Natural Moral Law

Question 1

Who founded NML?

Answer 1

Aquinas

Question 2

What is NML rooted in? (2)

Answer 2

Bible
Aristotle

Question 3

What was the result of NML in the 13thC? (2)

Answer 3

Unified Christian theology
Became standard Catholic approach to moral decision making

Question 4

Key Features:
Four Fold Law

Answer 4

1) Eternal Law
2) Divine Law
3) Natural Law
4) Human Law

Question 5

Key Features:
Primary Principles (5)

Answer 5

Teleological
1) Protect life
2) Order society
3) Worship God
4) Educate young
5) Reproduce

Question 6

Key Features:
4 Causes

Answer 6

Material Cause
EFFICIENT CAUSE
Formal Cause
FINAL CAUSE
—> Aristotle’s - eudaimonia
—> Aquinas’ - oneness with God

Question 7

Key Features:
Secondary Precepts

Answer 7

Deontological
Keep pure goal of PP intact

Question 8

Making Mistakes with NML
Principle of Double Effect

Answer 8

An action has two outcomes, one positive, one negative

Question 9

Making Mistakes with NML
Principle of Double Effect: FOUR CONDITIONS

Answer 9

Nature of the Act- action must be morally good or indifferent
Means-End- bad effect isn’t means by which good effect is achieved
Right Intention- must be to only achieve good effect, bad effect must be unintentional and can be known
Proportionality- good effect must be at least equivalent in importance to bad effect

Question 10

NML Evolves
Proportionalism: WHAT IS IT? (2)

Answer 10

Scholars accept at times NML may lead to unloving circumstances because of deontological approach
Natural Law + Ontic Evils = Proportional good achieved

Question 11

NML Evolves
Proportionalism: HOW DOES IT WORK? (4)

Answer 11

1) Intention of Act- moral or immoral?
2) Ontic goods of act determine if you ignore intention- interior general goodness
3) Proportion of Value judges if thing is good or bad- intention of moral agent + dis value of act
4) Acts can’t be intrinsically evil

Question 12

NML Evolves
Proportionalism- FORMULA

Answer 12

Intention + Value - Disvalue = Morally Good/ Bad

Question 13

NML Evolves
Proportionalism- STRENGTHS (3)

Answer 13

Fairly robust
Based on common sense
More loving as more teleological

Question 14

NML Evolves
Proportionalism- WEAKNESSES (2)

Answer 14

Condemned by CC as denies some acts are intrinsically evil
Calculating proportion of value in an act looks like consequentialist way of deciding moral issues

Question 15

Evaluating Natural Moral Law
STRENGTHS (7)

Answer 15

Is realistic can confuse real and apparent goods
Universal approach to ethics
Very adaptable
Established common rules
Foundation for natural/human rights
Not subjective but based on what is intrinsically good or bad

Question 16

Evaluating Natural Moral Law
WEAKNESSES (5)

Answer 16

Teleological view which leads to questions about sexuality, masturbation etc
It is outdated
May be dismissed as legalistic nonsense
Can lead to huge immoral outcomes e.g. spread of HIV
Aquinas may have assumptions wrong- sexual organs for pleasure not procreation

Question 17

What is synderesis?

Answer 17

Do good avoid evil