Natural Law

Question 1

Background

Answer 1

• Greek and Roman influences
• Antigone, Thebes forbids burial of brother, argued laws by God cannot be changed
• Stoic view

Question 2

Nicomachen Ethics Quote

Answer 2

‘The natural is that which everywhere is equally valid’

Question 3

St Paul quote

Answer 3

‘A law that is written in the hearts of gentiles’

Question 4

Reason and human purpose

Answer 4

-Eternal law of divine reason is perceived through revelation, in the form of the word of God (Bible) and through the use of human reason
-Reason determines that ultimate destiny of human life is fellowship with God
‘Humans should do good and avoid evil’

Question 5

Real and apparent goods

Human nature…

Answer 5

-Essentially good, as natural law is within everyone

Question 6

Apparent good

Answer 6

• Human actions not in pursuit of perfection
• E.g. Adulterer commits adultery because they believe it is good, error of reason as adultery prevents closeness with God

Question 7

How to correctly distinguish between apparent and real goods?

Answer 7

Use reason rightly

-Isn’t easy as we are tempted by what we like doing, which may not be truly good for us

Question 8

Reason identifies ‘natural’ or ‘cardinal’ values:

Answer 8

Prudence, fortitude, temperance, Justice

Question 9

Scripture reveals theological virtues:

Answer 9

Faith, hope and charity

Question 10

What must these virtues become?

Answer 10

Habitual

Question 11

Exterior and interior acts

Answer 11

Both the intention and the act are important

E.g help old lady across room (good exterior act) to impress someone (bad interior act) is wrong

Question 12

God intentions don’t always lead to good actions example

Answer 12

If I steal money to give to a friend in need, theft isn’t made good by my intention

Question 13

Why can’t physical pleasures be final end?

Answer 13

Animals can experience them

Question 14

Primary precepts

Answer 14

Preservation
Ordered society
Worship God
Education
Reproduce

(Secondary precepts derived from them)

Question 15

What two words can be used to describe natural law?

Answer 15

Absolutist and deontological

Question 16

Doctrine of double effect

Answer 16

If doing something morally good has a morally bad side effect it is ethically Ok to do it provided the bad side effect wasn’t intended, even if you foresaw the bad effect would probably happen

Question 17

Strength

Universality

Answer 17

• Tool got moral reasoning and common nature of morality for all people, goes beyond any one religion or culture
• Attractive in world that suffers from intercultural strife and disharmony

Question 18

Strength

Common rules

Answer 18

• Enabled people to establish common rules in order to structure communities
• In a relativist era that is suffering from a breakdown in traditional social structures

Question 19

Strength

Way of living

Answer 19

• BL isn’t simply a set of rules, but a way of living

- It gives us day-to-day guidance and links them to the fundamental principles of life

Question 20

Weakness

Is there a common law?

Answer 20

-Is there a common NL that is apparent, is it ‘one since fits all’, can rules be deduced from the primary precepts

Question 21

Weakness

Justified wrong acts

Answer 21

Sexual actual could be justified on accounts of benefits to the relationship

Question 22

Weakness

Kai Nelson quote

Answer 22

‘From a point of view of science, there is no such thing as an essential human nature’