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Natural Law - Coggle Diagram
Natural Law
Context of Aquinas
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Inspired by Aristotle's work, which has just been rediscovered
Expanded on his ideas to relate them to the Christian God, showing that faith and reason can work alongside each other
Believes that there is a fundamentally good human nature and all rational people seek to be moral, enabling them to reach their telos
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Natural Law is a deontological approach, with absolute principles
Telos
Aristotle believed that the human telos was eudaimonia, which is human flourishing, achieved by living a virtuous life and consciously developing good habits
Aquinas agreed that nature is directed towards a purpose and that there was a logos (wisdom) that was ordering nature (God)
Aquinas takes Aristotle’s idea of eudaimonia and argues that the telos of humans is ‘God-like perfection’, which
they can do as they were created in the ‘imago dei'
However, this can only be reached eschatologically, in the presence of God, by following Natural Law and living a moral life
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Strengths
His view of telos is positive for humanity as it focuses on society adapting good human characteristics
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Humans are made image dei, so we have an inclination to be like him by doing good, which is our purpose
Weaknesses
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As an existentialist, he in concerned with the uniqueness of individual life, not the purpose of it
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Synderesis rule
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Aquinas argues that all humans have ratio which causes us to habitually live according to notion of synderesis - inclination to do good and avoid evil
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This means that according to Aquinas, God has not innately prescribed rules for us to live by, instead we have been given ratio in order for us to work out what to do
Strengths
Based on reason so provides an unbiased approach to decision making, thus stabilising society
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Weaknesses
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Humans have akrasia as a result of cupiditas outweighing caritas and having a lack of control over selfish desires
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Primary precepts
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Educate children - as intellectual creatures, it is natural for us to learn, especially children
Ordered society - in order to fulfil our purpose, we must all live in the same way through an ordered society
Preserve life - people have a natural sense of responsibility towards others as it leads to human flourishing in this life and thus God Like perfection
Reproduce - it is rational to ensure that life continues, so it is the main purpose of sexual intercourse
Strengths
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Not presented as a list of rules, but rather a reasonable way of life, acting as a guide to make decisions
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Weaknesses
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Humans have akrasia as a result of cupiditas outweighing caritas and having a lack of control over selfish desires
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4 tiers of law
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Natural law
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Humans are created imago dei, so they are capable of discovering eternal law
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Eternal law
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Always has, and always will exist
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Weaknesses
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As we are at an epistemic distance from God due to the Fall, we are unable to have full knowledge of him
Secondary precepts
Based on the primary precepts, the secondary precepts tell us how to act in certain situations
The primary precepts are universal and absolute whereas the secondary precepts may change as society changes
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Real and apparent goods
Real goods - those that are in accordance with the primary precepts and God's wishes for humanity, allowing us to reach our telos
Apparent goods - those which tempt us because they seem enjoyable, but do not actually further the aim of promoting human flourishing