Natural Law

Natural Law

1. Deontological - Thinks about actions rather than consequences

2. Absolutist

   • Laws come from God in the form of the Decalogue (10 commandments)

3. Aquinas and Aristotle

4. Different types of Law

   • Eternal Law
     • Law by which God creates and sustains
   • Divine Law
     • Law given in scripture (the Decalogue) and by the church
   • Natural Law
     • Law which we have the disposition to know, knowable through reason and revelation
       • The ability to reason = Synderesis
         • God given gift - "and God breathed into Adam and Adam became a living soul"
   • Human Law
     • Human interpretation of natural law

5. Aquinas disagreed with antinomianism (a world without laws)

6. Used empirical senses to observe the scientific laws of the world and therefore concluded that there must also exist natural laws

7. Primary Prcepts

   • 1. Self Preservation and preservation of the innocent
     • Abortion is wrong
     • Murder is wrong
   • 2. Continuation of the species through reproduction
     • Homosexuality is wrong
     • Masturbation is wrong
     • Abortion is wrong
   • 3. Live in a harmonious society
     • Murder is wrong
     • Stealing is wrong
   • 4. Educate the young
     • All children must have access to full time education
   • 5. Worship God
     • Everyone must go to church
     • You cannot be atheist or agnostic

8. Secondary Precepts = Human interpretation of the primary precepts

9. The Law of Double Effect

   • If two precepts come into conflict the lesser of two evils is to be done
   • Ectopic Pregnancy

10. Aquinas

    • Saw human beings as 'intrinsically good' and had a 'natural inclination to do good and avoid evil'
    • Cardinal Virtues
      • Prudence - Acting with restraint
      • Fortitude - Acting without weakness
      • Justice - Acting without corruption
      • Temperance - Acting without anger
    • Theological Virtues
      • Faith
      • Hope
      • Charity
    • To lack any of the Cardinal or Theological Virtues is to lack the ability to make a moral decision

11. Apparent Good

    • Adultery because you love another person who is not your current partner
    • Takes you further away from what God intended for us
    • Misguided reason
    • Militant Campaigning because Jesus said "No one gets to Heaven except through me"
    • The Yorkshire Ripper

12. Ways of discovering Natural Law

    • 1. Through Revelation
      • The Bible
      • 10 Commandments
      • Miracles and Religious Experiences
    • 2. Through Reason
      • Through applying the primary precepts
    • Through discovering natural law you will achieve Beatitudo (Human flourishing)

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