INTRO:
Natural law thinkers use reason, 'good is to be done and pursued, and evil is to be avoided.' He continues, 'All other precepts of natural law are based upon this.'
HUGO GROTIUS also developed a theory of Natural Law as rationally recognisable principles for all to follow. SAMUEL VON PUFENDORF was also influenced by the natural law tradition. PUFENDORF suggests that by ourselves we are vulnerable but we live in communities and societies to survive. Other philosophers, such as JOHN LOCKE, SAMUEL CLARKE and WILLIAM PALEY, all developed ideas from the natural law tradition.
The Greek Stoics believed human beings had a divine spark enabling them to discover eternal laws necessary for human happiness. The Stoics consider themselves citizens of the universal law. The Greek philosopher ARISTOTLE also wrote about natural law, 'the natural is that which everywhere is equally valid...' ARISTOTLE essentially says that natural law is a 'given.' He thought that the purpose of human beings was to live a life of reason: 'Reason is the true self of every man, since it is the supreme and better part.'