Natural Moral Law

1. Thus human nature can reach their end purpose through reason

Annotations:

• ex nihilo - from nothing

1. Inherent design can be led to through human reason

1. Essence of humanity is prior to existence, within the Divine Mind
   1. Imago dei (ideal plan for humanity) was in God's mind prior to creation
      1. Thus Natural Law is objective, foundational and God-Given
         1. Exterior acts are good for perception. Interior acts are instrinsicly good in intent
         2. Efficient causes bring about Good. Final cause is the final purpose

            Annotations:

            • Final cause of sex is children Efficient causes is sexual attraction and intercourse
      2. Primary Precepts
         1. Worship of God
            1. Ordered Society
               1. Reproduction
                  1. Learning
                     1. Defect the innocent
                  2. Homosexuality, masturbation, contraceptives go against our Natural Primary Precepts and thus are Secondary Precepts

1. Natural Cardinal Virtues
   1. Prudence - Caution
   2. Temperance - measured lifestyle
   3. Fortitude - Strength of character
   4. Justice
   5. The revealed virtues through Biblical texts and religious experience

1. What is the purpose of a mouth? For eating or kissing or both?
2. The need to make assumptions is implicit in Aquinas' entire approach
   1. Rests on assumptions
      1. There is a purpose

         Annotations:

         • People believe in purposelessness - Nihilism
      2. God exists

         Annotations:

         • Theism vs Atheism
      3. There is uniform human reason

         Annotations:

         • People's disagreements on the existence of God is proof that human reasoning is not uniform
         1. Human beings do not have a uniform nature and moral law may vary over time

1. From the perspective of science, there is no essential human nature
   1. Anthropologists observe Eskimo killings of family members least likely to survive

1. Christian ethicist
   1. Christian ethics is focused on good acts and the dignity of a human person
2. Morality should be based off human as 'author and director or actions' rather than the concept that acts have values in themselves

1. NML is based off a certain world view. The world of Darwin, Newton and Galileo has no room for 'truths' about right or wrong