Natural Law

Natural Law

1. CREATED BY BRINGING BIBLICAL TEACHINGS AND GREEK PHIOLSOPY TOGETHER

   • Aquinas believed that god had created the world with a purpose in mind.
     • If human beings watch the natural world, read divine scripture and watch human behaviour they will be able to determine God's purpose
       • God gave humans the gift of being able to reason in order to determine God's purpose.
         • Our reason natually seeks knowledge and truth. When it is applied to actions out reason seeks harmony with others. Our desires and our reasons were created by God to seek what is good, and this is the way we come to learn what God has commanded being right or wrong.

2. CREATED BY THOMAS AQUINAS

3. Natural law is: deontological

   • Based on universal rules

4. Natural law is: objective

   • Judgement that is detached and impartial.

5. Natural law is:absolute

   • A rule that is true in all circumstances

6. Natural law Hiearchy

   • ETERNAL LAW: Refers to the principles in which God governs the universe, so we know or understand only partially
     • DIVINE LAW: refers to the bible, which guides us in our goal of perfection. However this perfection is only achievable in life after death.
       • NATURAL LAW: Human beings naturally desire what is good and avoid evil
         • HUMAN LAW: laws human-beings make for themselves. e.g: do not murder

7. Aquinas created the primary precepts as laws - then created the secondary precepts to make the primary precepts more flexible.

   • PRIMARY PRECEPTS
     • - Preserve innocent life
       • - Maintain orderly living in society
         • - Reproduce to continue next species
           • - Educate children
             • - Worship God
   • SECONDARY PRECEPTS
     • Created from the primary precepts in order to make natural law more flexible so it can apply to different times and cultures.
       • Abortion would be wrong as it goes against some of the primary precepts including: protection of innocent life and reproduction.

8. Cardinal virtues

   • Wisdom - Prudence
     • Courage/trying - Fortitude
       • Moderation - Temperance
         • Justice

9. Supernatural virtues

   • From the bible
     • Faith
       • Charity
         • Hope

10. Apparent Good

    • Occurs when you follow your reasoning but it is faulty and you come at an incorrect moral decision
      • E.g: profilers in USA bomb abortion clinics to save embryo's. however in the process it is killing people.