Natural Law

Question 1

What is good according to Natural Law?

Answer 1

Action in accordance with God’s created purpose

Question 2

What is conscience made up of?

Answer 2

1. Synderesis
2. Conscientia

Question 3

What is synderesis?

Answer 3

Special habit of intellect that provides first moral principles

Question 4

What is conscientia?

Answer 4

The ability to make correct moral judgements

Question 5

Why is morality inherent to human nature?

Answer 5

Humans are rational beings created in the image of God

Question 6

What is beatific vision?

Answer 6

Knowledge and fellowship with God sought through reason

Question 7

How is Natural Law deontological?

Answer 7

It judges the goodness of an action based on some quality of the action itself

Question 8

How is Natural Law teleological?

Answer 8

It judges the goodness of an action based on its compatibility with the goal of beatific vision

Question 9

What is the purpose of the primary precepts?

Answer 9

Identify God-given purposes to bring us closer to achieving good and avoiding evil

Question 10

What are the primary precepts?

Answer 10

• Power
• Orderly living in society
• Worship God
• Educate children
• Reproduce

Question 11

What are secondary precepts?

Answer 11

Secondary reflections of primary precepts which may be overruled by other precepts

Question 12

What is the purpose of the cardinal virtues?

Answer 12

Must be practised and cultivated in order to achieve right reason

Question 13

What are the 4 cardinal virtues?

Answer 13

1. Prudence
2. Justice
3. Fortitude
4. Temperance

Question 14

What is prudence?

Answer 14

The ability to make reasoned judgements

Question 15

What is justice?

Answer 15

The lasting will that everyone has what they deserve

Question 16

What is fortitude?

Answer 16

Strength of character required to do what reason dictates

Question 17

What is temperance?

Answer 17

Caution required to make a considered choice

Question 18

Why are the revealed virtues ‘revealed’?

Answer 18

They are theocentric, given to humanity through scripture and cannot be achieved without God

Question 19

What are the 3 revealed virtues?

Answer 19

1. Faith
2. Hope
3. Love

Question 20

What is the revealed virtue of faith?

Answer 20

Belief in God despite lack of empirical evidence

Question 21

What is the revealed virtue of hope?

Answer 21

Looking forward to eternal life

Question 22

What is the revealed virtue of love?

Answer 22

Wishing good for other people without concern for the self, mirroring love between God and humanity

Question 23

What does Aquinas believe about humanity?

Answer 23

Humans are naturally and essentially good, do not knowingly pursue evil

Question 24

What is apparent good?

Answer 24

An act that is seemingly right but actually moves us away from ideal human nature

Question 25

What is real good?

Answer 25

Acting in accordance with right reason, becoming closer to ideal human nature

Question 26

What is an exterior act?

Answer 26

The physical act itself

Question 27

What is an interior act?

Answer 27

The intention of performing an act

Question 28

How is real good achieved in regard to exterior and interior acts?

Answer 28

Both acts must be good

Question 29

What is the Doctrine of Double Effect?

Answer 29

If one action produces 2 effects, one of which violates a precept, only the intended action will be judged

Question 30

What are Aquinas' 4 Levels of Law?

Answer 30

1. Eternal 2. Divine 3. Natural 4. Human

Question 31

What is eternal law?

Answer 31

God's creative order reflected in physical laws

Question 32

What is divine law?

Answer 32

Law delivered through revelation which governs our intentions

Question 33

What is recta ratio?

Answer 33

Right reason

Question 34

How does natural law relate to free will?

Answer 34

Allows humans to be free and rational, but not free to the extent to choose what is good or evil

Question 35

What is human law?

Answer 35

Law of civil communities, only good when aligned with other levels of law

Question 36

What are 3 strengths of Natural Law?

Answer 36

1. Allows for establishment of universal laws with central principles 2. Judges both intrinsic value of an action and its outcome 3. Doesn't rely on unpredictable consequences or the influence of emotion

Question 37

What are 3 weaknesses of Natural Law?

Answer 37

1. It is unreasonable for someone who doesn't believe in God to just accept that human behaviour has moral authority 2. Fails to decide situationally 3. Assumes a universal culture and human nature

Question 38

How would Aquinas respond to the argument: 'Someone who asks to die should have their wishes respected'

Answer 38

They don't in fact desire the evil of death, only escape from their current evil

Question 39

Why does the Catholic Church condemn euthanasia?

Answer 39

To take a human life is to usurp God's right to give and take life

Question 40

When might the Doctrine of Double Effect allow euthanasia?

Answer 40

When a drug is administered with the intention of relieving pain, even if it is foreseen that it may also shorten life

Question 41

When might the Doctrine of Double Effect allow abortion?

Answer 41

If a tumour is found in the uterus of a pregnant person and removing it would save the person but kill the baby

Question 42

When does human life begin according to the Catholic Church?

Answer 42

At conception

Question 43

When did Aquinas believe ensoulment was for boys and girls?

Answer 43

- 40 days - 90 days

Question 44

What is a foetus before ensoulment?

Answer 44

A nutritive then a sensitive soul

Question 45

Universal - Aquinas

Answer 45

'Natural Law is the same for all men... there is a single standard of truth and right for everyone... which is known by everyone'

Question 46

Reason - Aquinas

Answer 46

'to disparage the dictate of reason is equivalent to condemning the command of God'

Question 47

Interior vs Exterior - Aquinas

Answer 47

'But if the will be good from its intention of the end, this is not enough to make the external action good'

Question 48

Innate goodness - Aquinas

Answer 48

'the fornicator has merely pleasure for his object, and the deformity of sin is only an accompaniment'

Question 49

Abortion - Pope John Paul II

Answer 49

'right from fertilisation the adventure of a human life begins'

Question 50

Euthanasia - General Medical Council

Answer 50

'they have the right to refuse treatment even when refusal may result in harm to themselves or even their own death'

Question 51

Hume on imago dei - Craig

Answer 51

'but we also have immortal souls, endowed with reason and an understanding of morality - this is what makes us images of God