Natural Moral Law Flashcards
Who was Aquinas inspired by
Aristotle
Aristotle’s quote on natural law and human law
“The natural is that which everywhere is equally valid…that which is natural is unchangeable”
- while laws may differ from place to place, natural justice is independent and applies to everyone no matter where they live
- cultural relativism view that personas moral belief should be judged in context with their culture. Morality changes depending on culture
Who was Aristotle
Ancient Greek philosopher and scientist
What did Aristotle say about telos and eudaimonia
Everything has a purpose (telos) and supreme good is found when purpose is fulfilled
Supreme good for humans is eudaimonia (happiness)
Eudaimonia was the final goal for humans - reached by living life of reason
Who are the stoics
Group of Greek philosophers came after Aristotle.
What did the stoics believe
Argued universe has purpose which human morality should work in harmony with
Humans have a divine spark within them helps them find out how to live according to Gods will (his nature)
Ciceros description of natural law
“True law is right reason in agreement with nature”
We can see evidence of what is good within nature
Who is Thomas aquinas
Catholic theologian in 13th century
Aquinas quote from summa theologica on natural law
“Law is nothing else than an ordination of reason for common good by God”
What did Aquinas believe faith and reason
Faith must be grounded by reason
Humans can use God given reason to make decisions - innate
Define reason
The ability to use logic and evidence from nature to prove something to be true
Aquinas and reason - image of God
Imago dei
Reflecting God intelligence
Using our reason for us to be guided to the correct way
What is the Natural Law theory
Everything has a purpose
Purpose can be known through reason
Given to all by God
Fulfilling the purpose of our deign is the only ‘good’ for humans.
What did Aquinas believe about telos
The final cause (telos), was to seek union with God, to attain an afterlife with God and enjoy the beatific vision.
Aquinas quote for final cause
“We shall see God as he is”
Compare Difference for Aquinas and Aristotle for eudaimonia
Aristotle- happiness
Aquinas - fulfilling God
What are Aquinas 4 types of laws
Eternal law
Divine law
NATURAL MORAL LAW
human law
Eternal Law
Laws God put into the universe
Divine law
Principles of morality from God via scriptures
Christians have advantage enhance application of Natural Law
Natural moral law
Gods external law is encoded into nature that humans can understand
Laws humans can understand through application of reason (primary and secondary precepts)
Human laws
Laws within society
Formulated by governments
May contradict precepts eg abortion laws
Basis of natural law
Three key points
Universal
Unchanging
Relevant to all circumstances
Natural law is relevant to all circumstances
Explain this
Natural law is deontological with absolute binding precepts
There is a duty of doing the right thing over the consequences.
Aquinas’ quote on the basic main law
“Good is to be done and pursued and evil is to be avoided”
We have these precepts to follow but why would we be motivated to follow them
Our inclinations draw humans like magnets towards the ‘goods’ and ‘highest good’ (perfection)
What is the synderesis rule
Good is to be done and evil is avoided
Directs our conscience and if humans apply Gods given reason it will lead to the right actions.
Aquinas’ quote on reason
“To disparage the dictate of reason is equivalent to condemning the command of God”
If you ignore reason - disobeying God
Not following what God intended.
Universe is purposive
Explain
Things exist to reach their goal
Plants do this blindly and animals live off instincts
But humans have rational will
What is rational will
Using Reason and conscience to flourish on earth
What is eudaimonia for Aquinas
Human flourishing on Earth and ultimate happiness through union with God
What does Aquinas believe the goal is on earth
Human flourishing
Eudaimonia
What does Aquinas believe is our ultimate goal
Ultimate goal is heavenly home and union with God
Earth life is a taste of heavenly happiness
List the primary precepts
Worship God Ordered society Reproduction Preserve life Educate the young
What is the importance of the primary precepts
Further help guide us to our telos (end purpose)
Precepts are teleological
Natural law is deontological
But primary precepts are teleological
Natural law is concerned with duty
Precepts help us to reach our telos - end goal to achieve union with God
They are the foundation of moral law
Beatific vision
The ultimate and direct self communication of God to humans
Union with God
What are humans natural inclination
To live according to our design
Must avoid being enslave by non-natural non rational desires
Give an example of a non natural non rational desire
Masturbation
Although it feels good it is not due to it
not following the precepts as it doesn’t lead to reproduction
Aquinas’ quote on the end goal and purpose of humanity
“Ultimate happiness through union with God”
What is our purpose
What are we deigned for
Human flourishing and God like perfection
Telos as humanity as a whole is the beatific vision - ultimate direct self communication of God to humanity
What are the primary precepts
Absolute rules
Never broken for any reason
Must always uphold
What are the secondary precepts
Derived from primary
Rulings about things that we should or shouldn’t do because they uphold or fail to uphold the primary precepts they can be flexible and how they are applied
Example of What goes against the primary precept
Preserve life
Murder
Abort
Suicide
Example of What goes against the primary precept
Reproduction
Masturbation
Contraception
Homosexual sex
Example of What goes against the primary precept
Educate children
Wrong for children to not be in school
Wrong to be brought up in single parent families
Example of What goes against the primary precept
Ordered society
Wrong to steal - dishonest
Wrong to lie - dishonest
Wrong adultery
Example of What goes against the primary precept
Worship God
Remember sabbath days
No false idols
Paul’s quote on humans trying to always do the right thing
“Since all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God”
Have does the creation story link to our sins
Adam and Eve weren’t perfect and made mistake
Fell short of Gods best for them and violated perfect relationship with God and natural order
Quote on adultery
“A fornicator seeks a pleasure which involves him in moral guilt”
Something they think is good but is not
Sex should only take place in marriage with the inclination to reproduce
What is a real good
Actions which abide by the precepts
What is an apparent good
Something seems to be a good action but in reality goes against the precepts
What does Aquinas believe about real and apparent goods
Everyone has ability to know difference between right and wrong but no one would ever knowingly pursue evil
People rationalise their choice so that they think they are doing the right think even though they are not.
What is sin
Falling short of gods intention for humans
Following a real good will result in
Preservation or improvement of self, getting nearer to the ideal human nature that god has planned
What are the three theological virtues
Faith
Hope
Love
How do we receive theologian al virtues
Given to humans through Gods Grace
Describe the virtue of faith
Belief in God and what is revealed via scripture and the church
Describe the virtue of hope
Hope of heaven and beatific vision
Describe the virtue of love
Agape
Love of God above all things
Love of neighbour
Quote for theological virtues by catechism
The theological virtues are the foundation of Christian moral activity
What is a virtue
Something we can practice to achieve real good
What are the four cardinal values
Prudence (wisdom)
Justice (righteousness)
Fortitude (courage)
Temperance (self control)
Why are cardinal virtues useful
Help flourish on earth
Use practical reason in situations
Example of good exterior act but bad interior act
Help an old lady across the road
But to impress someone
What is an interior act
Why you did it
What is exterior act
What the actual act was
What is double effect
Two effects of an action
One good and one bad
As long as the aim of the moral agent was to uphold primary precepts then accident result that can go against precepts is accepted
Quote off POJMAN ethical writer on double effect
“Always wrong to do a bad act intentionally in order to being about good consequences ”
Example of doubles effect
Someone attacked you
A mugger attacks you with a nice
You defend yourself in fear for ur life by pushing them away
You’re life is preserved (intention)
The mugger is killed (unintended)
What are the four conditions for double effect
Nature
Means end
Right intention
Proportionality
What is the nature of the act
Double effect
Mortally good or neutral
What is means end in double effect
Can’t do a bad thing to being about a good
Right intention meaning for double effect
Intention must be to achieve the good effect
Bad effect must be unintended side effect
Proportionality meaning for double effect
Action must be propionate to bad side effect
Manualism
Catholic Church attempts to collect as many secondary precepts as possible into manuals as reference
Makes it easier to follow natural moral law
What is proportionalism
Arose in 1960s in response to conservative Roman Catholic teachings on morality.
Works with natural law but rejects the absoluteness.
If a greater good is served by ignoring the rules then that’s the best option for the situation
What do proportionates disagree with
Aquinas idea of Being allowed to steal but not to lie
Quote by Bernard hoose on proportionalism
“Inconsistency and in validity of thinking”
Two things proportionalism consider
Intention of moral agent and
the value of the good effect weighed against the disvalue of the bad effect
How is proportionalism viewed
More compassionate
Deontological moral law should not be ignored unless for unique situation.
No acts which are intrinsically evil
How does Catholic Church respond to proportionalism
Condemn it as a weak theory
States there are intrinsic evils - rape
Good consequences do not justify intrinsic evils.
