Universal human nature & moral dis/agreement Flashcards
What is a strength of Natural Law ethics?
strength
Natural Law ethics is based on universal human nature, making it applicable across different cultures and societies.
How are primary precepts related to the universality of Natural Law?
strength
Primary precepts, such as not killing for no reason and rules about stealing, are found in the morality of all societies, suggesting their universality
What evidence supports the idea of a universal human moral nature?
strength
Moral thinkers from different cultures have independently developed similar moral prescriptions, such as the golden rule (“treat others as you would like to be treated”), found in ancient Chinese Philosophy, Hinduism, Judaism, and Christianity.
How does the universality of moral views support Aquinas’ theory?
strength
The universality of moral views suggests that humans are born with a moral orientation towards the good (telos), which is the foundation of Aquinas’ theory of Natural Law.
What is a weakness of the Natural Law theory regarding moral agreement?
Weakness
The weakness is that if all humans were truly born with the ability to know the primary precepts, we should expect to find more moral agreement than we do. Instead, we find vastly different moral beliefs, often along cultural lines.
What does the disagreement in moral beliefs suggest about the influence of social conditioning?
Weakness
The disagreement suggests that social conditioning, rather than a supposed natural law in human nature, is the primary determinant of our moral views.
Who has argued against the idea of an innate ability to reason to discover natural law?
Weakness
Psychologists like Freud have argued against the idea, suggesting that social conditioning plays a significant role in shaping moral beliefs.
What does Fletcher argue regarding ethics and reason?
Weakness
Fletcher argues that the disagreement in moral beliefs indicates there is not an innate, God-given ability of reason to discover a natural law. He concludes that ethics must be based on faith, not reason, which is known as Fletcher’s positivism.
How does Aquinas define the orientation towards the good in human nature?
Evaluation defending Aquinas:
Aquinas defines the orientation towards the good in human nature as an inherent inclination towards moral goodness.
What does Aquinas acknowledge regarding human behavior despite this orientation towards the good?
Evaluation defending Aquinas:
Aquinas acknowledges that humans may fail to do good despite their orientation towards it due to reasons such as original sin, errors in conscience, lack of virtue, and corrupt cultural influences.
How does Aquinas address the prevalence of moral views across cultures in his theory?
Evaluation defending Aquinas:
Aquinas argues that the existence of a core set of moral views found cross-culturally supports his theory, as it demonstrates the inherent orientation towards the good in human nature, regardless of individual or cultural variations.
What does Aquinas’ theory suggest about human behavior and moral goodness?
Evaluation defending Aquinas:
Aquinas’ theory suggests that while humans have an inherent orientation towards the good, various factors may hinder their ability to consistently act in accordance with moral goodness. However, the prevalence of certain moral views across cultures supports the idea of an innate moral orientation in human nature.
What critique is offered regarding cross-cultural morality and Aquinas’ theory?
Evaluation critiquing Aquinas:
The critique suggests that cross-cultural morality might result from the basic requirement of society to function rather than from an innate moral orientation. This practical reality could influence moral thinkers in societies, yielding prescriptions such as the golden rule.
What alternative explanation is proposed for cross-cultural similarities in moral codes?
Evaluation critiquing Aquinas:
An alternative explanation is that some of the cross-cultural similarities in moral codes might result from a biologically evolved moral sense rather than from a divine design. This would mean they are not necessarily related to morality or telos at all.
How does the critique challenge Aquinas’ theory of natural law?
Evaluation critiquing Aquinas:
The critique challenges Aquinas’ theory by suggesting that cross-cultural moral similarities may have practical origins in societal functioning or be biologically evolved rather than stemming from an innate moral orientation as proposed by Aquinas.
