Natural Moral Law Flashcards
What does Deontological mean?
actions are right or wrong in and of themselves, regardless of consequence
What is absolutism?
Universal moral norms which apply in all situations at all times
What is the efficient cause?
The agent which causes something to happen, in an example of a pizza it is the baker
What is the final cause?
Ultimate aim or natural purpose of something, in an example of a pizza it is “to be eaten”
What does Intrinsic mean?
In and of itself
What does extrinsic mean?
External to
What are the four levels of law (that are in a hierarchy)
Eternal Law, Divine Law, Natural Law and Human Law
What is conscience?
the ability to reason
What are the two parts of conscience according to aquinas?
Synderesis and Conscientia
What is Synderesis?
right reason, awareness of the moral principle to do good and avoid evil
What is Conscientia?
distinguishes between right and wrong and makes the moral decision
What are the 5 primary precepts?
Preservation of the innocent Order society Worship God Education Reproduction
What are secondary precepts?
derived from the primary precepts, to live in an ordered society leads to rules like “return stolen property”, these are flexible and must be interpreted in the context of the situation
What is an interior act?
the intention for performing an act
What is an exterior act?
the actual act itself
What is the doctrine of double effect?
Where an action is performed with one interior act, but has a double consequence, one of which is in line with primary precepts one which isn’t. The moral agent is judged upon which action they intended to perform,
What is a real good?
something that helps us become nearer to the ideal human nature God wants, e.g being sociable
What is an apprent good?
something that takes us away from the ideal human, e.g taking drugs to be sociable, Aquinas believed humans could not do evil and instead did apparent goods
What are the cardinal virtues?
prudence, justice, temperance and courage
What are subordinate aims?
a lesser aim which is the purpose of an act, but which aims towards a higher purpose later
What are superior aims?
the further or higher purpose which subordinate aims facilitate
What is recta ratio?
Right reason
What is the material cause?
In an example of a pizza, it is the ingredients, the substance
What is the formal cause?
In an example of a pizza, it is the overall idea of the pizza
What is privatio boni?
the abscence of good
What does teleological mean?
an ethical view where morality is based on the outcome of the action