Aquinas/Finnis (Modern Development)

Aquinas/Finnis (Modern Development)

1. g) Primary Precepts

   • 1. They are good acts because they lead us towards the main human purpose.
     • 2. The five precepts are:-
       • W.O.R.L.D
         • >Worship God
           • Orderly Society
             • Reproduce
               • Learn/Educate
                 • Defend (preserve) Life
   • Whether or not acts leads towards God depends upon whether the action fits the purpose that humans were made for. We have seen that the main purpose of human nature is to preserve the self and the innocent, to reproduce, to acquire knowledge, to live in a ordered society and to worship God. These are called primary precepts. Acts that accord with the main human purpose are good. Acts not in accordance with human purpose are bad. Secondary precepts are rulings about things that we should or shouldn't do because they uphold, or fail to uphold the primary precept.

2. h) Secondary Precepts

   • 1. Secondary precepts can be deduced from the primary precepts.
     • 2. The secondary precepts are derived from reasoning from the primary precepts.
       • 3. Whereas the primary precepts are universal, the secondary precepts may not hold in certain circumstances.
         • 4. An example of a secondary precept would be 'Do not steal'. This would fulfil primary precept of 'Live in an orderly manner in society'. However, there may be occasions when stealing could be allowed to preserve life e.g. feed a starving child.
   • Aquinas deduces the secondary precepts from the primary ones. Reproduction is a primary precept. The purpose of human genitals is reproduction. Masturbation is wrong because it doesn't lead to new life, therefore masturbation doesn't fulfil its purpose and doesn't glorify God.

3. i) Finnis and Practical Reason

   • John Finnis, professor of law and philosophy, makes a modern statement for Natural Law in his famous book Natural Law and Natural Rights published in 1980. In this book, Finnis develops the idea of the primary precepts of Aquinas and gives them a more modern feel. Once again, coming back to the idea of a natural good, first identified by Aristotle somewhat vaguely in his concept of 'eudaimonia' (happiness) and then developed Aquinas into natural good, Finnis uses the term 'well-being' to establish what the telos, end or purpose for humanity ideally is.
     • Like Aquinas and others, Finnis stresses the importance of reasoning: 'From one's capacity to grasp intelligently the basic forms of good as 'to-be-pursued', one get's one's ability ... to sympathetically (though not uncritically) see the point of actions, life-styles, characters and cultures that one would not choose for oneself'.
       • Finnis, like Aquinas, stresses the use of reason. Using reason, Finnis identifies 7 basic forms of good:-
         • LIFE
           • KNOWLEDGE
             • PLAY
               • RELIGION
           • PRACTICAL REASONABLENESS
             • SOCIABILITY (FRIENDSHIP)
               • NATURAL BEAUTY
   • As well as Finnis proposals for basic values, he suggests nine principles of practical reasonableness which assist an individual in life with the aim of fulfilling the 'basic forms of good'. The nine principles are as follows:-
     • >1. To do good and avoid evil.
       • >2. To have a rational and coherent life pain.
         • >3. Nor to prioritise one basic good over another.
           • >4. Treat everyone equal.
             • >5. Remain objective.
               • >6. Limit consequences.
     • >7. Have respect got all basic values.
       • 8. Uphold requirements of common good.
         • >9. Follow your conscience.
   • The values or goods need to rationale to justify or explain them, and for Finnis are all equally fundamental and 'equally self-evidently a form of good;. In addition, one cannot 'be analytically reduced to being merely an aspect of any of the others'.

4. Aquinas identified five primary precepts that apply to all human beings without exception. They are good acts because they lead us towards the main human purpose or goal. These five primary principles are: preserve innocent life; live in a orderly manner in society; worship Go; education children; reproduce to continue the species. From these primary Aquinas argued that secondary ones can be deduced. The differnce between the primary and secondary is that the primary precepts are always true and held universally, without exception. They are also self-evident. In contrast, the secondary precepts are not strictly universal since they may not hold in certain circumstances. They are also deried from reasoning from the primary precepts. An example of a secondary precept would be 'Do not Steal'. This reflects the primary precept of 'orderly living in society'.