SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT

NATURAL LAW SCHOOL

From the Jurisprudential point of view Natural law means those rules & principles
which are supposed to have originate from some supreme source other than any
political authority. These rules have a divine origin, their source is nature. They are
product of reason. Reason is the capacity to consciously make sense out of things.

FEATURES OF NATURAL LAW

1. Natural Law is eternal and unalterable.
2. It is not made by man, only discovered by him.
3. It is not enforced by any external agency.
4. Natural Law is not based on legislations but it is an outcome of teachings &
preaching of philosophers, saints.
5. It is not based on any written code.
6. There is no precise punishment & penalty for its violation.
7. Natural Law has everlasting eternal realm.

CLASSIFICATION OF NATURAL LAW

1. Ancient- Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Cicero
2. Medieval Period- Thomas Aquinas
3. Modern Period- Hugo Grotius

1. SOCRATES-
Ancient natural law philosopher. To him, Virtue is Knowledge and whatever
is not virtuous is a sin. He divided justice into two kinds:
 Natural Justice
 Legal justice

2. PLATO-
Socrates follower, Plato carried the natural law philosophy and he emphasized
the need of reason in natural law.
 3. ARISTOTLE-
He gave a logical interpretation of Natural Law. According to him, man is a
part of nature because he is a creation of God and he possesses a reason to
articulate his actions. He said, Natural law is ‘Reason unaffected by Desires’.

4. CICERO-
According to him, Natural Law is universal, unchanging and everlasting. He
defined Natural Law as, “True Law is the right reason in agreement with
nature.”

5. THOMAS AQUINAS-
He belonged to Medieval Period and considered to be representative of
Natural Law in Medieval Era. He divided Natural Law into 4 categories-
 Law of God
 Law through Reason
 Divine Law
 Human Law

6. HUGO GROTIUS
Hugo Grotius propounded the theory of functional natural law in his Law of
War and Peace and formulated the principles of international a law which
were equally applicable to all States both, during war and peace. He referred
these principles of law of nations as natural law. He held that Natural Law was
not just based on ‘reason’ but on ‘right’ reason, i.e. ‘self supporting reason’ of
man. Therefore, “Natural Law is treated as so immutable that it cannot be
changed by God himself.”

CONCLUSION
Therefore, the concept of Natural Law is clear through all the Eminent Jurists through
Ancient, Medieval and Modern Period.