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Natural Law (Ethics)
Natural Law (Ethics)
Law
o Designed by Aquinas
Aquinas
VARIETIES OF LAW
VARIETIES OF LAW
– "He governs all the acts and
movements that are to be found in
each single creature, so the type of
Divine Wisdom, as moving all things
to their due end, bears the
character of law."
• What God wills for creation
We must recognize that we are part of the eternal law and we participate in it in a special way.
Irrational creatures are participating in the
eternal law, although we could hardly say
that they are in any way "conscious" of this
law.
Aquinas then goes on to say that there is our human nature, common with other animals, a desire
that has to do with sexual intercourse and the care of one’s offspring. As the matter of fact, animals
periodically engage in sexual intercourse at a specific time of “heat”, and this could result an
offspring. In human too, that natural inclination to engage in the sexual act and to reproduce exists.
Thomas writes certain special sins are said to be against nature, thus contrary to sexual intercourse,
which is natural to all animals, is unisexual lust, which has received the special name of the unnatural
crime.
UNIQUELY HUMAN
Uniquely Human
o We have an inclination to good
according to the nature of our reasons.
o With this, we have a natural inclination to
know the truth about God and to live in
Society
o It is of interest that this is followed by
matters of both an epistemic and a
social concern.
Uniquely Human
o General guideposts:
o Epistemic Concern – which is that we know we pursue the
truth