1A: Laws and Precepts as the Basis of Morality

Question 1

Deontological

Answer 1

based on following rules or doing one’s duty. suggests acts are inherently right or wrong

Question 2

Absolutist

Answer 2

true for all time, in all places and in all situations

Question 3

Legalist

Answer 3

one must obey relgious laws or rules to gain eternal life

Question 4

What is Aquinas’ Natural Law theory?

Answer 4

a theory that states everything is created by God for a particular function, and that fulfilling this purpose is the ‘good’ to which everything should aim

Question 5

According to natural law theory, what makes a person moral?

Answer 5

fulfilling their essential ‘function’

Question 6

What have humans been given to discover their essential function?

Answer 6

the gift of reason

Question 7

What is the basic core idea of any theory of Natural Law?

Answer 7

it is an ethical theory based on the concept of a final cause/purpose which determines everything’s natural use or goal

Question 8

What is the classical background of Natural Law?

Answer 8

• the play antigone (5th century BCE) by Sophocles addresses the idea that a state cannot overrule the immortal laws of the gods
• the stoics (a school of greek philosophy) spoke of something which they called ‘Logos’. refers to a rational principle which they believed governed both the world and human nature itself

Question 9

What Greek philosopher has the biggest classical influence on Aquinas?

Answer 9

Aristotle

Question 10

What 3 ideas did Aquinas agree with Aristotle about?

Answer 10

1. the ability to reason is a key element of human nature
2. everything in the world has a purpose. however Aquinas believed the purpose was given to things by god
3. used many of Aristotle’s terms and phrases in writing his own version of the natural law theory

Question 11

Efficient Cause

Answer 11

what brings the object/thing about

Question 12

Aquinas’ Efficient Cause

Answer 12

the efficient cause of humanity is God who is revealed in scripture as the creator

Question 13

Material Cause

Answer 13

what something is made of

Question 14

Final Cause

Answer 14

purpose/telos for which it was created

Question 15

Aquinas’ Final Cause

Answer 15

do good and avoid evil to achieve fellowship with God in the beatific vision

Question 16

What is the name of Aquinas’ book?

Answer 16

Summa Theologica

Question 17

What is Scholasticism?

Answer 17

a method of critical thought used by scholars of medieval universities in europe between about 1100 and 1790. began as an attempt to reconcile Christian theology with classical theology - an attempt to bridge faith and reason

Question 18

What is Natural Theology?

Answer 18

knowledge of God based on observation of the empirical world

Question 19

What are Aquinas’ 4 Levels of Law?

Answer 19

1. eternal law
2. divine law
3. natural law
4. human law

Question 20

Eternal Law

Answer 20

the principles that lie behind the universe based on God’s creation. only God can fully understand these. it is eternal because it is always true and never changes.
- most authoritative
- absolute

Question 21

Divine Law

Answer 21

God chooses to reveal parts of eternal law through sacred texts and teachings of the church
- found in bible
- bible
- absolute

Question 22

Natural Law

Answer 22

humans are able to use their god given gift of reason to work out elements of eternal law
- aims to achieve highest good, rational understanding of God’s final purpose

Question 23

Human Law

Answer 23

forms the legal system of our societies.
- relative
- subject to laws above

Question 24

What did Aquinas believe about human nature?

Answer 24

there is an ‘ideal’ human nature which all humans can potentially achieve. he did not believe people deliberately chose to be evil. all people can know what is right/wrong using their ability to reason

Question 25

What did Aquinas believe was humankind's ultimate purpose in life?

Answer 25

to re-establish a 'right' relationship with God and by doing so gain eternal life with God in heaven

Question 26

What 'gift' did God give humankind to help achieve this ultimate purpose?

Answer 26

reason. "the moral life is the life according to reason". our reason should help up make the correct moral decisions in order to establish the 'right' relationship with God

Question 27

How does God's gift of reason link to the primary precepts?

Answer 27

the primary precepts are derived from rational thought and are based on the premise of 'doing good and avoiding evil'

Question 28

What are the five primary precepts?

Answer 28

Preserve innocent life Ordered society Worship God Educate Reproduce

Question 29

What are the secondary precepts?

Answer 29

rulings about things we should or shouldn't do because they either uphold or fail to uphold any of the primary precepts. (example: rulings such as "do not murder" or "do not commit suicide" would all seem to uphold the primary precept "preserve innocent life"

Question 30

Why are secondary precepts not absolutist?

Answer 30

they have to be interpreted in the context of the situation, and they may have to be broken in extreme cases. (example: primary precept of "ordered society" suggest it's wrong to steal. however if someone has a gun and intends to kill people with it, it would be considered rational to steal a gun to fulfill living in an ordered society)

Question 31

What secondary precept could follow the primary precept of preserving human life?

Answer 31

- don't euthanise someone who isn't sick - don't commit suicide - don't commit murder - don't abort

Question 32

What secondary precept could follow the primary precept of ordered society?

Answer 32

uphold rule of law

Question 33

What secondary precept could follow the primary precept of worshipping God?

Answer 33

- go to church - confess your sins - follow 10 commandments

Question 34

What secondary precept could follow the primary precept of educating?

Answer 34

- educate others - be prepared to listen and learn

Question 35

What secondary precept could follow the primary precept of reproducing?

Answer 35

do not use contraception

Question 36

What is the syndresis rule?

Answer 36

do good and avoid evil