Natural moral law
- Created by: gracepxx
- Created on: 18-04-16 12:04
Overview
Originally observed by Cicero
Can be empirically verified
There is an objectively ideal way to be human
If we reach ideal we will be completely happy and will achieve our maximum physical, mental and spiritual health
This applies to us both as individuals and as human communities
Aquinas P1
Argued all things have a purpose to which they work
Purpose understood through examination of natural world and through the scriptures
These things seen to follow certain natural laws, which goven the way they are
Humans free but they are not lawless - live within an ordered universe and rules for human conduct are laid down within human nature itself
Aquinas P2
Maintained that:
Universe created by God so everything has design and purpose
Purpose understood through examining natural world and Bible
Humanity was given reason and freedom to choose to follow good - God's purpose for them
Called this NML - rational understanding and following of God's final purpose
NML avaliable to all since everyone with some reasoning can see that universe works according to patterns and rules that do not change
In Summa Theologica - maintains there is a NML towards which humans naturally incline, that is:
Accessible through natural order, universal, unchanging, for all time, relevant to all, given by God
All humans percieve NML but only believers in God acknowledge implications it has for them
God can modify application of NML - command to Abraham that he should sacrafic Isaac modifies law against killing
Purposes of human life
Principle of NML depends on establishing primary purposes of human life
Maintained NML guides humanity in 5 ways:
Live
Reproduce
Learn
Order society
Worship God
All things must operate in accordance with principles to which man is naturally inclined
Secondary precepts
Secondary precepts are rules which direct people towards rightful actions which uphold primary principles and away from actions that undermine them
Based on two principles:
The dictates of reason which should be self evident - e.g worship God, don't murder - these dictates must be observed by all humans under all circumstances if moral order is to be maintained
More complex dictates which come from human reason aided by God's law, because reason alone cannot discover them from nature
NML
Value of NML - takes morality out of realm of speculation and preference, pointing to physical facts about world in everyday experience
Aquinas claimed that:
God gave humanity reason to accomplish these purposes
Everything created for particular purpose
Fulfilling purpose is "good" towards which everything aims
Any action that takes you towars goal is good, any action that takes you away is wrong
Reason should always be guide in times of conflict
NML therefore depends on reason as well as nature
Made known to humans by God's revelation, which guides reason
Everything has purpose specific to them that can fulfil the skills and talents given to them by God
Virtues and Laws
Aquinas identified 4 cardinal veirtues - fundamental qualities of good life:
Prudence, justice, fortitude, termperance
In contrast, identified 7 vices which would lead people away from NML:
Pride, lust, envy, gluttony, anger, etc.
Identified 4 kids of law:
Eternal - God's will and wisdom, rational ordering on universe
Divine - Given in scriptures, guides humans to happiness
Natural - Source of fulfilment on earth
Human - Regulates behaviour in society, exerised through the state
Assumptions open to challenge
Said NML was "nothing else than the rational creature's participation in the eternal law"
Makes serveral assumptions open to challenge:
All people seek to worship God
God created universe and NML within it
Every individual has particular purpose
Since moral law comes from God, all humans should obey it
Human nature has remained the same since creation
Modern - Proportionalism - P1
Bernard Hoose in Christian Ethics
Greater good to put aside static, inflexible and absolutist interpretation of NM and instead consider qualities such as dignity, integrity and justice
Qualities themselves non-moral but help when making moral decision
Argue NML makes wrong distinction between body and soul rather than recognising humans as a unity of both
Application of moral codes should be in proportion to need and how useful they are at enabling a fair decision to be reached
Modern - Proportionalism - P2
Approach supports use of compromise
Best humans can strive to is moral compromise, not perfection
Suggested sense of proportion - do best but won't ever be truly morally perfect
More compassionate than strict application of NML and allows individual 's circumstances to be taken into account
Acknowledges some non-moral notions have to be permitted to bring about greater good
However, critics of proportionalism argue allows too much freedom to decide what is good and permits rejection of moral codes that have been established for centuries
Strengths of NML
Simple, universal guide for judging moral value of humans
Made accesible to humans by reason
Means morality is more than a matter of what peoples personal preferences and inclinations are
Weaknesses of NML
Depends of accepting view that good is what is found in nature - is everything in nature good? diseases?
Aquinas assumes everyone is seeking to worship God
Assumes God created universe and NML within it
Thinks of everyone having particular function to fulfil - goes against modern view - variety of functions to fulfil
No room for situationism, relativism, consequentilaism or individualism
Aquinas commits naturalistic fallacy - maintains ML comes from God (matter of fact according to him) and therefore we ought to obey it (value of judgement)
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