Natural Law

Moral Absolution

Some actions are always right/wrong, regardless of circumstances

Moral Relativism

Right/wrong depends on culture, context, or opinion

Was Aquinas an absolutionist or a relativist?

Moral absolutionist

Telos

purpose

Natural Law (gen)

Using reason to discover God's purpose for humans and live in line with it

Eudaimonia

Living well, as an ultimate end in life which all other actions should lead towards, state of perfect satisfaction

Beatific Vision

Ultimate state of happiness in Heaven

Eschatologically

After life

Universal - Summa Theologica

"Now a certain order is to be found in those things that are apprehended universally."

Where can eudaimonia be found?

In the supreme and infinite God

Beatitude - Summa Theologica

"Ultimate and perfect beatitude can only consist in the vision of the divine essence, which is the very essence of goodness."

Four Tiers of Law

Eternal Law, Divine Law, Natural Law, Human Law

Eternal Law

God's nature, absolute and eternal, in every person's rational soul

Divine Law

God's revelation to humans

Natural Law

The moral law God created in human nature, discoverable by human reason

Human Law

Customs and practices of society

Precept

A rule to regulate behaviour

The synderesis rule

Do good and avoid evil - all other precepts flow from this

Catechism

"The natural law is nothing other than the light of understanding placed in us by God; through it we know what we must do and what we must avoid."

Primary Precepts

Worship God, Live in an ordered society, Reproduce, Educate, Preservation of life

Worship God

God is the source of eternal law, and has sent this law to humanity through divine and natural law

Live in an ordered society

A lawful one where it is possible to follow the primary precepts

Reproduce

Ensure that life continues as God's intention and is necessary for society to continue

Educate

To teach children about God, the tiers of law and the precepts

Preservation of life

Life is precious and must be preserved

Secondary precepts

Deduced from the primary precepts - practical applications of the primary precepts to specific situations - relative, can result in error judgement

Real and Apparent Goods

Temptation exists - evil is not desirable, but temptation is - humans want to pursue good, but make mistakes

Real goods

In accordance with the primary precepts and God's wishes for humanity

Apparent Goods

Things which tempt us because they seem enjoyable but which do not further the aim of promoting human flourishing

Evil - Summa Theologica

"No evil can bee desirable, either by natural appetite or by conscious will. It is sought indirectly, namely because it is the consequence of some good."

Cardinal Virtues

Justice, Prudence, Temperance, Fortitude

Virtue

A quality considered morally good or desirable

Vice

Immoral behaviour or quality

Justice

Giving each person what they deserve

Prudence

Practical wisdom, ability to make the right decision in a situation

Temperance

Self-control, living with balance

Fortitude

Courage, strength, endurance

The Doctrine of Double Effect

If something morally good has a morally bad side-effect it's ethically ok to do it providing the bad side-effect wasn't intended.

Criteria for the Doctrine

Nature of the act condition, Means-end condition, Right-intention condition, Proportionality condition

Nature of the act condition

The action itself must be good or neutral

Means-end condition

The good result must not depend on the bad result

Right-intention condition

The bad effect must be only an unintended side effect

Proportionality condition

The good effect must be equivalent to the bad effect

Effects - Summa Theologica

"Nothing hinders one act from having two effects."