Aquinas' law Flashcards
What was aquinas’ theory?
Everything was created by God for a particular function and that fulfilling this purpose is the good to which everyone should aim for. . Absolutstic, legalistic, deontological theory of normative ethics but not consequnatalisc. Forms the basis of roman catholic ethics.
What did Cicero say about a natural law theory?
“unchanging and everlasting; it summons to duty by its commands and averts from wrong doing by its prohibitions… we cannot be freed from its obligations by senate people … one master and ruler, that is, god.
What are aquinas’ 4 types of law?
eternal, divine, natural and human law
What happened in 1967 with abortion?
Abortion act of ‘two doctors must agree that an abortion is necessary if; woman health is threatened
High risk that the baby would be haciapped.
What was the quotation of JL Mackie about abortion?
“the unborn could os already a human being, a person, a bearer of rights, and that abortion is therefore murder”
Why is abortion wrong in Catholic Church?
1869 Pope Pius 1X- declared that a foetus us a human person from the moment of conception. “abortion is against the precept of God and the law of nature “thou shall not kill”
What is euthanasia?
physician assisted suicide )(euthantos)
What did the catholic catechism para 2277 say about euthanasia?
“causes death in order to eliminate suffering constitutes a murder gravely contract to the dignity of the human person and to respect due to the living `god, his creator”
What did Kant say about natural law?
Moral law and religion should be totally separate. We do things depending on our instinct. If you steal it should be universal. Stealing isn’t universable, stealing should be an exception for yourself. We are our ownselves and should follow the moral law to save ourselves, we shouldn’t use other people to benefit ourselves
What are Kant’s categorical imperatives?
Things which aid ourselves for example; lying to someone on a false pretence to get what you want also doesn’t aid the person you’re asking from. a rule of conduct that is unconditional or absolute for all agents, the validity or claim of which does not depend on any desire or end
issues arising with aborsion?
Mackie- “the unborn child is already a human being, a bearer of rights and that abortion is therefore murder”
How is aquinas’ law applied to abortion?
use preserving of light precept; abortion is evil as it is an intentional and direct killing of an innocent humN
pope Pius “a foetus is a human person from the moment of conception”
How is Aquinas’ law applied to euthanasia?
euthanos (greek)
for- overpopulated, every person has free will
primary precep- preserving life
Catholic Church- “an act of omission, which of itself or by intention causes the death”
doctrine of double effect
what are the strengths of natural law?
uses practical reasons, absolutists
telos- eternal life
secondly precepts vary
concentrates on goodness of people
what are the weakness of natural law?
have to use secondary to justify vague in terms of actions assumes everyone are theits not modern in scpicety can lead to immoral behaviour homophobia
