Natural Law Flashcards
why are humans different to animals?
because we are able to reason
according to Aristotle what is the purpose of human life?
to reach EUDIAMONIA - happiness
can also mean, living well, doing good and achieving well
why must we use reason excellently?
to achieve our purpose
what does aristotle’s final cause relate to in human life?
to be good
what did aquinas say human purpose was?
god’s purpose
what is eternal law?
god’s law of the everything, known by him only
what is divine law?
god’s laws handed down to people in the bible, know by the few
what is natural law?
reflected in humans nature - discoverable by everyone using reason
what are the 5 primary precepts?
1) worship God
2) educate the young
3) reproduction
4) self preservation and the preservation of life
5) living peacefully in society
what are primary precepts?
always true and applying to everyone without exception
they are a direct reflection of god’s eternal law
what are secondary precepts?
rules that derive from the primary precepts
eg. ‘the preservation of life’ is a primary precept, leading to the secondary precepts of ‘do not kill’ and ‘do not abort’
ABSOLUTE RULES, DEONTOLOGICAL ASPECT OF THE THEORY
what does the law of double effect refer to?
double effect refers to situations where there is an intended outcome and another significant but unintentional outcome
what do we use to distinguish between real and apparent goods?
reason
apparent goods
maybe plesaurable but not leading to fulfilment of potential eg. taking drugs
what does natural law protect? STRENGTH
protects the absolute nature of human rights
what does natural law use in combination? STRENGTH
reason and instinct
what does natural law give purpose to? STRENGTH
the world
what can natural law be seen as? STRENGTH
a logical framework even without faith in god
what does natural law give us? STRENGTH
rules to follow
what does natural law reduce? STRENGTH
problems caused by relativism
what is difficult to establish in natural law? WEAKNESS
a single ‘human nature’
when doesn’t natural law fit as well? WEAKNESS
without faith in god
what can natural law lead to? WEAKNESS
bad outcomes due to it’s deontological nature (ignores consequences)
what is natural law meant to fit which limits it? WEAKNESS
meant to fit all cultures at all times therefore it is rigid
what is the problem with secondary precepts? WEAKNESS
they can easily be made in error
what are there fixed natural laws about?
the workings of nature
how do we have the capacity to know these laws?
through science
if things are meant to be then they …….
ought to be
where can you find natural law?
built into our nature - “the law written on our hearts”
what argument does aristotle present?
the function argument and the supreme good
what does aristotle say everything we do is for?
a purpose
what does aristotle call a purpose?
a good
what is every ‘good’ done to achieve? aristotle
to achieve an even greater ‘good’
what must there be beyond a ‘greater good’?
supreme good, beyond which there are no other purposes
what must the supreme good be?
1) the end for which all human beings pursue all other ‘goods’
2) it must be unconditionally complete
3) it must be self-sufficient
what satisfies all 3 criteria of supreme good?
happiness
what is something’s function?
the activity that nothing else can do aswell
example of good and supreme good
the ‘good’ of an eye lies in seeing and it’s ‘supreme good’ is seeing excellently
distinctive function of humans
rational activity
what does our supreme or highest good lie in?
using and following reason excellently
where does natural law come from?
our human nature and our search for happiness and fulfillment
how does aquinas describe Natural Law?
as a moral code existing within the purpose of nature, created by God
what to human beings have in order for us to live and flourish?
an essential rational nature
what can reason do even without the knowledge of god?
discover the laws that lead to human flourishing (aristotle)
what are the natural laws?
universal and unchanging and should be used to judge the laws of particular societies
what did aquinas think that god had given all human beings?
inclinations to behave in certain ways which lead us to the highest good
when are primary precepts true?
always in that they point us in the right direction
what are secondary precepts dependent on?
our own judgements and are therefore open to faulty reasoning and can lead to wrong choices
what do secondary precepts require?
experience, the use of reason and exercise of wisdom
