Natural Law

Summary of the theory

Natural law is a deontological, absolutist theory of ethics based on a priori, analytic premises. It was developed by Thomas Aquinas who taught that moral decisions could be made using our God-given synderesis and the intrinsically known primary precepts, as this enabled moral laws to be universal and eternal

What is natural law?

• absolutist, deontological theory of ethics

• states that there is a natural order to the world which should always be followed

The divine spark

• Stoics believed ‘divine spark’ enables people to know God’s will and live their lives according to it

• All humans have free will

• Can decide whether or not to follow NL

• Humans were given reason to choose whether to follow it

What did Aristotle believe was the point of NL?

• ultimate purpose (telos) given by God

• human purpose = achieve eudaimonia

• only true good is fulfilling one’s purpose

• NL = identifying purpose and achieving eudaimonia, leading to harmony in society

What did Aquinas believe about purpose and telos?

• everything in the world has a purpose

• humanity’s purpose = developing into image of God

• true perfection cannot be achieved in this life

• NL is intrinsic to human nature

What did Aquinas believe about God?

• eternal, changeless, perfect creator

• since God is good, all creation must be good

• humans achieve perfection by fulfilling their purpose - to develop into the image of God

What did Aquinas believe about reason and natural law?

Synderesis: good is to be done and evil is to be avoided

• humans possess reason, allows them to interpret and apply NL

What are the four tiers of law?

• Eternal

• Divine

• Natural

• Human

What are the primary precepts?

fundamental principles of NL that are always true

W - worship God

O - ordered society

R - reproduction

L - learning (bible)

D - defending the innocent

What are the secondary precepts?

• reasoned conclusions based on primary precepts

• used to decide whether something is moral or not

• goal-oriented

• flexible, shaped by individual judgement

• make NL adaptable

What is the Doctrine of Double Effect?

an action can be morally justified even if it has unintended negative consequences, provided the negative effect was not the intended outcome

What are real and apparent goods?

• humans are designed to follow synderesis

• sometimes human reasoning is flawed

Apparent good = an action that we think is good, but does not fit the ideal

Real good = an action which fits the human ideal

Strengths of NL

• idea of equality strongly upheld by NL

• ordered approach to life (stability)

• some common morals are needed for a community to get along

Weaknesses of NL

• primary precepts inspired by religious belief - unhelpful to atheists

• defines people by their ‘ends’ - simplifies human purpose

• distorted view of the ethical act