Frankfurt’s assertion: the “principle of alternate possibilities” is false!

The principle of alternate possibilities means that, in relation with the person’s Free -Will, a person is morally responsible for what he has done only if he could have done otherwise. And this principle according to Frankfurt is false because a person may well be responsible for what he has done even though he could not have done otherwise. Frankfurt is correct when says that the principle of alternate possibilities is false for the fact that the true meaning of moral responsibility is: evil is evil regardless of how one justifies it, the end does not justify the means. It is not that one is only morally responsible when in spite of the possibilities or choices at hand he still does evil. Without possibilities or choices and with possibilities or choices by the mere fact one does evil, he is morally responsible.
Coercion into doing something or impelled to act by a hypnotic suggestion or inner compulsion drives one to do what he does may lessen the person’s culpability but not free him from any responsibility of his act. For example, Frank is hungry. And in front of him are the possibilities to solve his hunger: by stealing food, by asking food and by working to earn the money in buying food. And it happens that he chooses to steal the food to solve his hunger. According to the principle of alternate possibilities he is morally responsible because he has choices but for Frankfurt even without the presence of the possibilities and the only possibility is to steal the food that would solve his hunger then he is morally responsible. Another example, a Priest would decide not to celebrate Mass even if it is his schedule to celebrate mass. The principle of alternate possibilities would only bring that priest responsible of his action when in front of him are possibilities or choices and still decide not to celebrate the mass. However, Frankfurt’s assertion would tell us that even if the priest is without possibilities or choices and decides not to celebrate the mass, he is responsible of his action: a person is morally responsible for what he has done even if he could not have done it otherwise.

My role in the journey of the circle of being in the Universe

Based on the discussion of W. Norris Clarke, SJ about The Great circle of being and our place in it: The universe as journey in his book entitled: “central problems of Metaphysics,” I have learned that I am a human being with deep dynamism (with intellect and will) and I am taking a direction towards union with the Fullness of Being as Infinite Truth and Goodness. This union is what would satisfy my deepest longing within me as a Human Being. So, I am a Human Being who is on a journey back to the Source.
As a human being, my role, therefore, in the Great circle of being the universe is “to journey together with material cosmos below…” me. For the material cosmos is lacking self-consciousness, free of spiritual intelligence and will. And so, the material cosmos should be helped by a human being to be brought back to its source. So, the human person (embodied spirit) is the synthesis of both the spiritual and the material levels of beings. The human person sums up all the levels of being: inorganic, vegetative, animal, and human with spiritual dimension, and the whole course of evolution upwards on our planet from the lowest to the highest. The spiritual dimension of the human person is what helps to stretch all the way to personal union with the Supreme Being itself. The human person acts as mediator between subhuman and God Himself (supreme spiritual being). The Human Person is a traveler, journeying back home, towards personal fulfillment by union with the Infinite Goodness (this is where he came). In the journey in the material world each is unique but inseparable and the human person journeys with the whole universe back to its Source—this is to complete the Great Circle of Being.
Finally, reflecting of what is being said above, as a Human Person and as a Priest, like Jesus I journey with a mission. In Christian faith, Jesus is believed and received as fully human and divine. He is divine but forgot His being divine (cf. Phil. 2: 5-11) and took human nature to journey with humanity but sin and to bring divinity to humanity. Jesus brought healing to the wounds of humanity which is sin by His suffering, death and resurrection. And through His suffering, death and resurrection He restored humanity. So, Jesus became the mediator—He brought the whole of creation including humanity back to God. And since, Human being is gifted with spiritual gift; he has the capacity to follow Jesus, to participate in Jesus’ mission and to bring all creation including himself to God. Personally, as a spiritually gifted Human Person I have also the mission to bring God to the whole of creation and I can bring God to the whole of creation, especially to His gift of nature by helping its preservation. Hence, with the issue of global warming and climate change I have a mission to contribute in preservation of the environment. To be a good steward of the nature, of the environment that God instructed to take care not only for me, for human beings in this present age but of the coming generations, Amen!