Natural Law Flashcards
who created
Aquinas
what is its main points
everything has a purpose - mankind made by God with specific design in mind
purpose can be know through reason. once fulfilling the purpose of our design we can discover wha is good for humans
efficient and final cause
efficient - how does it happen?
final - what is it for?
all efficient causes is first cause - God
God unmoved mover author of design and purpose in his creation ultimate final cause behind the final cause of things he has created. God can be first efficient cause
to find good look for purpose God had in mind
efficient and final cause example of sex
roman catholic church - sex only good when procreation takes places
Accomplishment of end purpose equates to good
final cause must be consistent with Gods design for human beings
actuality and potentiality
Actuality - way things are
potentiality - possibility for change and development something has
the more something realises potential and turns actually the better
what does Aquinas say about actuality and potentiality
the essence of goodness is to turn the potentiality God has given each human into actuality
Knowing the purposes of God
God purposes worked out by revelation and reason
Aquinas view of knowing the purposes of God
looks for observable facts about the world that tells us what we ought to do
reasons will confirm the rational truths of scriptures and church teachings
what does Aquinas think purpose of humans is
Do good avoid evil
actions can’t be justified by looking at consequences
5 primary precepts
- protect and preserve innocent
- procreate
- education
- live in ordered society
- worship God
what are secondary precepts
make sure primary precepts are kept
considered absolute and universal
rules can’t be broken - absolute laws
God
Aquinas believed in life after death - leads us to a different understanding of Gods plan.
God upholds system of natural law
concept of law operated at 4 levels
- eternal law
- divine law
- natural law
- human law
Real and apparent goods
god helps us with gift of syneresis conscience work out wrong and right
God given powers
fallible humans don’t always reason correctly
easily reason wrongly by desire not scripture out of ignorance
casuistry meaning
name given process of applying natural law principles to specific situations done in logical and consistent way
double effect meaning
situations there is an indeed outcome and another significant but unintentional outcome
any negative consequences be proportionate to good achieved by action
what rules must be followed
- nature of act rule - action must be morally good intentionally taking innocent life
- means end rule - negative effect must not be means which positive effects is achieved
- right intention rule - must bring good effect only
- proportionality rule - good achieved must be greater than or equivalent to negative consequences
what are the 2 key examples how Roman Catholic uses double effect principle
ectopic pregnancy
palliative care drugs
ectopic pregnancy
save life it is granted
traditional surge - removal of body part to save life - morally neutral with good intention
modern laser - directly kills foetus - evil action
Palliative care drugs
Roman Catholics prohibits euthanasia
killing patient - breaks nature of act and means end
does allow palliative care drugs even tho they have negative side effect on breathing
as taking to relieve suffering
shorting life is unintended
proportional to reef from suffering
critique of double effect - 2
- some say it becomes form of ultilitarism
- used to mask difficulties of applying strict principles to complex moral dilemmas
strengths - 2
- natural law appears objective absolute and universal
possible to judge other ethical decisions by its universal standard - Natural law brings faith and reason together
Weaknesses - 2
- human purposes are varied and complex
- G E Moore - Can’t turn an is into an ought
can’t make logically necessary ought out of an is always a gap of interpretation. Aquinas makes mistake of turning is into an ought when he claims his observations of natural world prove - certain moral judgements are correct
