Natural Law Flashcards
(16 cards)
Who created Natural Law?
First presented by Aristotle, championed by Aquinas.
What does Telos mean?
Purpose
What is Aristotle’s Telos?
Eudaimonia (Ultimate Happiness)
What is Aquinas’ Telos?
Fellowship with God.
What is Natural Law?
A deontological theory.
Natural laws are universal and fixed principles.
God created the world according to Natural Laws.
What are Aquinas’ Four Tiers of Law?
Eternal Law
Divine Law
Natural Law
Human Law
What is The Eternal Law?
Law created by God’s will and wisdom, humans know of its existence however do not know its entire contents. This law includes all other laws.
What is The Divine Law?
The moral law revealed by God in the Bible.
What is The Natural Law?
Innate human ability to know what is right and wrong. Natural Laws is derived from Eternal Law.
What is The Human Law?
Laws created by humans that exist in our legal system.
What are the Primary Precepts?
Introduced by Aquinas, deontological principles.
(POWER)
Preservation of Life
Ordered Society
Worship God
Education
Reproduction
What are the Secondary Precepts?
Come from the Primary Precepts, deontological principles. For example, ‘Preservation of Life’ leads to rules such as ‘Do not abort’ and ‘Do not murder’.
What is an Apparent Good?
What someone believes to be good or what they desire. But isn’t good when applying Natural Law.
What is a Real Good?
Something that is good according to Natural Law, supports human flourishing.
What is the Doctrine of Double Effect?
Aquinas’ doctrine of double effect accepts that one action may have more than one effect and that sometimes, the effect may be bad.
What’s are the principles for the Doctrine of Double Effect?
Act must be good.
Intention must be good.
Must achieve good (the evil and good that comes from the action must be atleast equal).
A grave reason (justifiable).
