Notes from Gathered for the Journey Six (6) essays David McCarthy

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II. Is There an Ultimate Purpose/End?pp. 135 – 136Is there a ―life project‖?This purpose that motivates human action has an ultimate purpose: ―All ouractions must be aimed at an ultimate end, or telos, as the Greeks called it.‖ (136)Where do all these actions take us?o Different strategies: create ―immortality projects‖ –foundations for goodwork in our name or as a memorialo ―Eat Drink and Be Merry—for Tomorrow we Die‖Do we strive for something enduring—or merely sit back and relax?Note: each of these ―plans‖ is a philosophy of human fulfillment.Cloutier touches upon meaning in a person‘s lifeThe ―What is Happiness‖ questionWe face the question: ―What will ultimately satisfy us? What do we ultimately want outof life?‖ (136)Aristotle—the notion of eudemonia –―a state of complete and utter satisfaction of ourtrue desires.‖ (136) note: no need for God in ancient Greek thought.But—we need to ask—―what is happiness?‖ What—after all—is the texture, content ofthis ―utter satisfaction‖?Here we encounter this essay‘s topic---human fulfillment.III. What is Human Fulfillment?pp. 137 – 139Not just a single-minded goalCloutier gives examples of various driven persons—their actions seek to achievea goal in some field or another. (137)Not his point, however—human fulfillment is not an external goal, such as aperfect game, a corner office in the corporate world, or a successful farm.We are not machines—that construct something outside of them—such as a baleof hay.No, ―But for humans, the Christian tradition suggests, the building of your life isnot your house or your car or your family. It‘s you. The purpose of human life,what will fulfill you, is not simply achieving certain external goals, but rather it isthe task of becoming yourself.‖ (137, 138)People as ―Instruments‖Temptation—to look at things and people as means to an end—―to look at actions(and things and, sadly people) as instruments to achieve our desired purposes.‖(138)Fundamental Moral Theology Page 12 of 54Class Notes – Father Michael Seger
Tragic Mistake—we instrumentalize persons and relationship, all actions toachieve external goals—we, sadly, think this is the way to happiness.The real question: ―external‖ or ―internal‖ goals?What kind of person do you want to become? (138) not the same as seeking toachieve, shaping your free actions to achieve an external goal.Practical problems, after all, plague the striving for external goals; many actionsare outside of your control (other persons‘ goals may of cross-purposes towardyours, ―blind luck‖—elements subject to the whim of others, health and muchmore)External goals may also turn out to disappoint—not all you thought ―it‖ would beWorking toward the authentic goal—to mold your character―But your character, your self that is safe from all these problems. If you are aperson who knows yourself, you may not worry or care about these externals.‖Think of a man or woman cruelly imprisoned for their depth convictions—St.Thomas More, for example (139)But how do we become a certain sort of person? How do we buildour character? Simply by our acts. Human actions, unlike machineactions, are what philosophers called ―reflexive‖—they createeffects not only in the external world, but also on the agentperforming the action. Put simply, you become the person youractions determine. If you perform lots of greedy actions, you will infact find yourself a greedy person. Actions make persons. You arewhat you do. (139)Key: ethics is first about identity (character) and not about accomplishments.―Our actions in the world do not simply make institutions or products orbuildings. They make us. They are the way we shape our identity.‖ (139)IV. Who Am I Called to Be? What is My Identity?pp. 139 – 142The mystery of the Self—the human vocation—to become ―who‖?Am I merely what ever I want to be?What is, after all, ―identity‖?—is there a true me beneath everything—entailing alife-long ―soul searching‖?What is being ―true to myself‖—is this automatically worthy of thunderousapplause? Oh, what if you‘re a Nazi or a child molester? (139)Furthermore, none of us experiences our true self as the static elements of race,education, family, religious convictions and so forth.Fundamental Moral Theology Page 13 of 54Class Notes – Father Michael Seger
Page 1 and 2: Notes from Gathered for the Journey
Page 3 and 4: Note: the emphasis is on the Inspir
Page 5 and 6: --a ―gift from God for the purifi
Page 7 and 8: Well, two historical reasons:1. Fir
Page 9 and 10: considered the real intentions of t
Page 11: David Cloutier: ―Human Fulfillmen
Page 15 and 16: V. Who Loves Me and Whom Do I Love?
Page 17 and 18: Like the person finding the pearl b
Page 19 and 20: Frederick Christian Bauerschmidt --
Page 21 and 22: to Aryanism, a powerful, divisive h
Page 23 and 24: liberal. In other words, it runs th
Page 25 and 26: c. ―Reading‖ may mean tracing t
Page 27 and 28: God’s gift of theological virtues
Page 29 and 30: How God operates in CreationThe iss
Page 31 and 32: Miller draws his conclusions using
Page 33 and 34: Grace in Developing Natural GiftsGr
Page 35 and 36: Dana Dillon and David McCarthy -
Page 37 and 38: Rational Insight into Human Inclina
Page 39 and 40: 6.of social life.‖ (i.e. military
Page 41 and 42: The ―Texture‖ of Human Reason
Page 43 and 44: Kant again—he ―attempted to gro
Page 45 and 46: Truth and Virtue: shaping our consc
Page 47 and 48: William C. Mattison, III ―Moral V
Page 49 and 50: II. Naming and Defining the Four Ca
Page 51 and 52: Mattison keeps the discussion philo
Page 53 and 54: V. The Significance of Infused Virt

Notes from Gathered for the Journey Six (6) essays David McCarthy

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