Illich introduces the idea of living in a culture of conviviality versus consumerism, where certain tools and structures i.e. rational tools, which is anything that humans create, contribute to consumerism. Before the idea of conviviality can be understood, the culture and concept and consequences of consumerism must be acknowledged. William T. Cavanaugh addresses consumer culture as not a culture of traditional greed in but as a culture of detachment. This detachment comes from an obsession with efficiency. This detachment breeds apathy and detachment from the producers, the means of production, and the products themselves. Part of this detachment stems from the in institutions, structures, and other tools that were originally meant as an aid to humans. Many tools were created in the post industrial revolution and meant to serve humans, instead it seems as though we as humans are serving these tools, which includes structures and institutions. Conviviality, in Illich’s eyes is an “individual freedom realized in personal interdependence and as such, an intrinsic ethical value”; he believes that in “any society, as conviviality is reduced, no amount of industrial activity can satisfy the needs of society.” Illich talks about the idea of the enslavement to these rational tools versus a convivial society. His values of a convivial society consist of survival,