AVVERTENZA. – In general, it is the act of the mind that gives attention to something; in moral matters, it is the act of the mind that considers the goodness or malice of a given action or omission. It is distinguished as full and 半-full, distinct and confused, actual and virtual. Attention is full when a person endowed with the use of reason perfectly knows what he is doing; it is half-full when, because of some impediment, the mind does not give perfect attention to the act or to its morality. It is called distinct when the mind knows the act and its morality with clarity and precision; confused when one knows that one is doing good or evil, but does not clearly distinguish the morality of the act. It is called actual when, at the very moment in which the action is performed, one thinks of its goodness or malice; virtual when there is no direct and explicit attention, but only indirect and implicit attention. Moralists do not agree about the precise concept
of virtual attention, which by some is also called, though inaccurately, interpretative.
Formal sin always and necessarily requires attention. For venial sin, virtual attention certainly suffices. It is disputed whether it also suffices for grave sin, or whether the latter requires actual attention. The disagreement exists more in terminology than in the substance of the doctrine. All theologians, in fact, agree in saying that, in order to have mortal sin, in addition to grave matter, perfect knowledge and full consent are required. Now the precise point at issue is precisely this: whether virtual attention can be called perfect or not, and therefore whether it is sufficient or insufficient to constitute grave sin. S. Alfonso, after setting forth the two apparently contrary opinions, concludes as follows: « His positis, meum proferam sensum, et dico quod sistendo intra limites iusti, praefatae sententiae facile conciliari possunt » (op. cit. in BIBL., V, n. 4).
According to their varying degree of attention, the various acts or movements are distinguished into three categories: primo primi acts are those that precede any attention of the mind; secundo primi, those that precede full and perfect attention; secundi, those that are performed with full and perfect attention. Two principles must always be kept in mind: the less the attention of the mind, the less voluntary the act and consequently its goodness or malice; to have formal sin, it is not necessary for a person explicitly to think of the fault as an offense against God.