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Ethics > Natural Law > Flashcards

Natural Law Flashcards

1
Q

Deontological definition?

A

from Latin ‘duty’. Focused on the intrinsic rightness and wrongness of actions

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2
Q

Telos definition?

A

The end or purpose of something
- comes from Aristotle

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3
Q

Is Natural Law teleological or deontological?

A

Deontological, based on behaviour according to given laws or moral rules, existing independently of societies or systems

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4
Q

Primary precepts?

A

Most important rules in life.
- Protect innocent life, Reproduce, Live in an ordered community, Education, Believe in God

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5
Q

Secondary precepts definition?

A

Laws which follow from primary precepts

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6
Q

Syneresis definition?

A

Natural Inclination of Humans
- Follow good and avoid evil
- overly optimistic of human nature?

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7
Q

Practical Reason Vs. Reason definition?

A

Reason
Thinking logically, and a moral sense.
Not enough to know what is reasonable, have to act on it.

Practical Reason
Tool which makes moral decisions

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8
Q

Eudaimonia definition?

A

Deeply fulfilled in a fundamental way. An ultimate end in life which all other actions should lead towards.

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9
Q

What is the Mean + who developed it + eg ?

A

Aristotle
- Doing right involves balance between extremes
- Helps to have role models to achieve golden ratios
e.g. Deficiency in bravery is cowardice, excess of bravery is foolhardy

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10
Q

Who developed Natural law

A

Aquinas 13th Century

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11
Q

What are the 2 ways we can know Natural Law?

A
  1. Through revelation –> e.g. Pauls letters to the romans
    God gave us two sets of laws
    i) Torah for Jews
    ii) Natural Law for Gentiles
  2. Through human reason
    - Moral life lived according to reason
    Reason tells us ultimate purpose / telos of life is fellowship with God
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12
Q

What are Aquinas’ views on free acts?

A
  • Believes proper moral acts are free acts, that come from a freely acting rational person.
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13
Q

Does Aquinas think we can reach telos in this world?

A
  • No
    Only satisfied when we achieve telos, but telos cannot be found in this world, only in God
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14
Q

Aquinas on Intention (how can emotion effect decisions)

A

Aquinas not only concerned about act, but reason for the act.
- A good deed done for a selfish reason means good exterior act is compromised by a bad interior act
- However, cannot do bad for good reason
Good intentions could lead u astray, emotions confuse moral decision

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15
Q

What are the 4 tiers of law

A
  • Eternal Law
    –> God plants eternal law in everyone’s rational soul
    –> part of Gods mind, all other tiers depend on
  • Divine Law
    –> Sends information about eternal law through divine law
    –> Scripture that reveals Gods teachings e.g. bible, tend commandments
  • Natural Law
    –> Natural law allows humans to achieve eternal law without scripture, through human reason
    –> Marks humans apart from animals, makes eternal law accessible to whole of humanity
  • Human law
    –> Normal human laws, our response to messages from God .
    –> Only need to abide by human laws if they are in accordance with divine + natural law
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16
Q

What are the 5 primary precepts + eg’s of secondary?

A
  1. Self preservation + preservation of innocents - do not murder, no abortion
  2. Reproduction - no artificial conception, no LGBTQ+
  3. Education - no banning school
  4. Live harmoniously in society - Marriage
  5. Worship God - abide by Bible
17
Q

Real vs. Apparent Good + why do people follow apparent good

A
  • Apparent - Something that seems right in the moment but realise was wrong
  • Real - Seems right + was right

Human nature is essentially good,
- Natural law within everyone
- Humans would never knowingly pursue evil
- When people follow apparent good, just an error of judgement

18
Q

What are the 4 causes

A

Developed by Aristotle
1. Material Cause
- Material object is made from
2. Formal Cause
- Shape of the thing / how it is arranged
3. Efficient Cause
- What / Who gives it is shape / how it is made
4. Final Cause
- Purpose / Telos of thing

19
Q

Does Intention or Act matter most for Aquinas?

A

Both intention and the act are important.
- Acts are intrinsically good or bad

20
Q

What is the Doctrine of the double effect?

A

An action may have two effects / ends
- Aquinas States as long as good effect isn’t dependent on bad effect, it can still be good effect
e.g’s
- Aquinas uses example of attacker. Using self defence (follows primary precept of self preservation), violent action is justified as long as force is proportionate
–> Saving your life is not dependent on them dying - still moral act, even if they die

  • Doctor administrating morphine as a pain killer. If patient dies due to it it is not immoral act, as pain killing not dependent on patient dying.
21
Q

What is Phronesis definition?

A
  • Wisdom in a practical sence
    –> Reason + Virtue + Conscience = Practical judgement
22
Q

Strengths of Natural Law (5)

A

Absolute
- Clear structure + rules
- Answers problems of relativism

Allows some flexibility
- Secondary precepts - applicable to everyday life
- Doctrine of double effect

Universal
- Gives everyone same precepts to follow
–> but, reliance of Christian religious values undermines universal claim

Rationality
- Pairs human reason with following of God / faith
- human nature recognises moral law through reason

Optimistic of Humanity
- e.g. Synderesis

23
Q

Weaknesses of Natural Law (5)

A

Absolute
- Rigid + not applicable to everyday life
- No room for individualism or subjectivity
- Donsn’t allow Cultural relativism

Some Flexibility
- secondary precepts allow for subjectivity + human error
- dif people conclude dif secondary precepts from same primary

Not Rational
- Worship God as precept - God’s existence not rational conclusion for all people e.g. Hume rejects existence of God

Outdates
- Reproduction used to condemn abortion, homosexuality and contraception

Hypocritical
- States purpose of Humanity is reproduction but becomes celibate priest

24
Q

Proportionalism definition, e.g. + scholar

A
  • Bernard Hoose
  • Middle ground between deontology and consequentialism
    –> in situation where good and evil will result from action, proportionalism is choosing the lesser of two evils
    e.g. using violence to end was to bring peaceful end
  • using practical reasoning to bring about proportional good opposed to exceptionless laws
    –> has been condemned by the roman catholic church as consequentialism e.g. John Paul II
25
Q

What do Grisez and Finnis say about Natural law? + individuals

A

21st century Catholic
- Aquinas inadequately addresses responsibility for ‘apparent goods’ leading to a lack of moral accountability

Grisez - too rigid - critiques NL’s moral absolutism, overlooks cultural factors effecting morality

Finnis - NL can lead to subordination of individual in favour of common Good

26
Q

What does scholar Polkinghorne say about Natural Law

A
  • 20th Century theologian
    Supports Telos
  • Science lacks explanations for universe, meaning telos could exist
27
Q

What does Dawkins say about Natural Law

A
  • Richard Dawkins - 21st century
  • Critiques telos - Assumes there is a reason for existence, cannot assume there is a reason for the universe to exist
  • Morality is evolutionary - ‘selfish gene’ states cultural norms define morality not universal HN - morality based on survival
28
Q

Freud on Natural Law

A
  • Sigmond Freud 20th centry
    Morality due to social conditioning,
    Super-ego internalised moral standards of right and wrong
29
Q

Barth on Natural Law

A
  • 19th Century theologian
    Over-reliance on reason, Human reason dangerous as can lead to worship of idolatry e.g. Nazi’s
  • “finite has no capacity for the infinite”
30
Q

George Hart on Natural Law

A
  • 21st century
    Legal positivist - believes in separation of morality, especially derived from religious, and law

+ over reliance on presumption of fixed human nature

31
Q

Hugo Grotius on Natural Law

A
  • 16th Century
    supports NL
  • NL base on reason allows for social harmony + Justice transcending culture and religious - universal
32
Q

Scholars on Telos

A

Support
- Polkinghorne - Science lacks explanations, telos could exist

Critique
- Dawkins - Assumes reason for existence, cannot assume universe has reason to exist

33
Q

Scholars of reason

A

Supports
- Hugo Grotius - Basis in reason allows for social harmony and Justice transcending culture and religion - universal

Critique
- Barth - over-reliance on reason - reason is dangerous can lead to worship of idolatry e.g. Nazi’s - “finite has no capacity for the infinite”

34
Q

Scholars on Human Nature

A

Support Aquinas
- Augustine - People aim for good, but can be mistaken
- Aquinas Syneresis “do good, avoid evil” but can be mistaken, reason as universal and God-given

Critique Aquinas
- Dawkins - Morality as evolutionary - ‘selfish gene’ - cultural norms define morality, morality based on survival
- Freud - Morality due to social conditioning - super-ego internalised moral standards of right + wrong
- George Hart - over reliance on presumption of universal human nature

+Add conscience scholar who did that experiment

Ethics (10 decks)

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