Natural law can be helpful making moral decisions

Question 1

natural law is UNhelpful making moral decisions

Answer 1

It can be argued that basic goods vary far more across societies than is generally realised. When these are taken to the level of secondary precepts, it becomes obvious that there are different attitudes to the value of life, which gods should be worshipped and how many people can be involved in marriages.

Question 2

natural law is UNhelpful making moral decisions

Answer 2

As an absolutist theory, natural law can at times appear too legalistic and fixed on obeying the rules, particularly when there are very obvious negative consequences. The spread of HIV/Aids in Africa as a result of Catholic teaching opposing contraception is one particularly unpleasant example. However, it might be argued that this is to do with how the theory has been interpreted rather than anything to do with the theory itself.

Question 3

natural law is UNhelpful making moral decisions

Answer 3

Natural law commits the naturalistic fallacy of observing what happens in the world and assuming that this is what must happen. It attempts to define moral values in nonmoral terms.

Question 4

natural law is UNhelpful making moral decisions

Answer 4

There is a tension between the clarity of the primary precepts and the flexibility of the secondary precepts. The catechism does not recognise this difficulty in its claim that the natural law is ‘universal in its approach’ and the
‘application of the natural law varies greatly’.

Question 5

natural law is UNhelpful making moral decisions

Answer 5

telos