Natural Law Theory

How does Aquinas’s theory of natural law differ from Divine Command Ethics, in explaining what makes sins wrong?

• natural law: how the rational creature participates in eternal law

• divine command ethics: sins are wrong because they harm human welfare

Aquinas says god’s law already echo what is obvious, and natural law says what is already true before it is part of the bible specifically, ie. stealing is wrong but the bible also says stealing is wrong, people could have figured out stealing was wrong without the bible

What are the four parts of Aquinas’s general definition of law?

a law is an order of reason for the common good made by the person who has care for the community and promulgated/published (PAP(e)R)

1. for the common good: not private interest (P)

2. person who has care: someone with authority (A)

3. promulgated: published (P)

4. order of reason: reasonable (R)

What is the Eternal Law, for Aquinas, and how is it promulgated? How is Eternal Law related to the Divine Law?

god’s plan for creation, understood through revelation, people have to know about it or it’s not law

What is Aquinas’s definition of natural law?

how the rational creature participates in eternal law

How is human law related to natural law, for Aquinas?

sometimes human law echoes natural law (ie. murder is bad) or fills in the gaps (ie. punishment for murder)

What is the basic purpose of human law, according to Aquinas?

to make human beings good/better ourselves

Why does Aquinas believe that human law should not try to prohibit all wrong actions?

he thinks if people obey the law they will eventually learn virtue

What is the modern definition of natural law used in class? To whom is it accessible?

basic standards of right/wrong that can be recognized (theoretically) by all people capable of moral agency, doesn’t include babies, brain dead, etc.)

Natural law theories admit that not all moral rules are built into the nature of human reality as such. Why?

some rules are conventional, ie. side of road to drive on is a law but what really matters is driving in a way that doesn’t endanger life

What were the basic examples of natural law discussed in class? How can people who do not believe in God recognize them?

1. children must be cared for

2. violence must be regulated

3. the distribution of resources must be respected

people understand what is good and bad for human welfare without needing religion, ie. not feeding a baby is not good for the baby

What were the two historical sources for Christian natural law theory?

1. Greek and Roman intellectual traditions

2. Paul’s letter to the Romans

Why is actual (as opposed to hypothetical) knowledge of natural law a practical problem?

people can figure out human morality by understanding how people work, in theory this knowledge should be available but if people actually have it is the question

What are the three major functions that natural law theories have served for Christian Ethics? (ACH(e))

1. agreement: explaining moral convergence (people agreeing on basic morality even if they disagree on worldview)

2. cooperation: fostering cooperation

3. higher law: offering a “higher law” than the law of particular societies