Natural Moral Law Flashcards
What type of theory is NML
Deontological: absolutist form of moral decision making based on duty, rule and rights
Who is the key thinker for NML?
Aquinas
What did Aquinas believe about God and the world?
- God is immutable
- God is absolutely good and the purpose of creation reflects this
- Laws of nature reflect God’s nature and regulate the created world
- everythng has a final cause
What did Aquinas believe is the earthy goal?
Eudaimonia
What did Aquinas believe was the final cause?
Beatific Vision
What laws are in the Fourfold Division of Law?
- Eternal Law
- Natural Law
- Divine Law
- Human Law
What are the origins of Natural Moral Law
- does not originate from Christianity
- states there are rightd and moral values that can be understood from human nature and decuded by human reason
- aquinas was heavily inspired by aristotle moulding his ideas to fit Catholicism
What is Eternal Law?
God’s blueprint for the natural and moral order of things.
-> comes from the idea of God as the creator therefore he knows what is going to happen as he designed the world
-> humans should try to live within order as we all have the same common nature (all equal in then eyes of God)
What is Divine Law?
God’s special revelation disclosed to humanity in the Bible and teachings of the Church. It contains truths that are not discoverable by human reasoning only God’s grace
What is Natural Law?
The moral law built into human nature by God revealed by nature and reason. Not dependent on a belief in God or a special revelation
What is Human Law?
Refers to the systems of law built up by human societies on the basis of natural law
What was Aquinas’ guiding principle and what did he establish in order to achieve this?
Good to be done and evil to be avoided -> created the primary precepts in order to achieve this
What is some context behind the Primary Precepts?
Aquinas came up with 3 primary precepts and the Manualists later developed it into 5 when it was adopted into the Catholic Church.
-> Aquinas argued these were universally binding and then said ‘and so forth’ in Summa Theologica implying there was more?
What are the Primary Precepts?
W orship God
O rdered Society
R eproduce
L earning
D efend the Innocent
What are the importance of Primary Precepts?
-> teleological as they are concerned with our end goal
-> necessary for eudaimonia and beatific vision
-> self evident (living in an ordered society provides stable education)
What are the Secondary Precepts?
Rules to show humans how to apply the primary precepts to specific situations in their lives
-> can be seen as culturally relative changing to reflect the culture pf the individual
-> can be some flexibility
What are Secondary Precepts for Worship God?
Hold School Assemblies
Set aside on day a week for God
What are Secondary Precepts for Ordered Society?
Do not steal
Build more homes
What are Secondary Precepts for Reproducing?
No contraception
Permit IVF and Surrogacy
What are Secondary Precepts for Learning?
Free Education
Make school compulsory
What are Secondary Precepts for Defending the Innocent?
Do not kill
No captial punishment
What are real and apparent goods?
Apparent goods in when you think that something is good when it isn’t, instead taking us away from what God intended where as real good is the actual good that God intended for us.
Aquinas believed that humans would never purposely choose goof and we are naturally inclined to choose good but get confused.
What is the difference between an exterior and interior act?
Exterior - act itself
Interior - intention
Acts should be done out of charity not out of praise. It is our interior act that matters the most
What are Christian Virtures
Gifts of God’s grace -> Love, Hope and Faith
What are Cardinal Virtues?
Justice
Fortitude
Temperance
Prudence
Double Effect
Condition | Explanation
Nature of Act | morality of proposed must be good or neutral
Means End | bad effect cant be how the good effect is achieved
Good Intention | intention much be the good effect
Proportionality | good effeft must be proportionally greater than bad effect
