Natural law key terms

Question 1

Aristotle’s idea of happiness:

Answer 1

Happiness is achieved by reaching ‘eudaimonia’, the full flourishing of a person. More than just simple flourishing.

Question 1

Cicero

Answer 1

A roman, 106-43BC., ‘One eternal and unchangeable law will be valid for all nations and for all times’

Question 2

St Thomas Aquinas

Answer 2

Italian friar, Catholic priest and philosopher

Question 3

‘Beatific vision’:

Answer 3

Where human beings ‘attain their last end by knowing and loving God’, full flourishing with God in the afterlife.

Question 4

Eternal law

Answer 4

God’s law over the whole of creation, knowledge that is not available to humans

Question 5

Divine law

Answer 5

God’s revealed truths, such as in the 10 commandments

Question 6

Natural law

Answer 6

General principles for living, based on human biology and revealed purposes of life

Question 7

Human law

Answer 7

Practical laws for humans, ideally based on natural law

Question 8

What is Aquinas’ most key rule?

Answer 8

The rule of synderesis

Question 9

What is the rule of synderesis?

Answer 9

‘good is to be sought and done, evil to be avoided’ (Summa Theologica)

Question 10

Five primary precepts: (Aquinas doesn’t use this term)

Answer 10

Preservation of life
Ordered society
Worship of God
Education
Reproduction

Question 11

What a secondary precepts?

Answer 11

Rules based upon primary precepts

Question 12

What do we mean when we say manualistic in relation to the catholic church?

Answer 12

When teachings become more like a strict textbook

Question 13

What does the latin term ‘lex’ mean?

Answer 13

A specific rule or regulation

Question 14

What does the latin term ‘ius’ mean?

Answer 14

A principle rather than exact wording. This word etymologically leads our word: ‘Justice’

Question 15

What did Pope John Paul II claim?

Answer 15

1990 - claimed that condoms were a sin in any circumstance

Question 16

What did Pope Francis claim?

Answer 16

2016 - claimed that condoms were fine when trying to prevent transmitting Zika infections

Question 17

What is a real good?

Answer 17

Something that fits in with one of the five primary precepts

Question 18

What is an apparent good?

Answer 18

May seem good, but does not fit into one of the 5 precepts. However, an apparent good cannot be really evil.

Question 19

What is double effect?

Answer 19

Term not used by Aquinas, but added later: ‘two effects, only one of which is intended, while the other is beside the intention’

Question 20

What is the principle of forfeiture?

Answer 20

A term not used by Aquinas, but coined later: if a person attacks another human, they are forfeiting their own right to life

Question 21

What is causistry?

Answer 21

The name of given to the process of applying natural law principles to specific situations

Question 22

What are the four cardinal virtues?

Answer 22

(From Greek philosophy - particularly Plato):
- Courage
- Temperance
- Prudence
- Justice

Question 23

What does John Finnis (b. 1940) believe?

Answer 23

Most people are atheist, and so he aims to create a version of natural law that does not depend on the existence of God.

Question 24

What did Finnis replace Aquinas’ primary precepts with?

Answer 24

Basic goods, e.g.,
adding: Friendship, sociability, play and aesthetic experience