What exactly is meant by “moral certainty”?

 Question

Dear Fr. Angelo,

What exactly is meant by “moral certainty”?

Thanks!

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 Answer

Dear friend,

1. Moral certainty is distinguished from metaphysical certainty and from physical certainty.

2. Metaphysical certainty is the one that is intrinsic to the essence of a thing.

For example, it is intrinsic to the circle to be round.

There is no exception to this, because if it is not round it is not a circle.

3. Physical certainty is the one that occurs in physical events according to well-defined laws, such as that concerning fire: by its nature it burns.

But it may occur that the fire does not burn, as it is attested for Daniel and his companions who were thrown into the fiery furnace: “The fire in no way touched them or caused them pain or harm” (Dan 3:50).

God in a specific case could exempt it from burning.

He cannot exempt the circle from being round because then it would be something else.

Instead, he can miraculously, that is, by chance, suspend an effect that is connatural to it, that of burning.

Physical certainty therefore admits only the exception of the chance.

3. Moral certainty, instead, is the one that is inferred from the general behavior of the people.

For example: it is a strongly well-established constant that parents love their children.

But it happens that there are degenerate parents who do not love their children.

So about the love of parents for their children we do not have an absolute certainty, as it is the metaphysical one.

Nor do we have the physical certainty, that admits only the exception of the chance.

Instead, we have the exception of some cases that are minor than what normally happens.

4. This is why moral certainty is a fairly good certainty based on the fact that it commonly happens this way.

It is a certainty in the ut in pluribus of cases (in most cases), while in the ut in paucioribis (in some few cases) it may have a deviation, a fallacy, an error.

An example: when it comes to admitting a candidate to holy orders, one cannot have the metaphysical or even the physical certainty that he will remain faithful and will not ask for dispensation from the exercise of the ministry.

One may have well founded hope that the candidate will prove to be a good priest.

However, it could happen that at a certain moment, astounding everyone, he asks to be dismissed from the clerical state. This has happened.

But usually this does not happen precisely because there is well-founded hope (here is the ut in pluribus of the cases) regarding the solidity of his vocation.

While the examiners give a favorable opinion, they know a priori that in some cases (in paucioribus) their judgment could be reversed by the unfavorable events.

5. Our conduct requires that the actions or choices we make benefit at least from moral certainty.

With the doubt, on the contrary, we voluntarily expose ourselves to do evil.

I wish you well and remind you to the Lord.

Father Angelo

Translated by Chiara P.

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