Essential Flashcards For Natural Law
What is natural law?
Natural law is a deontological theory rooted in the synderesis rule which involves rationality and looks for us to do good and avoid evil.
What is the key precept? / the synderesis rule?
This is to do good and avoid evil. Reason directs us to do good and avoid evil and all other principles must follow through this.
How did Aquinas deem something to be good?
God set a natural order to the world. If we achieve our purpose/ telos we are morally good.
What are the 4 tiers of natural law?
1) The eternal law - A law governed by the whole of creation, unknowable to humans
2) The divine law - This is law man received by revelation from God.
3) Natural Law - This is part of Gods law incorporated into human nature
4) Human law - Law devised by man for specific purpose. E.g. the legal system
What are primary precepts for?
They help us identify our God given purpose and tell us which acts are good.
What are the 5 primary precepts?
To worship God To live in an ordered society To reproduce To learn and educate To defend and protect the innocent
What do secondary precepts do?
They help us achieve primary precepts. A secondary precept is good if it upholds a primary precept.
Give an example of a secondary precept that upholds reproduction
Don’t use contraception and have sex
What is the doctrine of double effect?
This is when an action upholds a precept but doesn’t uphold another.
For example, self defence is good if you’re preserving life but bad if you’re doing it to kill. The other effect is foreseen but not intended.
What are apparent goods?
Aquinas never believed in evil. He said humans do bad things because they are mistaken by apparent goods. Evil is sought indirectly as its a consequence some good.
