Natural Law

Question 1

What is Natural Law based on the idea of?

Answer 1

That there is a natural order to the world

Question 2

What does everything have according to Aristotle?

Answer 2

A natural purpose or telos

Question 3

What is something if it fulfils its purpose according to Aristotle?

Answer 3

Good

Question 4

What did Aristotle see human beings purpose to be?

Answer 4

Eudaimonia which is human flourishing

Question 5

When do humans seem to find greatest fulfilment according to Aristotle?

Answer 5

Playing our role within scoeity

Question 6

What is will a “good” man do according to Aristotle?

Answer 6

Pursue his telos and contribute to his social group, this will give hime the greatest satisfaction and it is his natural behaviour

Question 7

Why was the rediscovery of Ancient Greek writings a challenge to Medieval cChristianity?

Answer 7

It was based on reason

Question 8

What was the Bible to Medieval Christianity?

Answer 8

Absolute truth

Question 9

What did Thomas Aquinas argue?

Answer 9

That properly applied reason would reach the same conclusions as the Bible, as both reason and the Bible were given to us by God

Question 10

What did Aquinas use Aristotle’s ideas as?

Answer 10

The basis for his own reasoned argument

Question 11

What are humans designed to do?

Answer 11

Reflect the image of God

Question 12

What is our telos for Aquinas?

Answer 12

To pursue perfection i.e. reflect the image of God

Question 13

What happens when we fulfil our purpose?

Answer 13

We feel fulfilled and flourish

Question 14

As God designed our human nature, then to be “natural” is…

Answer 14

To be good

Question 15

What did Aquinas conclude about human nature?

Answer 15

That there are Primary Precepts which seem to be an intrinsic part of our human nature

Question 16

What are the Primary Precepts?

Answer 16

To worship, to learn, to reproduce, to preserve life and to live harmoniously

Question 17

What must we use to work out how best to fulfil these primary precepts?

Answer 17

Our God given reason, this reason is called synderesis

Question 18

By using synderesis what may you conclude about marriage?

Answer 18

It is good because it leads to reproduction and harmonious living

Question 19

What may you conclude interferes with the primary precepts?

Answer 19

Abortion, contraception, homosexuality as they all interfere with reproduction etc

Question 20

What are the conclusions from synderesis called?

Answer 20

Secondary precepts

Question 21

According to Aquinas it is natural to?

Answer 21

Avoid evil and pursue good

Question 22

What are mistakes the result of?

Answer 22

Wrongly applied reason

Question 23

If someone has used wrongly applied reason, what have they done?

Answer 23

Sinned

Question 24

According to Aquinas, sinners are not…

Answer 24

Evil, they have just fallen short of their intended purpose

Question 25

What happens sometimes when we try to fulfil a primary precept?

Answer 25

We break another primary precept

Question 26

What is breaking primary precepts unintentionally known us?

Answer 26

Double effect

Question 27

What is an example of double effect?

Answer 27

Performing a hysterectomy on a pregnant woman will save her life, but result in the death of the foetus. The original intention was to save life but abortion is an unfortunate by-product

Question 28

If you were to accidentally give a dying patient a lethal dose of a pain killing drug, what would Aquinas say?

Answer 28

The intention was to relieve pain but the outcome is that you failed to preserve his life. Aquinas would argue our good intention is more important than the unfortunate by-product

Question 29

What are some more liberal followers of Natural law?

Answer 29

Proportionalist

Question 30

What does proportionalism recognise?

Answer 30

It is always wrong to break a primary precept but sometimes it is necessary

Question 31

What would proportionalists argue about abortion as a result of rape?

Answer 31

Abortion is wrong as it goes against the precept to reproduce, but in the exceptional circumstance it is necessary

Question 32

What is the proportionalist argument?

Answer 32

A weak sanctity of life argument

Question 33

What is Natural law a part of?

Answer 33

A hierarchy of law

Question 34

What is the highest law?

Answer 34

The Eternal law, it is beyond human comprehension and these laws govern the universe

Question 35

What is the second highest law?

Answer 35

Divine law, this is written in the Bible and will confirm our right use of reason

Question 36

When can human/state law be ignored?

Answer 36

When it comes into conflict with God's laws

Question 37

What is Natural law?

Answer 37

Deontological and teleological

Question 38

Why is is considered deontological?

Answer 38

Once we have used our reason to work out what is right, then it is our duty to fulfil our purpose

Question 39

Why is it considered teleological?

Answer 39

Our moral behaviour is also a means to an end as we are striving to reflect the image of God