NATURAL LAW

SUMMA THEOLOGIAE BY THOMAS

AQUINAS
 THE NATURAL LAW
• In man there is first of all an inclination to good in accordance
with the nature which he has in common with all substances:
in as much as every substance seeks the preservation of its
own being according to its nature: and by reason of this
inclination, whatever is a means of preserving human life, and
of warding off its obstacles
 THE NATURAL LAW
• There is in man an inclination to things that pertain to him
more specially, according to that nature which he has in
common with other animals; and in virtue of this inclination,
those things are said to belong to the natural law, “which
nature has taught to all animals,” such as sexual
intercourse, education of offspring and so forth.
 THE NATURAL LAW
• There is in man an inclination to good, according to the
nature of his reason, which nature is proper to him: thus man
has a natural inclination to know the truth about God, and to
live in society: and in this respect, whatever pertains to this
inclination belongs to the natural law; for instance, to shun
ignorance, to avoid offending those among whom one has to
live, and other such things regarding the above inclination.
THOMAS AQUINAS
Inclinations of
humans
 Human beings are both unique and at the
same time participating in the community of
the rest of creation.
1. In Common
with Other Our presence in the rest of the creation does
Beings not only mean that we interact with creatures
that are not human but there is also in our
nature something that shares in the nature of
other things.
 Aquinas identifies first that there is in our
nature, common with all other beings a desire
to preserve one’s own being.

In Common Example: Makahiya leaft folds inaward and

with Other protects itself when touched.
Beings
Similarly, human beings have the natural
inclination to preserve their being.
 He goes to say that there is in our human nature, a
common with other animals, a desire that has to do
with sexual intercourse and care of one’s offspring.

In Common As a matter of fact, animals periodically engage in

sexual intercourse at a specific time of “heat” and
with Other this could result to offspring.
Animals
In human beings, too, that natural inclination to
engage in the sexual act and to reproduce exist.
 With regards to sexual act, the moral
judgements get more volatile. This argument
seems to provide ground for rejecting various
forms of contraception since this allow for
sexual act to take place but inhibit
procreation.
2. In Common
with Other
Animals The claim that any form of the sexual act that
could not lead to offspring must be
considered deviant.
 Aquinas presents a third reason
which states that we have an
inclination to good according to the
nature of our reason.
3. Uniquely
Human
With this, we have a natural
inclination to know the truth about
God and to live in society.
 Contrary to common misconception, the
sexual inclination and sexual act are
considered good things, not something to
be deplored or dismissed.
Uniquely
human Thomas tells us that there is a priority
among the powers of our soul, with the
intellectual directing and commanding
our sensitive and nutritive capacities.
 Man as a rational being-acts based on
reasons. Man should take up the burden
of thinking carefully how a particular
act may or may not be a violation of our
nature.
Uniquely
human It is to take the trouble to think carefully
about how our acts would either
contribute to, or detract from, the
common good.