Question 18 — Of the Good and Evil of Human Acts, in General

We must now consider the good and evil of human acts. First, how a human act is good or evil; second, what results from the good or evil of a human act, as merit or demerit, sin and guilt. Under the first head there will be a threefold consideration: the first will be of the good and evil of human acts, in general; the second, of the good and evil of internal acts; the third, of the good and evil of external acts. Concerning the first there are eleven points of inquiry:

(1) Whether every human action is good, or are there evil actions?

• (2) Whether the good or evil of a human action is derived from its object?
• (3) Whether it is derived from a circumstance?
• (4) Whether it is derived from the end?
• (5) Whether a human action is good or evil in its species?
• (6) Whether an action has the species of good or evil from its end?
• (7) Whether the species derived from the end is contained under the species derived from the object, as under its genus, or conversely?
• (8) Whether any action is indifferent in its species?
• (9) Whether an individual action can be indifferent?
• (10) Whether a circumstance places a moral action in the species of good or evil?
• (11) Whether every circumstance that makes an action better or worse, places the moral action in the species of good or evil?