Natural law

What is the theory of natural law?

Natural law is the theory that God has designed a moral law into human nature such that we are naturally inclined to certain moral behaviours. 

What is ethics about?

Using reason to discover the natural law within out nature

What is the purpose of discovering and fulfilling natural law?

we can fulfil our purpose

What is our purpose according to Aquinas?

Glorifying God by following his law

Which law is the ultimate source of moral goodness?

Eternal law

Why do we need other laws apart from eternal law?

Eternal law is beyond our understanding so we need lesser las to derive from the eternal law

What is eternal law?

Divine wisdom of God which oversees the common good and governs everything

What is divine law?

Gods revelation to humans in the bible

What is natural law?

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

What is human law?

The laws humans make which should be based on the natural and divine law

What is the purpose of the four tiers?

To show that human law can gain authority form natural and divine law which derive authority form Gods nature

Who was Aquinas influenced by?

Aristotle

How did Aristotle inspire Aquinas?

By the belief that everything has a purpose built into its nature- the fin cause

What is the difference between Aquinas and Aristotle ?

Aquinas believed that the telos of rational beings is the good whilst for Aristotle believed the final cause of all things is the prime mover

What is the purpose of humans having a telos ?

to glorify god, using our god given reasons to figure out our God- designed nature

What is synderesis for Aquinas?

The habit of reason to discover foundational “first principles”

What is the first principle synderesis tells us?

The synderesis rule: We have a natural inclination to seek good and avoid evil

What are the five primary precepts:

1. Worship God

2. Live in an orderly society

3. Reproduce

4. Educate

5. Preserve human life

What is the process of applying the primary precepts to situations or actions called?

Conscienta

What are secondary precepts?

Rulings on what we should/shouldn’t do depending on whether it upholds the primary precepts

What do we need to do to glorify god when acting to do so?

We must intend the action

What does a good act need to have?

A good exterior act as well as a good interior act

What is human reason according to Aquinas?

Fallible

What is an apparent good?

An act that we believe is good due to our faulty reason yet is not.

What effects can an action have?

1. One in accordance with primary precepts

2. One in violation of them

What is the principle of the double effect?

The action is ok along as the effect that violates the precepts was not intended

What are the four conditions in Catholicism for an action to be justified by the double effect?

1. The proportionality condition - good effect must be equivalent to the bad effect

2. The intentionality condition- the good effect must be the intention

3. The means end condition- Bad/good effect must both be brought about immediately- at the same time.

4. The nature of the act- the action must be either morally good, indifferent or nautical- lying/killing can never be justifiable

What is a strength of Aquinas’ view on human nature?

it has a realistic view of human nature- contains bad of original sin but also orientation towards the good and it is up to us to choose how to act

What is a flaw in Aquinas belief in human nature?

Aquinas’ view is too optimistic- humans have done a lot of evil things- if we had orientation towards the good then we wouldn’t have the same level of human evil

How can you counter the argument that Aquinas’ view on human nature is too optimistic

Aquinas says we have an orientation towards the good, not a commitment towards the good- Aquinas acknowledges that there are many reasons we might fail to do good

What are the reasons we may fail to do good according to Aquinas?

• original sin

• Mistakes in conscienta

• Lacking virtue

• Corrupt culture

Why is aquinas view on human nature ultimately flawed?

The extreme evils produced by humanity such as the holocaust is strong evidence offer there not being an orientation towards the good.

What is a strength of telos?

It recognises that we have a purpose

What did Francis Bacon argue?

Telos has no place in empirical science but are instead a matter of metaphysics

Why does Meta-Physics reject Aquinas’ claim that we have a telos?

We can view the operating of the universe by laws of physics completely without purpose - Modern scientists can explain the change and apparent purpose in the world without telos

What can science not rule out?

Something like God which could provide some kind of external telos

What can the world ultimately work without?

The need for telos

What claim have Francis bacon and Stephen Hawking made?

There is no need for the belief that there must be a God

What is a strength of natural law based on society?

There is common morality in all societies- demonstrating a moral orientation towards the good.

How does Fletcher critique Aquinas’ belief that we are Born with the ability to know the primary precepts?

If we were there would be more moral agreement

What do differences in moral views tend to fall along for Fletcher?

Cultural boundaries- culture and upbringing which causes our moral views

What does Freud claim conditions our moral views?

Society

How can you argue that there is moral agreement?

Between different cultures- basic beliefs on morality are similar and there is wide agreement such as do not kill.

What might this broad agreement between cultures actually result from?

A basic requirment for society to function

Why is the use of reason for Aquinas a strength?

Aquinas acknowledged that human reason can never fully understand gods infinite divine nature however human reason can gain lesser knowledge of God. Supporting faith in God.

Who would argue against Aquinas’ use of reason ?

Karl Barth

Why would Karl Barth argue we cannot rely on our reason?

Reason has been corrupted by the original sin-therefore it is dangerous to rely on Reason.

What can relying on reason lead to?

Idolatry- like the movement of the Nazis

What are the “three goods” that human nature contained pre fall?

1. Properties of a human soul

2. Inclination towards the good

3. Original justice- perfect rational control over the soul

What did original sin completely destroy?

Original justice

What’s the consequence of original sin destroying original justice?

We no longer have rational control over our desires

What can sometimes be natural for humans?

Concupiscence

Why can we not rely on a weak/misled conscience

Whatever a misled conscience discovers is too unreliable

Why is Natural law seen as too outdated?

It made sense at the time where strict absolutist ethical principles were needed but society has evolved from this.

What was Aquinas theory a response too?

Socio-Economic context- eg used to be economically fatal to be a single mother and killing was much more common

What allows for flexibility in natural law?

The double effect

Why is it argued that the double effect is unbiblical ?

Gods commandments are absolute and nit dependent on someone’s intention

Why is our intention argued to be relevant ?

Applying our telos is glorifying god

What example demonstrates that natural law is not flexible enough ?

Self sacrifice principle

What does the self sacrifice example demonstrate ?

A solider throwing himself on a grenade to save his peers- the suicide is intended and therefore still not a good action- natural law doesn’t capture why we find rule breaking ok in certain situations.