*FIRST SLIDE*

Natural law ethics is a popular name attributed to the model of ethics developed by St. Thomas Aquinas during the
medieval period. Because it was developed by St. Thomas Aquinas, natural law ethics is also called Thomistic
ethics.

*SECOND SLIDE*
The Basic idea in Natural Law Ethics is that “Reason” is the source of the moral law and that it directs us towards
the “Good”. According to Aquinas, the “Good” is the ultimate goal of the person’s actions. And for Aquinas, the
“Good” is discoverable within the person’s nature. This explains why the basic goal of natural law ethics is “To
good and avoid evil”

Now, how do we know that a person is acting right or wrongly?

*THIRD SLIDE*
According to Aquinas, an act is morally right if it is done in accordance with the moral law. But, what is moral Law?

*FOURTH SLIDE*
As already mentioned, “reason” is the source of moral law; hence, the moral law is the dictate of reason. But for
Aquinas, the moral law comes from God’s Eternal Law. Indeed, for Aquinas, the moral law is the Divine Law
expressed in human nature, which reads: “Do good and avoid evil”

So, if the moral law is” doing good and avoiding evil” how do we know that one is acting in accordance with the
good?

*FIVE SLIDE*
According to Aquinas, the “good” is that which is suitable to human nature or that which is proper to human
nature. And for Aquinas, we know that an action is good, that is, suitable to human nature, if it is done in
accordance with conscience.

Aquinas understands conscience as the inner voice of the intellect or reason which calls the human person to
follow the moral law, that is, to good and avoid evil. As we can see, in natural law ethics, conscience serves as the
guide in making moral decisions.

But how do weknow that one’s action obeys conscience?

*SIX SLIDE*
According to Aquinas, an action obeys conscience if it satisfies the three-fold natural inclination of the human,
namely:

1.) Self-preservation
2.) Just dealing with others
3.)propagation of human species
*SEVEN SLIDE*
Self-preservation, for Aquinas, is a natural inclination that urges the human person to take care of her health or
not to kil or put herself in danger. This explains why for Aquinas suicide is absolutely wrong

Next is, Just dealing with others urges us to treat others with the same respect that we accord ourselves. Thus, for
Aquinas, all forms of inhumanities, such as

Exploitation
Seduction
Deception
Manipulation
Cheating
Kidnapping
Murder and intimidation are absolutely wrong.

*EIGHT SLIDE*
In terms of the propagation of human species, Aquinas believes that the reproductive organ is by nature designed
to reproduce, there, that frustrates the very purpose of the reproductive organ is unnatural, hence immoral.

This explain why even masturbation is immoral in natural law ethics.

It must be noted that for Aquinas if at least one of these three natural inclinations of the human person is violated,
then an act does not obey conscience; it is therefore immoral. Needless to say, for an action to be considered
moral in natural law ethics, it must be done in accordance with conscience. Again, it must be done in accordance
with the moral law, that is, “doing good and avoiding evil”.