2.3 Natural moral law

Question 1

What did Cicero mean when he said “True law is right and reason and in agreement with nature… there will be no different laws in Rome and in Athens or different laws now and in the future but one eternal and unchangeable law that will be valid for all nations and all times, and there will be one master and ruler, that is God”?

Answer 1

• Natural moral law can be applied to all time periods
• It is logical and coherent
• Applicable to all different people
• type of divine command theory

Question 2

What is absolutism?

Answer 2

A version of morality that is revelant to all people all the time
“thou should not steal”- stealing is never excusable even to feed yourself

Question 3

What is legalism?

Answer 3

Within morality we should base our decisions off of previously established laws
- for christians they would follow the commandments without question

Question 4

Who was the leading figure of natural moral law?

Not the founder

Answer 4

Thomas Aquinas

Question 5

What does systematise mean?

Answer 5

There is a defined system in place of moral decisions

Question 6

What does rational mean?

Answer 6

Based on reason and logic

Question 7

What is the church doctrine?

Answer 7

Rules of the roman catholic church, supports natural moral law

Question 8

Who founded natural moral law?

Answer 8

Plato and Aristotle

Question 9

What are Aristotle’s 4 causes for?

Answer 9

causes for anything to exist

Question 10

What are Aristotle’s 4 causes?

Answer 10

1. Material cause- the substance
2. Formal cause- the shape
3. Efficient cause- the designer
4. final cause- it’s final state (telos)

Question 11

Why is the final state/ telos the most important cuase for natural moral law?

Answer 11

Shows the purpose for which a thing is created and the purpose of anything they do

Question 12

What is the purpose of a human?

Answer 12

To flourish and fulfil their Eudaimonia

Question 13

What is a bible quote showing natural moral law was instilled by God in nature?

Answer 13

Romans 1:20 “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities- his eternal power and divine nature- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”

Romans 2:14-16

Question 14

What did Aquinas believe people’s telos was?

Answer 14

That humans should strive to achieve God’s goal for them, so they can be a good christian- causing you to flourish

Question 15

Where did Aquinas believe humans could understand their God given purpose?

Answer 15

• The bible - follow the bible and the consequences will take care of themselves
• Reason- humans need to use our reason to work out an ordered society because if we don’t use reason or logic to provide us with guidance or logic then it won’t be practical

Question 16

What is the key precept of natural moral law?

Answer 16

Humans should aim to do good and to avoid doing evil

Question 17

What were Aquinas’ primary precept?

Answer 17

1. Preservation- to preserve and protect life
2. orderly- to create a harmonious and orderly society
3. worship- to worship god
4. educate- educate people
5. reproduction- to reproduce

Question 18

How did Peter Vardy describe the secondary precepts?

Answer 18

“unpacking” the primary precepts and telling the moral “agents” what they involve and mean for daily decision making

Question 19

What are the sceondary precepts for Preservation that the Catholic church might say?

Answer 19

• do not abort
• do not euthanise
• do not kill

Question 20

What are the sceondary precepts for reproduction that the Catholic chruch might say?

Answer 20

• no condoms
• no IVF

Question 21

What is proportionalism?

Answer 21

An ethical theory commonly associated with Bernard Hoose. Seen as an attractive middle way between the absolutism and the relativism of situation eithcs.

Question 22

What is the principle of double effect?

Answer 22

You have a positive intention and you wnat to have a positive action leading to a positive consequence. BUT in some situations the end result is negative

e.g double dosing on morphine. With intention of stopping pain you end up dying- under natural moral law this action is considered good because it had good intentions

Question 23

What is an apparent good?

Answer 23

When we do something that doesn’t fulfil our purpose and allow us to flourish but something we still believe is good

e.g eating junk food brings happiness and makes us feel good but doesn’t fulfil our God given purpose.

Question 24

What did John Finnis do?

Answer 24

He attemted to re-vitalise Natural moral law and added a modern spin
Focuses on concrete things that are good and contrasts the previous abstract qualities for good

Question 25

What are Finnis’ 7 basic human goods?

Answer 25

1. life
2. knowledge
3. friendship
4. play
5. asthetic experience
6. practical reasonableness
7. religion

Question 26

What precept does Euthanasia break?

Answer 26

Preservation of life

Question 27

what are the different types of euthanasia?

Answer 27

• Active and passive
• voluntary and involuntary

Question 28

What does deontological mean?

Answer 28

decisions made which are concerned with the actions not the consequences

Question 29

what does Eudaimonia mean?

Answer 29

to flourish and accomplish your goals, purpose

Question 30

what are the Cardinal virtues?

Answer 30

• Justics
• prudence- careful
• temperance- balance
• fortitude- mentally strong

Question 31

What is the end goal when following natural moral law?

Answer 31

Achieveing an eternity with God in heaven

Question 32

What are the advantages of Natural moral law?

Answer 32

Rational- uses practical reason
objective- rules can be independent and flexible
purpose- the world has meaning
absolute and deontological- allows for a clear cut approach to the rules
Organised- primary precepts make it easy to follow

Question 33

What are the disadvantages of natural moral law?

Answer 33

Too simplistic- humans do not have a fixed purpose
Can lead to immoral outcomes- not allowing contraception led to spread of aids and overpopulation in Africa
too religious- non religious people can’t follow it
Vague- no clear definition of what is good and what isn’t
Double effect- permits abhorent outcomes if intentions were ‘good’
Too optimistic- assumes everyone has reason, and that everyone is capable of making a ‘good’ decision ( Augustine disagrees due to the fall, and belief that humans are inately flawed)