Natural Moral Law and its approach to Human matters of Life and Death

Question 1

Theft

Answer 1

• Violates primary precept of living in an ordered society;
• Secondary Precept ‘Do not steal’;
• Aquinas Summa Theologica: ‘It would be lawful for a man who is starving to death to steal from someone who has more than enough; or for someone to save someone from starvation by stealing on his behalf.’
• This would most likely be the proportionalist response also;
• The role of double effect in these exceptions;
• Application, for example, to the case who wants to steal (and then return) a library book in order to pass an important exam; or stealing a gun from a mentally disturbed person.

Question 2

Lying

Answer 2

• Violates the primary precept of living in an ordered society;
• Secondary precept ‘Do not lie’.
• Links to the Biblical commandment not to bear false witness
• CCC - Lying: ‘… offends against the fundamental relation of man and of his word to the Lord … ‘
• Aquinas in Summa Theologica: ‘ … unnatural … for anyone to signify by words something that is not on his mind …’
• Aquinas in Summa Theologica, therefore: ‘ … it is not lawful to tell a lie in order to deliver another from any danger whatever … ‘
• But it is permissible to; ‘ … hide the truth prudently, by keeping it back … ‘

Evaluation

• Is it not common sense to lie to achieve the best outcome?
• Are there situations where not to lie would be immoral?

Question 3

Embryo Research and Cloning

Answer 3

Embryo Research and Cloning

• Harvesting embryonic stem cells seen by the Catholic Church as murder
• Therapeutic cloning destroys embryos, so it is seen as murder
• Cloning seen as playing God/Usurping God’s role as creator.
• Such procedures violate the primary precept of procreation (for example, most embryonic stem cells are taken from embryos left over from IVF, which involves masturbation)
• Violates the primary precept to worship God (the creator of life)
• Violates the primary precept of living in an ordered society - ‘scientific’ reproduction could lead to breakdown of the marriage relationship
• Biblical statements showing that God fashions and knows each person in the womb (E.g. Job 31:15; Jeremiah 1:5).
• Job 31:15 : ‘Did not he who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us both within our mothers?’
• Jeremiah 1:5 : ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew[a] you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.’
• The Genetic blueprint of a human is believed to be present at the moment of conception, so the 14 day rule leads to embryo murder.
• Stem cell research/therapeutic cloning do not pass the law of double effect - they use a bad act to obtain a good result.

Designer Babies

• Edits DNA cells or embryos; use PGD to select embryos/aims at the good of checking for diseases like cystic fibrosis and Down’s syndrome / used to select sex of child / treat a sick sibling / other designer features.
• Uses IVF, so violates the primary precept of procreation;
• Destroys embryos, so seen as murder
• Genesis 1:26-27 - Imago Dei text - designer babies will lead to God’s image no longer being seen in human form.
• Usurps God’s role as creator
• Will lead to dystopia, so will violate the primary precept of living in an ordered society.

Question 4

Abortion

Answer 4

• Aquinas Summa Theologica: A human person with a rational soul is present at around 60-80 days after conception.
• Aquinas Summa Theologica: Anyone who causes the death of a foetus with a rational soul is guilty of homicide.
• Aquinas does not justify abortion before the rational soul arrives.
• Abortion violates the primary precept to defend innocent life
• The Catholic Church forbids Abortion at any stage for any reason except indirectly through the principle of double effect, for example an ectopic pregnancy
• This uncompromising approach is supported by the sanctity of life principle
• Catholicism allows no exceptions on Abortion, even for pregnancy through rape or incest

Evaluation

• The coherence of ANML stance on Abortion is called into question by its rigidity. In SE, for example, Abortion can be the most loving thing to do in a situation. Rape and incest seem to qualify as appropriate situations.
• There is no agreed definition of when a person becomes a person. Does this suggest that until this issue is decided upon, the Catholic Church is right to forbid abortion?
• Is there any act that is intrinsically evil? If so, is killing the foetus intrinsically evil?

Question 5

Voluntary Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide

Answer 5

• Aquinas Summa Theologica : Suicide is contrary to the natural inclination to stay alive; life is God’s gift to humans, so is subject to his power.
• Voluntary Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide violate the primary precept of preserve life
• They violate the primary precept to maintain an ordered society.
• 1980 Catholic Church Declaration of Euthanasia - Voluntary Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide ignore the value of suffering for salvation (as seen in the value of Christ’s suffering on the cross).
• The Catholic Church does allow dying to proceed without extraordinary or disproportionate medical intervention.
• The sanctity of life principle argues against Voluntary Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide.

Evaluation

• If humans have the right to life, should they also not have a right to die?
• Aquinas insists that there is a natural inclination to preserve life. Is it not true that at some point there is a natural inclination to die?
• Some suffering can be horrendous, and it is arguably wrong to prevent someone from ending it.
• Forbidding VE and AS can be seen as taking away free will.

Question 6

Capital Punishment

Answer 6

• Aquinas Summa Theologica ; It is lawful to kill a wild beast, especially if it harmful, so it is lawful to kill an evil doer who harms the community
• Aquinas: This must be done by someone appointed by the state, to avoid revenge getting out of hand.
• This does not make the executioner a murderer. Just as God authorised the Israelites to kill their enemies, the state authorises the executioner to kill the state’s enemies.
• This allows the use of CP for both retribution and deterrence.
• CCC gives qualified support. If the criminal will not reform, then CP can be justified to safeguard society
• Principle of Talion (retribution) legitimises CP, as in Genesis 9:6 : ‘ Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed.’

Evaluation

• ANML in effect that retribution and deterrence are more important than reforming the criminal.
• Is the principle of Talion natural justice?
• If the Bible allows CP, does this mean that ANML must be right in its approach to CP?