Natural Law as Practical Rationality

What is Natural Law?

 Natural law is a philosophical theory that states that humans have certain rights, moral values,
and responsibilities that are inherent in human nature.
 Natural law theory is based on the idea that natural laws are universal concepts and are not
based on any culture or customs (Race, nationality don’t matter when talking about natural law
since it is universal). Still, it is a way society acts naturally and inherently as human beings.
 It doesn’t require political order or legislature
 To be explained further, natural law incorporates the idea that humans understand the
difference between “right” and “wrong” inherently. Essentially, it concludes that human beings
are not taught natural law; they initiate it by making good and right decisions. Therefore, it is
said to be discoverable through the exercise of reason.
Practical rationality is best regarded as a virtue: an excellence in the exercise of one's cognitive
capacities in one's practical endeavors.
Accounts of practical reason include theories of how we should determine means to the ends we have;
how we should define the ends themselves; how we should act given that we have a multiplicity of ends;
how requirements of consistency should govern our actions; and how moral considerations should be
incorporated in our deliberations about how to act.

 To simplify, natural law is described as the innate trait of humans to naturally possess moral
values, responsibilities, and certain rights. Since practical rationality is being able to formulate
decisions to achieve better outcome, there is an established connection between natural law
and practical rationality because there are universal moral standards that are inherent in
humankind throughout all time, and these standards should form the basis of a just society. We
make decisions (practical rationality) based on reason not instinct; we try to determine if it’s
right or appropriate. Our decisions are based on our morals which we naturally possess and
naturally and universally acceptable in our (a just) society.
Example.
Naturally we know that taking someone’s life(killing) is bad. Your classmate made fun of
your clothes; would you kill him/her? Absolutely not cause even if we are not taught
that killing is bad, we naturally know that harming or taking someone’s life is wrong.

 The natural law is comprised of those precepts of the eternal law that govern the behavior of
beings possessing reason and free will. The first precept of the natural law, according to Aquinas
to do good and avoid evil; good and evil, according to Aquinas, is derived from the rational
nature of human beings. Good and evil are thus both objective and universal. Aside from doing
good we pursue the things that are good for us, we as rational beings find a reason to pursue
this thing that are inherently good for us.
Example
We value life cause it’s good and we take care of our own lives because it is good for us

 God is great and He created creatures to pursue what naturally is good for them. Upon our
creation he instilled us with ability to determine good and evil, once we are born, we already
possess morals. We are rational but sometimes our judgement could be clouded by
uncontrollable emotions and evil dispositions. According to Acquinas on God’s POV natural law
are laws disguised as His sovereign guidance or control and for the human’s POV it consists
naturally binding, knowable rules of reason.
  Natural Law defies metaphysics (concerns of existence and nature of things). It contradicts with
the ff.
o Atheism-because of the Divine being giving inherent ability
o Deism- Divine being not interested in human matters, therefore does not concern
themselves to guide humans to pursue what is good for them
o Agnostic- Admitting to God’s existence

Substance of Natural Law

Good is to be done and evil is to be avoided. We must pursue particular goods. We already know what
are those good we must pursue; life, reproduction/ procreation, knowledge, society and reasonable
conduct.

Good is essential whether it be in action or type of action, is logically right or brings something good.
According to Acquinas we are able to reason regarding the principles about good to guidelines how
these goods are to be pursued. There are basic human goods that are naturally flawed and humans must
know to act based on that, for an act to be right, by no means it must be flawed. Our task then is to find
were those actions might be flawed. We can look at it in ways like object, circumstance, results,
intentions.
Example
It is good for us to reproduce; we are to pursue it. But we cannot force someone to sleep with
us to fulfill this it’s a crime , nor we cannot reproduce to the point we can no longer take care of
our offsprings.

Di na nasama Aquinas has no Illusions