Natural law origins

?
View mindmap
  • Natural Law
    • It consists of moral absolutes-(rules that cannot be broken under any circumstance
    • Natural law is a religious theory, It can also be described as a deontological theory
    • Natural law is an ethical theory which considers something to be moral if it fulfills Gods plan for creation
    • Traced back to the time of greek philosopher Aristotle, In nichomean ethics he claimed everything had a purpose.
      • He claimed if things achieved their purpose they were good and if they didnt they were bad
        • 'A good knife is one that cuts well thats what its deisgned to do' -Aristotle
        • He claimed the natural way for humans to behave in order to fulfil their purpose was a universal standard of behaviour
          • 'that which is natural is unchangeable and has the same power everywhere'
    • The stoics further developed the concept of natural law they believed 'there was a fundamental design and purpose to the universe and that ones morality ought to be based on aligning oneself with it'
    • The roman lawyer cicero also developed the concept of natural law and stated 'true law is right in agreement with nature,it is of universal application'
    • The individual however who fully developed the concept of natural law was Thomas Aquinas
      • He made an attempt to apply the ideas of aristotle and cicero to human behaviour
      • He claimed that because every human is created by God, then our purpose is o live life according to gods plan for us
        • 'Law is nothing else than an ordination of reason for the common good'

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar Religious Studies resources:

See all Religious Studies resources »See all Ethics resources »