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YR1 Religion and Ethics > CH2.1 Natural Law > Flashcards

CH2.1 Natural Law Flashcards

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1
Q

What is meant by deontological?

A

it is Latin for ‘duty’. It means an ethics focused on the intrinsic rightness and wrongness of actions

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2
Q

What is meant by Telos?

A

the end, or purpose, of something

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3
Q

What is meant by practical reason?

A

the tool which makes moral decisions

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4
Q

What is meant by syndersis?

A

to follow the good and avoid the evil, the rule which all precepts follow

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5
Q

What is meant by eudaimonia?

A

interpreted as flourish or happiness. Living well, as an ultimate end in life which all other actions should lead towards

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6
Q

What did Aristotle assume about all our actions?

A

he assumed that all our action aim at some end or good, and that there is one ultimate end

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7
Q

According to Aristotle, what is the highest good?

A

the highest good is that to which all actions aim; it must be attainable and an end in itself. He argued that it is happiness that satisfies and concluded that happiness alone must be the highest good

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8
Q

What are the 2 justices that Aristotle distinguished?

A

he distinguished between:
- (universal) natural justice
- (local) legal justice

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9
Q

What was natural law according to Aristotle?

A

-based on a particular view about nature and the universe
-it means that the universe has a natural order that works to achieve an end or purpose
-the order, direction and purpose are determined by a supernatural power
-human beings are part of the natural world and they also have a purpose or nature
-its a nature that is in all human beings
-is about acting in such ways that we consistently moved towards a purpose

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10
Q

What did St Thomas Aquinas try to show?

A

He tried to show the harmony between faith and reason, and between Christianity and philosophy

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11
Q

What is Natural Law according to Aquinas?

A

it is a deontological theory based on behaviour that accords/agrees with the given laws or moral rules (e.g. given by god) that exist independently of human societies and systems

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12
Q

What did Aquinas think about right and wrong?

A

he thought that right and wrong are fixed things. They do not change according to the situation or what might happen as a result. They are linked to some greater idea of a fixed morality in the eternal law of God

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13
Q

What did Aquinas describe natural law as in Summa Theologica?

A

He described Natural Law as a moral code existing within the purpose of nature, created by god

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14
Q

What is natural law not the same as?

A

it is not the same as law of nature

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15
Q

What is the difference between Natural law and law of nature?

A

natural law is about human actions and natural inclinations. However, laws of nature are about the laws that apply to material things, and include such laws as the universal law of gravitation, which explains gravity. Natural law does not refer to action that is natural but rather to action that is based on reason, interpreting purpose within the world

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16
Q

What did Aquinas think moral acts were?

A

he thought moral acts were free acts aimed at achieving an immediate end, and also an ultimate end.

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17
Q

What does achieving an ultimate end bring?

A

it brings ultimate happiness and satisfaction, a thing not found in this world

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18
Q

What do natural law thinkers argue?

A

they argue that there is a human nature, which we should live in accordance with

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19
Q

Using reason, certain laws are what?

A

Using reason, certain laws are perceived, the first of which is ‘good is to be done and pursued and evil is to be avoided’ (synderesis rule)

20
Q

What are the precepts of natural law based upon?

A

based upon the synderesis rule

21
Q

Where does the idea of natural law come from and what does it mean?

A

-the Greek Stoics believed humans had a divine spark enabling them to discover eternal laws necessary for human happiness. The Stoics considered themselves citizens of the universal law.
-Aristotle also wrote about the natural law: “the natural law is that which everywhere is equally valid, and depends not upon being or not being received… that which is natural is unchangeable, and has the same power everywhere, just as fire burns both here and in Persia” What Aristotle is saying here is that natural law is ‘given’. He thought that the purpose of human beings was to live a life of reason: “Reason is the true self of man, since it is the supreme and better part”

22
Q

Where did Aquinas get most of the grounding for natural law from?

A

from the works of Aristotle.
-Aristotle believed that everything in nature was constantly changing and moving, and this movement was all towards its specific purpose, or Telos

23
Q

Did Aqunias agree with Aristotle about everything in nature always moving towards its telos?

A

yes, Aquinas did agree god created the world in this goal-driven manner, where everything was following strict natural laws to fulfil its purpose

24
Q

What is it that humans are moving towards, their telos?

A

it is Eudaimonia. However, Aquinas believed that it could only be reached in the afterlife.

25
Q

What is the way in which we move towards eudaimonia?

A

by pursuing what is good and avoiding what is evil - what the precepts are based on

26
Q

Aquinas says we reach eudaimonia by pursuing good, but how do we know what is good?

A

-Aquinas argued that knowing what is good is through reason
-reason, the ability to think and understand our surroundings, is what unlocks our moral knowledge. From such knowledge, we will be able to recognise good, and we will know how we should act and live
-Aquinas went further and argued that when we use our reason, we notice basic goods that all reasonable humans pursue. He distinguished 5 basic goods that he referred to as the primary precepts

27
Q

What does Aquinas think about morality in terms of?

A

in terms of laws

28
Q

What are the 4 main kinds of laws?

A

-the eternal (on which all other kinds of law depend)
-the divine law (revealed to human beings through revelation, the Bible)
-the natural law
-the human law

29
Q

What is the eternal law?

A

it is the absolute and eternal part of natural law. It is part of the mind of god - his unchanging reason. this is the reason gods law is unchanging and universal, for everyone at all times and in all places.
-whatever the culture, society, political situation, the eternal law remains the same.
-God plants the eternal law in every person’s rational soul

30
Q

What is divine law?

A

it means the teachings and commands of divine revelation that are usually found in the Bible. This include the commandments, the Beatitudes, the Sermon on the Mount, the teachings in the parables and so on.
-this sacred scripture, revealed by god, is god teaching humans how to live

31
Q

Why is it possible for all humans beings to perceive gods eternal law, even those who have not read the bible?

A

this is becuase of natural law

32
Q

What is natural law?

A

natural law allows humans to perceive the eternal law through the application of human reason - through reflection on the world. This marks human beings apart from animals and makes gods eternal law accessible to the whole of humanity

33
Q

What is human law?

A

human law is our response to these messages from god in reason and revelation.
-human laws are the customs and practices of society
-Aquinas is clear that human law is only a proper law if it is good and in accordance with divine and natural law. A practice that is wrong is no law at all and breaking such laws is not immoral

34
Q

What is the KEY precept?

A

the key precept is the synderesis rule which is to do good and avoid all evil, and all other principles follow from this reason

35
Q

What is divine reason? and can be perceive it?

A

divine reason is the reason of god and it is impossible for us to fully perceive it. However, with the faculty of human reason we can discern the laws

36
Q

What is the moral life?

A

the moral life is one that is lived by and through reason

37
Q

What did Aquinas think was in all human beings?

A

that ‘there is first of all an inclination to do good’ because ‘every substance seeks the preservation of its own being’. Therefore, ‘whatever is a means of preserving human life, and of warding off its obstacles, belongs to the natural law’

38
Q

What are the five precepts?

A

1) defend the innocent and preserve life
2) live in an ordered society
3) worship god
4) learn and teach people about god
5) reproduce

39
Q

What are the secondary precepts?

A

they are precepts derived from primary precepts. Once our reason acknowledges the primary precepts, we use our reason to further derive our rules, laws and behaviour in accordance with the basic goods. So the specific laws or behavioural codes (that we derive) are the secondary precepts

40
Q

What does Aquinas claim about why god gave us reason?

A

Aquinas claimed that god gives us reason so that we can work out for ourselves what to do to fulfil our telos

41
Q

What did Aquinas think about evil?

A

he thought evil was not desirable. ‘No evil can be desirable, either by natural appetite or by conscious will. It is sought indirectly, namely because it is the consequence of some good’.

42
Q

What are real goods?

A

those which are in accordance with the primary precepts and God’s wishes for humanity

43
Q

What are apparent goods?

A

things which tempt us because they seem enjoyable but which do not further the aim of promoting human flourishing.

44
Q

How can you distinguish between real and apparent goods?

A

by using reason

45
Q

What is the doctrine of double effect?

A

it explains that even if a good act has a bad consequence, it is still right to do. This is because Aquinas says that some acts have two effects, a good one and a bad one (e.g. self defence). The important issue is the intention. If the intention was not to bring about these bad consequences, then the unfortunate side effects do not make the act morally wrong

YR1 Religion and Ethics (6 decks)

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