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”