natural law Flashcards
What type of theory is natural law?
Absolutist (theory that is never altered or changed), deontological (action based on duty)
Who is the main scholar?
Thomas Aquinas
What are the five primary precepts?
Preservation of Life, Reproduction, Ordered Society, Worshipping God, Learn (PROWL)
What is telos?
the purpose of something
for aristotle that is to flourish and achieve eudaimonia
for aquinas that is a perfect union with God, syndresis rule
what are the strengths of the syndresis rule and the five primary precepts
avoids evil so gives an ordered society
following the ten commandments (divine law)
clear structure to make decisions
allows people to develop their own sense of reason
what are the weaknesses of the syndresis rule and the five primary precepts
goes against devoting your life to the church
what about those who can’t reproduce (eg infertility)
doesn’t take into account the persons pain (not personalistic)
takes away freewill
what are the secondary precepts
they derive form the primary precepts and direct our actions, they are dependant on our own judgements of what actually to do in any given situation
more subjective
what are the four tiers of law
human law, natural law, divine law, eternal law
what’s human law
law created to establish order in society
what is natural law
to look at the world and use reason to establish morals
what is eternal law
moral code that only god understands
what is divine law
bible teachings found there morally - come from God
what’s aquinas’ explanation if humans purpose
“our ultimate end is unrelated good, namely God”
what is the syndresis rule
do good and avoid evil
how do we achieve real good
to follow the primary, secondary precepts and to “reason excellently”
what’s apparent good
reason incorrectly and to make the wrong choice
what’s the difference between interior or exterior actions
interior is the intention, exterior is the action itself
what’s the strengths of natural law
its a clear theory
everyone is held to the same standard
creates a link between God and humans
practical
allows us to reach our telos
allows humans the chance to reason excellently
allows christian’s to have clear moral guidelines that updates the bible
what are the weaknesses of natural law
removes peoples freewill
ignores human emotions and circumstances
Aquinas is contradictory
Bias theory in the first place
what about those who can’t reason
telos is never met in this life time
do not apply to athiests
give reasons why human nature has an orientation towards it good
giving last chocolate (altruism)
holding the door open (manners)
clarify
help those in need
give reasons why human nature doesnt have an orientation towards the good
murder
stealing
selfish
rude
give reasons why moral judgements can be based on its success or failure in achieving its telos
if we have a subjective purpose then meeting it is good
give reasons why moral judgments cant be based on its success or failure in achieving its telos
aquinas - we can never tell if we reach our telos
who decides what the telos is eg the knife
give reasons why the universe as a whole has been designed with a telos
world clearly has a reason - humans to live on
science - 02 - c02 cycle
give reasons why the universe as a whole has been designed without a telos
our world is so small - removing it makes no difference
telos is a human concept - understand their purpose
give reasons why the doctrine of double effect can be used to justify an action, such as killing someone as an act of self defence
bad consequences is not intentional
allows for more subjective stance - ‘do good and avoid evil’
give reasons why the doctrine of double effect can be used to justify an action, such as killing someone as an act of self-defence
based on an assumption of the consequence
action (bad outcome) is always inherently wrong
what is innate
syndresis rule
