Aquinas' Development

Aquinas' Development

1. a) Idea Of Natural Good

   • For St Thomas Aquinas, an important Christian philosopher and theologian developed a fuller account of natural law in the thirteenth century. His ethical theory is absolutist and deontological, which means that it is focused on the ethnicity of actions. In his work, Summa Theological, Aquinas described natural law as a moral code existing within the purpose of nature, created by God: 'Law is nothing else than an ordination of reason for the common good promulgated by the one who is in charge of the community. The natural law was located in the activity of human reasoning. By applying reason to moral problems, we will find that we act consistently with the natural law.
     • For Aquinas, the natural law was located in the activity of human reasoning. By applying reason to moral problems, we will find that we act consistently with the natural law. Such acts are deemed good acts, or natural good, since they are in line with our true human nature and purpose. For Aquinas, the natural law was created by Gof and designed to achieve the ultimate purpose - to enjoy fellowship with God, to be perfect in the image of God. For Aquinas, obeying Natural Law meant carrying out actions that develop our image to reflect the image of God more closely.
   • 1. For Aquinas, the natural law was located in the activity of human reasoning.
     • 2. Applying reason to moral problems means we act consistently with the natural law.
       • 3. Such acts are deemed good acts or natural good because they are in line with our human nature and purpose.
         • 4. Natural law was created by God and designed to achieve the ultimate human purpose of fellowship with God.
           • 5. Natural law is within all of us, it derives from reason but our reason can sometimes be wrong.
             • 6. Sometimes humans pursue things that they think are good but are not real goods. Aquinas called these apparent good.s.
               • 7. One way to develop correct reasoning is to practice certain virtues.
                 • 8. Natural virtues are prudence, temperance, fortitude and justice.
                   • 9. Theological virtues are faith, hope and charity.

2. d) Natural Law Ethics

   • 1. This involves using reason to work out the morally right thing to do.
     • 2. It is deontological and absolutist.
       • 3. For Aquinas although God was the author of the natural order, reason still played a key role.
         • 4. God was seen as the source of natural law which was rooted in the human mind.
           • 5. Aquinas believed that God designed us for perfection. We were made in God's image and our purpose was to reflect perfectly this image.
             • 6. Aquinas believed the Divine or eternal law can be found in the Bible which guides our teaching. We can't be perfect in this life but only in the next.
               • 7. The natural law is part of the divine law and can be known through reason.
   • Natural Law ethics involves using reason to work our the morally correct behaviour that is in accordance with the goal of being human. It is actually regarded as being deontological and absolutist:
     • >deontological because what should be done is seen as being determined by fundamental principles that are not based on consequences
       • >absolutist because it identifies the right action by means of the primary precepts.
         • Aquinas gave Natural Law a religious interpretation; however, for Aquinas, although God was the author of the natural order, reason still played a key role in his development of Natural Law. God was seen as the source of the natural law, which was rooted in the human mind. Aquinas also saw God as having designed us for perfection. He believed that we are made in God's image and our purpose was to reflect perfectly this image.
           • Aquinas did not think that this perfection could be discovered by Natural Law alone because the purpose of being human is eternal and not temporal/
             • The divine or eternal law we only know in part since it refers to this principles by which God governs the universe.
               • >Divine law refers to the Bible, which guides us in reaching our goal of perfection by the teaching it contains. However, Aquinas believed that such perfection was not achieved in this life, but only after death.
                 • >Natural Law for Aquinas, them, is the part of this eternall, divine law that applies to human choices and can be known by our natural reason.

3. b) Reasoning Wrongly

   • The idea that there is a universal natural standard of good needed to be worked out. Natural law is within all of us but has to be followed. It derives from reason and reason can sometimes be in error. Aquinas recognised that sometimes we do not do the things that we should. We reason wrongly.
     • Aquinas recognised that sometimes we do not do the things that we should. We reason wrongly. One example of reasoning wrongly would be if a good was pursued that actually was not a good as understood by Natural Law (i.e. is referred to an 'an apparent good'. For example, applying compassion to someone who requests to end their life, may seem a good thing to do but is not in the natural order of things according to Natural Law. Aquinas argued that our sinful nature can lead us astray to choose things that we desire but which may not be contributing to our development into the image of God.

4. c) Developing Correct Reasoning

   • One way that correct reasoning can be developed is through the cultivation of certain virtues.
     • Natural virtues are: prudence, temperance, fortitude and justice.
       • Theological virtues (revealed by the Bible) are: faith, hope and charity.