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Ethics > Natural Moral Law > Flashcards

Natural Moral Law Flashcards

1
Q

What is NML?

A
  • Proposes the existence of a law whose content is set by nature, derived from God so therefore has validity everywhere
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2
Q

What does Aristotle say about NML?

A
  • Natural justice is independent and applies to everyone, no matter where they live
  • sees the supreme good for humans as endaimonia, reached through living a life according to reason
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3
Q

For Aristotle, what telos (function) distinguishes human beings?

A
  • Reasoning
  • we have the supreme good to fulfil our function
    -eudaimonia = human flourishing = life in accordance with virtue
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4
Q

Who is Thomas aquinas?

A
  • Catholic theologian and philosopher
  • influenced by Aristotle and developed natural law
  • believed faith must be grounded in reason and we can use god given reason to make moral decisions
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5
Q

What is natural law theory?

A
  • Human purpose is to achieve Union with God
  • aquinas was inspired by Aristotle believing God created the world and everything has a purpose
  • God a made all humans in his image, giving us the ability to reason
  • God has written moral laws into our nature, giving us a natural inclination to do good and avoid evil
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6
Q

What are the 4 causes?

A
  • Humans can use reason to work out what is good with the different causes:
    1 the material cause
    2 the efficient cause
    3 the formal cause
    4 The final cause
  • for aquinas whatever promotes the final cause is right
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7
Q

What are aquinas’ 4 types of law?

A

1 eternal law: given by God
2 divine law: revealed through Gods principles e.g. Bible
3 natural moral law: Gods eternal laws understood through application of reason
4 human law: formulated humans

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8
Q

What are the primary precepts?

A

Worship God
Order
Reproduce
Learn
Defend life

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9
Q

What is synderisis rule?

A
  • Good is to be done and evil avoided
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10
Q

Is human nature essentially good?

A

Human nature is a basic main law to essentially do good, people are mostly inclined to do the right thing
However some can be inclined to do bad due to how they are influenced by their surroundings

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11
Q

What is our ultimate goal according to aquinas?

A

We only fully reach our purpose in our next life, so the goal on earth is human flourishing/ eudaimonia → ultimate goal of Union in heaven with God

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12
Q

What is cultural relativism?

A

The view that a persons moral beliefs should be judged in the context of their own culture

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13
Q

Why are primary precepts important?

A
  • They are required to reach the main goal of eudaimonia
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14
Q

What are secondary precepts?

A
  • Things we should or shouldn’t do because they uphold or fail to uphold the primary precepts
  • offers more flexibility with the use of human reason
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15
Q

What are real and apparent goods?

A
  • Apparent good: something that seems like a good action but in reality goes against the precepts eg. Lying to protect feelings
  • real good: actions which accede by precepts
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16
Q

What does aquinas say about real and apparent goods?

A

We pursue apparent goods rather than real goods as we think we are using the right thing
Humans would never knowingly pursue evil

17
Q

For aquinas, how can humans reach the ‘real good’?

A
  • By following the four Cardinal virtues as the basis of natural morality
  • they allow the self to fulfil its purpose + telos (flourish)
18
Q

What are the 4 Cardinal virtues?

A
  • Prudence (practicalwisdom)
  • justice (fairness)
  • fortitude (courage)
  • temperance (self-control)
19
Q

What are the Christian theological virtues?

A

They are given to humans through Gods grace
- Faith: belief in God and church
- Hope: of heaven and beatific vision
-Love: (charity) love of and above an things/ one’s neighbour

20
Q

What did aquinas mean by interior and exterior acts?

A
  • To act in a good way for the wrong reason would be a good exterior but bad interior act → should de done out of charity
  • the ultimate interior motivation should be giving glory to God
  • believed acts to be intrinsically good or bad
21
Q

What is the doctrine of double effect?

A
  • Pojman: if going something morally good has a morally bad side effect, it is ethically okay if the result wasn’t intended
  • there are 2 effects of an action, one good and one bad
22
Q

Pojman quote on double effect?

A

It is sometimes permissible to do a good act despite knowing that it will bring about bad consequences

23
Q

What is an example of the double effect?

A
  • A mugger attacks you with a knife→ you defend yourself in fear for your life
    1 your life is preserved
    2 the mugger is killed
24
Q

What are the 4 conditions of double effect?

A
  • The nature of the act
  • The means end
  • the right intention
  • the proportionality
25
Q

“Is it lawful to kill a man in self defence?

A
  • To aquinas, self defence may have 2 results → sawing ones own life and slaying the aggressor
  • with the intention to save ones own life, it is not unlawful
26
Q

What is manualism?

A
  • NML became deontological in the 17th century with a Catholic preference for a morality of obligation and rules→ led to manuals of moral theology
  • Catholic Church our rules above virtues unlike aquinas who gave them the same amount of importance
27
Q

What is proportionalism?

A
  • A move within the Catholic Church to simplify NML and make it more applicable for everyday life
  • responds to natural law by working within its framework with no absolutist interpretation
28
Q

Strengths of proportionalism?

A
  • Flexible and takes circumstances into account
  • viewed as robust, around a long time
    -allows individuals to be autonomous as based on common sense
  • allows a more compassionate stance as takes into account modern issues
29
Q

Weaknesses of proportionalism?

A
  • Appears too subjective and makes moral decision making unclear
  • relies on human judgement so fallible and not what God intended
  • calculations used to determine value of an act → appears a consequentionalist way of making moral decisions
  • condemned by Catholic Church→ denies that an action can be in itself intrinsically evil
30
Q

Strengths of NML?

A
  • Focus on action rather than consequence, human rights and egalitarian principles safeguarded
  • aquinas gives positive view of humanity with moral guidance for salvation (open to all faiths-)
  • primary precepts more than just rules to lead a moral life, allows discussion on moral issues
  • provides means of establishing universal moral principles in a common view of humanity
31
Q

Weaknesses of NML?

A
  • Could argue no such thing as a common View, challenges application of common moral law
  • Karl Barth would call unhelpful as neglects mankind is in need of grace
  • argued too legalistic and duty found → Fletcher would call type of approach Jesus rejected
  • does not offer support for those who do not “fit the mould”
  • argues we should all adopt the same patterns of behaviour
  • idealistic view of human nature (apparent goods)

Ethics (1 decks)

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