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    Jerica Jaja April
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    St. Thomas Aquinas was a prominent medieval philosopher and theologian who developed the doctrine of natural law. Natural law is derived from eternal law, which is known only to God, and divine law, which is revealed by God through scripture. Natural law is the part of divine law that is understood by human reason. It involves humans participating in eternal law through using reason and will to do good and avoid evil based on what is naturally known to be correct. For an action to be moral according to natural law, it must be good or at least not bad in its kind or species, circumstances, and intention of the agent. The highest perfection for humans, according to Aquinas, is wanting to be with God.

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    St. Thomas Aquinas was a prominent medieval philosopher and theologian who developed the doctrine of natural law. Natural law is derived from eternal law, which is known only to God, and divine law, which is revealed by God through scripture. Natural law is the part of divine law that is understood by human reason. It involves humans participating in eternal law through using reason and will to do good and avoid evil based on what is naturally known to be correct. For an action to be moral according to natural law, it must be good or at least not bad in its kind or species, circumstances, and intention of the agent. The highest perfection for humans, according to Aquinas, is wanting to be with God.

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    12 views11 pages

    Lecture Note 15

    Uploaded by

    Jerica Jaja April
    St. Thomas Aquinas was a prominent medieval philosopher and theologian who developed the doctrine of natural law. Natural law is derived from eternal law, which is known only to God, and divine law, which is revealed by God through scripture. Natural law is the part of divine law that is understood by human reason. It involves humans participating in eternal law through using reason and will to do good and avoid evil based on what is naturally known to be correct. For an action to be moral according to natural law, it must be good or at least not bad in its kind or species, circumstances, and intention of the agent. The highest perfection for humans, according to Aquinas, is wanting to be with God.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 11

    NATURAL

    LAW
    ST. THOMAS AQUINAS
    ST. THOMAS AQUINAS

    Italian philosopher and


    theologian, St. Thomas
    Aquinas (1224-1274) was
    one of the foremost minds
    of medieval scholasticism.
    He is recognized as the
    leading theological
    authority within the
    Roman Catholic Church.

    N AT U R A L L AW
    ETERNAL
    LAW Lex eternal
    Known only to God

    DIVINE LAW
    Lex DIVINA
    Part of Eternal Law
    revealed to men by God
    through holy scriptures.
    Human Law
    Lex humana
    The man made Law

    Natural Law
    Lex Natura
    Part of Divine Law
    understood by men
    through reason
    Human being’s participation
    in Eternal Law

    Man’s participation in the


    execution of the good and
    avoidance of evil through the use
    of his/her reason and will.
    NATURAL
    Based on what’s “correct.” LAW
    Doing good and avoiding evil.
    Features of Human Actions
    Three aspects through which the morality of
    an act can be determined:
    1. species- action refers to its kind. It is also called the or at least
    object of the action. Aquinas holds that for an action to be moral, it
    must be good or atleast not bad in species.

    2. accidents- refer to the circumstances


    surrounding the action.

    3. end- stands the agent’s intention.

    N AT U R A L L AW
    BASIC GOODS
    COMMON IN EXCLUSIVE TO
    ALL CREATURES: HUMAN:
    LIFE SEEK GOD AVOID OFFENSE

    REPRODUCTION LIVE IN SOCIETY SHUN


    IGNORANCE
    EDUCATING
    THE offspring
    Conscience and natural law

    Conscience
    The proper functioning of reason in moving the
    human person towards an end goal that is fitting
    of his/her dignity
    ONE CANNOT DO THE RIGHT THING IF ONE DOES NOT KNOW WHAT IT IS.
    Remains to be our proximate norm that bids us to
    do the good and avoid evil.

    N AT U R A L L AW
    Relational and Perfection of Love
    Thomastic ethics is incomplete if it does not end with love
    that is directed towards God.

    The highest perfection of man for St. Thomas is in


    his/her wanting to be with God.

    “The ethical man is not the perfect man but one who
    wants to be saved by cooperating in freedom with
    what is attainable for him/her.”

    N AT U R A L L AW
    IS IT MORALLY ACCEPTABLE:
    MURDER
    EUTHANASIA
    ABORTION
    THANK YOU!
    Any questions?

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