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Ethics (Year 12) > Theme 2 (Dentological Ethics) > Flashcards

Theme 2 (Dentological Ethics) Flashcards

1
Q

Who was Aquinas?

A
  • Catholic philosopher
  • Heavily influenced by his teacher Aristotle
  • Focused on rationality and proving the existence of God
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2
Q

What are Aquinas’ four levels of law?

A

Eternal
Divine
Natural
Human

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3
Q

How does Aquinas’ natural law theory relate to eternal law?

+ according to Aquinas what is the relationship between natural law and human-made laws?

A

eternal law helps us recognize and apply natural law

+ human laws should be based on natural law

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4
Q

What is Natural Law?

+ what is the primary focus of Aquinas’ natural law theory?

A

Theory that certain values are inherent and can be universally understood through human reasoning

+ rational moral principles

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5
Q

How does Aquinas’ natural law theory address cultural differences in moral beliefs?

+ what is Aquinas’ view on the ultimate purpose of human life?
+ what is Aquinas’ view on human nature?

A

Acknowledges differences in application while maintaining universal principles

+ to know and love God
+ we have a rational nature that is oriented towards good

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6
Q

Which types of theory is Natural Law and why?

A

Teleological (it must be followed to complete your purpose of an eternal relationship with God)

Deontological (actions which should be done are determined by fundamental principles)

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7
Q

What are Primary Precepts?

A

God-given purposes in life to help us identify which acts are ‘good’ in order to get to Heaven.
(They are absolutist)

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8
Q

What are the Primary Precepts? (POWER)

A

Preservation of life
Ordered society
Worship God
Education
Reproduction

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9
Q

What did Aquinas believe about the primary precepts?

+ Quote

A

That they are derived from rational thought and help us to act with the purpose of ‘doing good and avoiding evil’

“Natural Law is the same for all men”

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10
Q

Aquinas Quote - Reason

A

“the moral life is the life according to reason”

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11
Q

What is casuistry?

A

Applying key principles (primary precepts) to an ethical cause

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12
Q

Preston Quote -casuistry

A

“Christian ethics would be an exercise in ignorance without it”

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13
Q

What are Secondary Precepts?

A

Rulings about things we should or shouldn’t do as they uphold/fail to uphold the primary precepts (They are not absolutist)

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14
Q

Examples of Secondary Precepts

A

P - do not abort
O - do not steal
W - Bible accessible to all
E - religious education
R - do not use contraception

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15
Q

What is an Internal Act?

A

The intention of the moral agent when carrying out an action

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16
Q

What is an External Act?

A

The actions of a moral agent

17
Q

What are Real Goods?

A

Correctly reasoned goods which help the moral agent achieve their telos (good action & good intention)

18
Q

What are Apparent Goods?

+ how can you distinguish between real and apparent goods (Aquinas)?

A

Wrongly reasoned goods which don’t help the moral agent achieve their God given purpose (good action but bad intention)

+ by using reason guided by natural law

19
Q

How do these goods help people to do the right actions?

+Religious link

A

Encourages actions with a pure motive

+ Links to karma (you cannot gain good karma if that is the intention behind your good action)

20
Q

What are individual and common goods?

+ Aquinas’ view on the relationship between these?

A

the common good means the good that is somehow shared or mutual among a group and individual goods are valued only by one individual

they are harmonious when properly understood

21
Q

What are Revealed Virtues?

A

Virtues that cannot be obtained by human effort, but received through the divine grace of God
Christians aspire to have these

22
Q

What are the 3 Revealed Virtues?

A

Faith (belief and obedience to God)
Hope (expectation and desire to achieve eternal life in Heaven)
Charity ( kindness to others in response to God’s love)

23
Q

St Paul Quote
(Revealed Virtues)

A

“So now faith, hope and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love”

24
Q

How did Aquinas view the relationship between faith and reason?

+ how did he view the role of emotions in moral decision making?

A

Faith and reason are complementary

+ emotions can be educated and integrated with reason

25
Q

What are Cardinal Virtues?

A

Human qualities which are believed necessary by Aquinas to form the basis of a moral life.

26
Q

What are the 4 Cardinal Virtues?

A

Prudence (caution with regard to practical matters; discretion)
Fortitude (mental and emotional strength in facing difficulty)
Temperance (moderation or self-restraint in action)
Justice (rightfulness or lawfulness)

27
Q

What role do the Cardinal values play in Aquinas’ ethical framework?

A

They are essential for living a good life

28
Q

Key Quotes - Natural Law

A

“It is the act as a whole which is either right or wrong” - Hoose

“a doctor who amputates a limb to save a person’s life has to remove the limb” - Keane

“they should change their attitude, but continue to give their money” - Hoose

“the general rule admits of exceptions” - Aquinas

29
Q

Explain if abortion and voluntary euthanasia follow natural law

A

Rationality?

Primary precepts?

Virtues?

30
Q

What are the 6 challenges to Natural Law?

A

1) How can we be sure our acceptance of norms is the correct interpretation?

2) What actually is good?

3) Not holistic (humans are psycho-physical)

4) Laws may change (e.g homosexuality)

5) Secondary precepts are difficult to decipher

6) Assumptions are made about life after death and if an alternative humanistic natural law is developed it will also have to make alternative assumptions explaining the purpose of human life

31
Q

Quotes which challenge Natural Law

A

“there may be assumptions that govern the law that is deducted which may not be generally expected” (Peter Vardy)

“it appears how the general rule admits of exceptions” (Aquinas)

32
Q

Strengths of Natural Law

A

+ it is a simple, universal guide for judging moral value of human actions
+ accessible to our reason and focused on one purpose (God)
+ provides a moral philosophy which seeks to develop scriptural ideas

33
Q

Weaknesses of Natural Law

A
  • Aquinas assumes all human beings seek to worship God and a Christian worldview
  • reproduction is a common problem for some
  • having one particular function is challenged by the modern era
  • Aquinas commits Natural Fallacy (Moore) e.g procreation IS for having kids so sex OUGHT to be for reproduction
  • no opportunity for evolutionary development
  • Apostle Paul’s celibacy is evidence of reproducing spiritually

Ethics (Year 12) (2 decks)

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