Natural Moral Law Flashcards
(23 cards)
Natural Law:
What does Aristotle believe about telos?
We are unique in our ability to reason, through this we are flourishing and achieving our telos and reaching eudaimonia
Natural Law:
How does Aquinas develop Aristotle’s ideas?
We are uniquely able to reflect on our moral behaviour and to consider good and bad
Natural Law:
What is the main moral rule according to Aquinas?
Synderesis rule - ‘do good and avoid evil’
Natural Law:
What are the five primary precepts?
- Preservation of innocent life
- Reproduction
- Education
- Ordered society
- Worship God
Natural Law:
What are secondary precepts?
More specific rules derived from the primary precepts
Natural Law:
What is the highest tier of law?
Eternal Law - law as known in the mind of God, His knowledge of what is right and wrong
Natural Law:
What tier of law falls below Eternal Law?
Divine Law - laws as revealed by God through revelation
Natural Law:
Which tier of Law falls above Human Law?
Natural Law - the moral thinking we are all able to do
Natural Law:
What is the lowest tier of law?
Human Law - the customs and practices of societies
Natural Law:
How does TA’s original theory differ from modern Catholic interpretations?
TA’s secondary precepts were not fixed and up to interpretation, the Catholic Church has made fixed secondary precepts
Natural Law:
How do modern NL thinkers like George and Finnis develop the theory?
Use Aristotles idea of Phronesis (practical reasoning) to suggest that there are certain basic goods of human flourishing; knowledge, play, work and spirituality
Natural Law:
Give four points that suggest NL is helpful in moral decision making.
- Absolutist - it gives clear judgement
- There is some flexibility in the secondary precepts
- Leads to belief in certain rights
- Affirms the importance of reason
Natural Law:
Give four reasons NL is not a helpful moral decision making tool.
- Basic goods vary across cultures
- Too legalistic and absolute
- Naturalistic fallacy - assuming that something that happens in nature is something that should happen
- Tension between flexibility and clarity in precepts
Natural Law:
What does Aquinas say about telos and human nature?
He believes there is a fixed human nature and that we are made in the image of God and have a clear purpose
Natural Law:
What is Sartre’s existentialist view of human nature and telos?
- Objects may have a fixed nature, but human beings are fundamentally different
- We come into existence first and then must decide for ourselves what our essence is
Natural Law:
What does Aquinas say about the orientation of human beings?
- Synderesis principle suggests that we are directed by something within us to pursue good
- Follows Socrates in suggesting that no one ever deliberately does a wrong action
Natural Law:
What do the stoics say about the orientation?
- Zeno - the world is an ordered place, the gods created it and left it within the ‘logos’ or divine reason, this is within all of us and leads us to virtues
- Cicero - the natural law is ‘right reason in accordance with nature’
Natural Law:
What is an exterior act?
An action as viewed outside
Natural Law:
What is an interior act?
Motive
Natural Law:
What does Aquinas say about double effect?
- Intention matters more in the event of two outcomes
Natural Law:
What examples does Aquinas use when discussing double effect?
Self-defence - if you killed your attacker there would be two outcomes, you’ve saved yourself and killed someone
Natural Law:
Give two strengths of Aquinas’ view on double effect.
- Allows for some flexibility
- absolutists have no answer for where two duties clash
Natural Law:
Give two weaknesses on Aquinas’ View on double effect.
- It is difficult to judge whether something is truly intended
- It is difficult to know how far to press the idea
