Natural Law AO2 and Essay Plans

Question 1

7 strengths of natural law

Answer 1

• pope benedict argued that natural moral law provides the antithesis to the materialist and consequentalist society we have today.
• as will all absolute theories it has a universal application.
• sanctity of life and innate value of the human and the development of hum are at the centre of the theory.
• a following of natural moral law would produce harmony in a society and ensure all people aim for the common good.
• the DoDE does allow for some measures of flexibility
• offers clarity and consistency in a world where some think has become relativistic and has lost a sense of moral direction
• ideal of natural law has an enduring appeal in the world

Question 2

Weaknesses of natural law

Answer 2

• Kai Neilsen argues that Aquinas was completely wrong in his assumption that one common and universal human nature exists.
• Peter Vardy has stated that the broad precepts are impossible to apply to individual problems- it lacks the personal touch required.
• Karl Barth states that it is impossible to rely upon human reason as a reliable way of making ethical decisions.
• when it faces unpalatable choices natural law seems less convincing- it requires the use of dubious judgements.
• DoDE could be used to justify a defensive war, abortion: perhaps our good intentions lead us astry: the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
• primary precepts are inspired by a religious belief in God, which makes them potentially unhelpful for those who do not believe in God- might not see the world as having a purpose

Question 3

Something can be deemed good based on it’s success in achieving telos
AGREE

Answer 3

-logical theory- if something is good it does what it is supposed to do
(Aristotle, on the soul “nature makes nothing without a purpose”)
-human purpose is absolute and therefore goodness can be measured against success/failure to achieve this- human purpose is not man made (CS Lewis, ‘The human mind has no power of inventing a new value than of imagining a new primary colour’)
-following God’s laws helps us to become better people and work towards the supreme God (William of Ockham- God’s Law is good)
-NL, find our purpose in nature, not just through reading scripture- PP helps us make moral decisions- if they don’t reflect pp then go against purpose

Question 4

Something can be deemed good based on it’s success in achieving telos
Disagree

Answer 4

• failure of something to achieve it’s purpose doesn’t make it good/bad- vice versa.
• Hume is ought gap - shouldn’t assume everything has one telos, could have multiple.
• Telos may change over time, e.g. Dawkins/Darwin- can’t measure morality against purpose if it is not absolute, but changes over time.
• if there is no purpose, it is illogical to measure goodness against this- Kai Neilsen, reliant on society/created through deity.
• Hans Kung- natural law is static and naive

Question 5

The doctrine of doubt effect could be used as a loophole

Answer 5

-cannot prove intention is good, must trust someones claim.
-too flexible, going against absolutist nature of NL.
-if applied to specific situations, it may undermine pp, such as operations on ectopic pregnancy against precept to defend the innocent
-Makes NL unclear/ambigous
when should DDE be applied to medical ethics?

Question 6

The doctrine of double effect is not used as a loophole in NL

Answer 6

• synderisis principle, should trust that people have good intentions/ inclined towards goodness, on their own conscience if being dishonest
• DDE is not an excuse but moreso aims to be compassionate/acknowledge complexity of certain situations
• basic principle is telos, applied relative to DDE.
• DDE is encouraging use of reason when making ethical decisions, employing conscience- may not always be clear