Theme A. St Thomas Aquinas’ Natural Law - laws and precepts as the basis of morality: Aquinas’ four levels of law (eternal, divine, natural and human); Natural Law derived from rational thought; based on a belief in a divine creator (the highest good as being the rational understanding of God's final purpose). Natural Law as a form of moral absolutism and a theory which has both deontological and teleological aspects. The five primary precepts (preservation of life, ordered society, worship of God, education and reproduction of the human species) as derived from rational thought and based on the premise of 'doing good and avoiding evil'; the secondary precepts which derive from the primary precepts; the importance of keeping the precepts in order to establish a right relationship with God and gain eternal life with God in heaven
Natural Law Song
Natural Law Song
Theme B. Aquinas’ Natural Law - the role of virtues and goods in supporting moral behaviour:
The need for humans to be more God-like by developing the three revealed virtues (faith, hope and charity) and four cardinal virtues (fortitude, temperance, prudence and justice). Aquinas' definition of different types of acts and goods: internal acts (the intention of the moral agent when carrying out an action) and external acts (the actions of a moral agent); real goods (correctly reasoned goods that help the moral agent achieve their telos) and apparent goods (wrongly reasoned goods that don’t help the moral agent achieve their God given purpose).
Natural Law Real and Apparent good Natural Law Virtues
The need for humans to be more God-like by developing the three revealed virtues (faith, hope and charity) and four cardinal virtues (fortitude, temperance, prudence and justice). Aquinas' definition of different types of acts and goods: internal acts (the intention of the moral agent when carrying out an action) and external acts (the actions of a moral agent); real goods (correctly reasoned goods that help the moral agent achieve their telos) and apparent goods (wrongly reasoned goods that don’t help the moral agent achieve their God given purpose).
Natural Law Real and Apparent good Natural Law Virtues
Theme C. Aquinas’ Natural Law - application of the theory:The application of Aquinas’ Natural Law to both of the issues listed below:
1. abortion 2. voluntary euthanasia
1. abortion 2. voluntary euthanasia
Theme D. John Finnis’ development of Natural Law: Development of the seven basic human goods (life, knowledge, friendship, play, aesthetic experience, practical reasonableness and religion); distinction between theoretical / practical reason; Nine Requirements of Practical Reason (view life as a whole, no arbitrary preference amongst values (goods), basic goods apply equally to all, do not become obsessed with a particular project, use effort to improve, plan your actions to do the most good, never harm a basic good, foster common good in the community and act in your own conscience and authority); the common good and the need for authority.
Theme E. Bernard Hoose's overview of the Proportionalist debate:
As a hybrid of Natural Law, a deontological / teleological ethic; a Proportionalist maxim (‘it is never right to go against a principle unless there is a proportionate reason which would justify it’); distinction between an evil moral act (an immoral act) and pre-moral/ontic evil; distinction between a good act (an act that follows the moral rule) and a right act (an act that is not necessarily a good act, but creates the lesser of two evils); proportionality based on agape
As a hybrid of Natural Law, a deontological / teleological ethic; a Proportionalist maxim (‘it is never right to go against a principle unless there is a proportionate reason which would justify it’); distinction between an evil moral act (an immoral act) and pre-moral/ontic evil; distinction between a good act (an act that follows the moral rule) and a right act (an act that is not necessarily a good act, but creates the lesser of two evils); proportionality based on agape
F. Finnis’ Natural Law and Proportionalism: application of the theory:
The application of Finnis’ Natural Law and Proportionalism to both of the issues listed below:
1. immigration 2. capital punishment
The application of Finnis’ Natural Law and Proportionalism to both of the issues listed below:
1. immigration 2. capital punishment