THE NATURAL LAW:

NATURAL LAW:
ST. THOMAS
ST. THOMAS
AQUINAS
AQUINAS
Chapter II
 LEARING
OUTCOMES
recognize the explain how natural

1 meaning of natural
law and its relation 2
law is an imprint of
the Divine Will on the
free person;
to ethics;

appreciate and discuss conscience

3 articulate the role of

natural law in 4
and how this is
defined by natural
law.
crafting an ethical
life; and
 INTRODUCTION
Albert Camus opened his 1942 seminal book, The Myth
of Sisyphus, by posing the question, "Why will I not kill
myself today?" Locally, such a dramatic recognition of
the sorry condition of the world is echoed by a column
of Rina Jimenez-David in the daily broadsheet Philippine
 INTRODUCTION
Daily Inquirer on 25 October 2003 when in frustration she
asked, "Why would we not just close down the Philippines?"
Camus has lived through the two world wars (1914- 1918;
1939-1945) and thus highlights the bitterness of his times
and the task of man to live in sincerity, moderation, and
justice with a playful heart even while confronted with utter
meaninglessness in life. Jimenez-David saw two.
St. Thomas Aquinas - an Italian catholic
priest who belongs to the religious Order
of Preachers or Dominicans - the title
Aquinas identifies his place of origin,
Aquino which belonged originally to the
kingdom of Naples and about 120 km,
South of Rome - he was born to an
affluent and influencial family his father
was recognized as the count of Aquino
 His early studies were under the tutelage of the
Benedictine Abbot of Monte Cassino, but at the age of
14, he enrolled at the University of Naples. He was
deeply impressed by the Dominicans whom he later met
at this University that Thomas decided to join the Order
of Preachers at the age of 19 in 1244 instead of the
Benedictines who were his first teachers.
 After the struggle with his family who did not
agree with his being a priest was finally settled,
Thomas in 1248 studied with Albert the Great
(1205-1280) in Cologne.

Thomas died on 7 March 1274 leaving behind him

notable works like Summa Contra Gentiles, Summa
Theologiae, and De Veritate.
 is the philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas.
Thomas' systemic approach that is meant to
guide human action is known as an ethics of
natural law.
 ETSI DEUS NON
DORETUR
Thomas Aquinas begins from the standpoint of faith. His
perspective presupposes the existence of a God who is
the author (source) and the goal (end) of all reality. This
Creator for Thomas, however, relates in freedom with the
human person and so enables him/her in freedom to
recognize through reason the very principle of
foundations of all things.
 ETSI DEUS NON
DORETUR
The human being then is said to be gifted with
"the ability to know the highest good" that
engages him/her in freedom in "choosing to
act on the good that he/she ought to do."
Freedom here is knowing the best goal and
being able to reach for it throush decisive
action.
 For Aquinas, God reveals his Goodwill as the Eternal
Law reflected in the order of reality. Relating with
the Law as governing all are relating with God Himself
whose will emanates to govern all that is.

Human freedom for St. Thomas, therefore, is an

imprint of the divine will in the very being of the
human person.
 Etsi Deus non daretur is an expression that highlights
the validity of this ethical system with or without faith
in the Creator God. Literally, etsi Deus non daretur
means "even if there is no God." This implies that the
wisdom of the ethical system that is natural law is valid
and binding for the human person even if we bracket
belief in God.
 Those who came up with the expression etsi
Deus non daretur do not advocate atheism or
protest against the faith. They simply mean
that the deposit of knowledge or "divine
wisdom" that comes to us as "natural law" is
valid in itself and is, therefore, the reason code
of conduct even for a man of goodwill who may
be without faith.
 CONSCIENCE AND NATURAL
LAW
St. Thomas' discussion on conscience, one is inclined to
conclude that "it is the proper functioning of reason in
moving the human person towards an end goal that is
fitting of his/her dignity." Different kinds of conscience
may lead us to wrongdoing: callous, perplexed,
scrupulous, and ignorant. The uninformed conscience
simply lacks education, while the perplexed one needs
guidance in sorting out one's confusion.
 THE RELATIONAL AND
PERFECTION OF LOVE IN AQUINAS

Thomistic natural law is not Christian simply because it

is ethics reconcilable or compatible with faith. It is a
disciplined system that finds the ultimate foundation
and perfection in the reality of God. While through etsi
Deus non daretur we are afforded the autonomy of
reasonable ethics independent from faith, ultimately,
this ethics is given full meaning and perfection in a
relationship with God.
 THE RELATIONAL AND
PERFECTION OF LOVE IN AQUINAS

The autonomy of ethics from faith afforded a level of

disciplined reflection that enables man to not only copy
the perfection that is God and apply it to him- or herself
and his/her surroundings.
 THE RELATIONAL AND
PERFECTION OF LOVE IN AQUINAS

The autonomy of ethics from faith afforded a level of disciplined

reflection that enables man to not only copy the perfection that is
God and apply it to him- or herself and his/her surroundings.

the Divine Will and also the entirety of all creation cannot be
limited by the scope of satisfaction that is exclusively chosen by
man. The human being remains to be one particular being among
the multiplicity of beings. One cannot, given one's limits, be the
fulfillment of everything.
 THE RELATIONAL AND
PERFECTION OF LOVE IN AQUINAS

Here the relational that is inherent in the natural order finds value. The
human person is not only bound to find the full maximum capacity of
one's being in a search for self-actualization. He/She is not designed to
find perfection on his/her own but thoroughly relates with other human
persons and all of creation. He She is not designed to be a Pharisee who
is perfect unto himself/herself. He/She is open to be in all and to exist for
all. One's goal, therefore, is not only to be the "self-made man/woman"
but, in his/her full effort, "be open and available for everything else" and
"be open for the love or fullness that is beyond him/her."
THANK
YOU
Presented by Group 2