Natural Law

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Levels of Law

Eternal Law:

God creates everything and his will and wisdom is revealed to us through....

Divine Law:

The sacred text and the teaching of the church. Which are made known in....

Natural Law:

The innate human ability to know what is naturally right, from which ......

Human Law:

Develops e.g. the law found within a society (legal systems)

Primary Precepts

Worshiping God:

Involves visiting church and showing your respect to god.

Reproduction:

Starting a family with someone you are married too

Orderly Society:

(Living harmoniously) Respecting others, working with charities and taking part in community events

Educating the young:

Attending school. Free education to everyone in England. Motivating children to learn

Preservation of life:

Looking after the sick or ill, working for charities. Avoiding stem cell research, abortion, euthanasia

Real and Apparent good

Real Good

When you do an action which helps you to uphold the primary precepts or doesn't break any primary precepts. This helps someone to be at peace with god.

Apparent Good

When you intend to produce good. However you end up breaking the precepts. e.g. A charity event which is a good thing, although you drink before, breaking primary precepts. For humans Apparent good is an error.

Cardinal Virtues

Prudence

Judging between actions on what is the right decision based on its actions

Temperance

Practise self control or restraint

Justice

Balance our interests with rights and interests

Fortitude

Courage to confront a fear that you have

Revealed Virtues

The purpose

Cardinal virtues are enhanced by these, which are revealed through scripture. These include..

Faith

The belief in god

Hope

expectation desire of eternal life in heaven with god

Charity

Selfless unconditional voluntary working for others in response to gods love.

Exterior and Interior Acts

Exterior Act

The Exterior Act is the action that you do, for example punching someone.

Interior Act

The Interior Act is your thought process behind it. You must uphold both of them to achieve good.

Most Important

Aquinas believes that the Inferior Act is more important because as long as your intention was good then you are doing nothing wrong.

Theories

Deontological

In practise it leads to a set of rules that people have a duty to follow

Absolute

These rules are absolutist because they know of no exception e.g. using a contraceptive to prevent a life. Is absolutely wrong regardless of the consequences.

Objective

You do not take your personal thoughts into account.

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