to what extent does the absolutist and deontological nature of Aquinas’ natural law work in contemporary society?

does work: flexible

- Timothy Renick points out NL is more flexible than ppl think.

- the primary precepts are absolute but v general.

- the more specific secondary precepts are arrived at by looking at the context of the situation.

- Aquinas said that secondary precepts may change according to circumstances.

(weak eg abortion and euthanasia)

does work: Aquinas's influence

- hes been a strong influence on todays society

- reason is now considered v important to making moral decisions

- which was not the case 100 years before Aquinas, Peter Abelard was forced to watch his own books be burnt for suggesting that reason cld illuminate chrisitan thinking.

- modern society qs authority, acknowledges human rights and considers whether or not war is just

- all of these things have come from Aquinas's understanding of NL.

does work: moral relatavism

- while ppl do differ on what they consider to be moral, this does not disprove Aquinas's theory.

- Copleston commented that there can be an unchangeable moral law and, at the same time, different opinions abt how it can be explained in dff contexts.

- just bcs ppl have dif ideas doesnt mean relatavism is true.

- Aquinas wld hv recongised differences in opinion but wld hv argued averyone is still aware of fundamnetal moral principles

doesnt work: product of his culture

- hes a product of his culture and time

- he was a medieval itallian monk who was writing at the time when society was v hierarchical,

everything was dominated by men and the church.

his understanding of what constitutes a natural and ordered society was determined by his surroundigs.

eg Aquinas thought it was natural for men to have authority over women, who were less capable of reason.

today this is considered immoral and discriminatory.

does not: general

- NL is v general and not a practical moral guide

- he set down v few practical laws in his writing

- and the flexibility this brings is not an advantage

- Stephen Buckle argues that NL avoids the problem of fixed, unbending rules by creating another problem.

- 'how shld I behave' is not that straightforward.

- intorducing the secondary precepts means there is little connection between the general and actual principles.

does not: purpose has changed

- contemporary society is more and more secular

- most peoples end goal is not to acheive fellowship with God.

- so it wld have little support or motivation