The modern advantage of formulating human nature as intellect(moral(religious)) comes from the fact that each of these levels can be observed.

Lonergan asks us to observe activities related to each level: experience (for religious); judgment (for moral); understanding (for intellect); and decision (for all three).

Each of these activities has a corresponding transcendental norm or “subjectivity”.  These are “be attentive” (for religious), “be reasonable” (for moral); “be smart” (for intellect) and “be holy, loving and responsible” (for all three).

Note how one feature in each of Lonergan’s lists steps out of the nested model of human nature (which parallels the medieval static, logical and essentialist perspective) by reflecting all three levels.

The activity, “decision” and the subjectivity “be holy, loving and responsible), belong to the existential situation (which steps beyond the medieval static perspective).

These two existential features, which may be called “habitus”, are correspondingly nested: “be holy, loving, and responsible”(“decision”(missing feature)).

What is this missing feature that exists in the realm of possibility?

Lonergan provides a clue to the missing feature by claiming that the subject of human development is “self-transcendence”.

“Self-transcendence” makes “decision” possible.

“Decision” situates the possibility of “self-transcendence”.

“Be holy, loving and responsible” puts “decision” into context.

“Decision” makes “be holy, loving and responsible” actual.