Natural Law Theory Flashcards
Normative ethical theories
Tell you what is wrong in relation to being moral in practise
Meta-ethical theories
Ask about the language used - how are words like ‘good’, ‘bad’ and ‘wrong’ used when ethical statements are made.
Natural Law Theory
To behave naturally and to behave morally are one in the same thing - morality and justice are biologically built into human nature
Is natural law fixed or changeable?
Fixed - depends on using reason to determine right or wrong
Is human law fixed or changeable?
Changeable - varies from culture to culture and over time
What is the meaning of telos?
Purpose
What, according to Thomas Aquinas, do humans have to achieve in order to achieve their telos?
Eudaemonia - excellence or happiness
Can eudaemonia be achieved in this lifetime according to Thomas Aquinas?
No - it can only be achieved when we reach heaven because we need God to restore our goodness since we have inherited sin from Adam and Eve and so it is impossible for us to behave completely morally and achieve eudaemonia
According to Aquinas, what do we need to do in order to get to heaven?
We need to live our lives as God’s servants and do as He intended them to do
What did Aristotle believe about eudaemonia?
He believed that it can be achieved in this lifetime through living as part of a polis or community
What were Aquinas’ four tiers of law?
Eternal law
Divine law
Natural law
Human law
Eternal law
The principles by which God created and controls the universe
Divine law
Direct laws from God, e.g. The Ten Commandments
Natural Law (as part of the four tiers)
Using reason to determine right and wrong
Human law
Laws created within human societies
Aquinas believed that God created humans to be reasonable - what did this lead him to believe about natural law?
He believed that natural law depended on reason, which is indirectly dependent on God as God created us to be reasonable
What are the four natural virtues that we can discover using our reason?
Fortitude -strength justice - fairness Temperance - patient and balanced Prudence - cautious Humans naturally possess these virtues
What do the four virtues do?
Help us achieve our telos
How many commandments did Aquinas believe humans would follow naturally?
Nine out of ten - they would not follow the sabbath commandment naturally as it is unlikely that it is built into our instincts to rest on a particular day
What did Augustine believe about morality?
Humans had been corrupted by the Fall so they can no longer know what is good
Did Aquinas agree with Augustine about morality?
No - he thought that all humans want the good - which is God - whether they believe in God or not. Natural Law enables everyone to live a virtuous life
Why did Aquinas believe that humans share a common nature with god?
God created human beings so they could appreciate a companionship with him - they are also created in gods image
What did Aquinas believe the main purpose of every human to be?
To be united with God in the next life
What, apart from being united with god in the next life, other purposes did Aquinas believe that humans have?
Reproduction, learning, preserving life, worshipping God and the upkeep of a fair and efficient society
What did Aquinas believe about sin?
It is a consequence of ignorance - it goes against natural law and so against God by acting in a way which is less than what he would expect of us
What, according to Aquinas, do we need to do in order to consistently perform moral acts?
We need to practise performing them - train ourselves in what is right and wrong do that it becomes part of our nature - more retraining than training cos that’s part of our nature anyway
Doctrine of double effect
If you do something morally right and it has a negative consequence, the action is still permissible as it was done with good intentions (e.g. abortion to save mothers life)
Is killing as a form of self defence permissible?
Yes because it uses the doctrine of double effect
Did Aquinas believe motives or consequences are more important?
Motives - as long as the consequence is not too terrible an action with a good motive is still permissible
What is the ‘Key Precept’?
To do good things and not sin - the main message of natural law
What are the five ‘Primary Precepts’?
Our purposes on earth: Learning Reproduction Preserving life The upkeep of society Worshipping God
How many ‘secondary precepts’ are there?
A large number
Is natural Law theory factual?
No - there are many different ways in which individuals can form different perspectives and views
Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas (1224-1274)
Aristotle
Aristotle (384-322 BCE)
Augustine
Augustine of Hippo - North Africa
354-430 AD
