NATURAL LAW ETHICS

ETHICS
BY: MARIA SHIDAN B. GREFALDO
WHAT IS NATURAL LAW ETHICS?

• Natural law ethics is a popular name attributed to the model of ethics

developed by St. Thomas Aquinas during the Medieval period.
Because it was developed by St. Thomas Aquinas, natural law ethics
is also called “Thomistic Ethics.”
• The basic idea of natural law ethics is that “ Reason- is the source of
the moral law; it directs us towards the Good”
 GOOD
According to St. Thomas Aquinas:

GOOD

 Ultimate GOAL of the person’s actions

 Discoverable within the person’s nature
 this explain the basic goal of natural law of ethics
“to do good and avoid evil”
Q: HOW DO WE KNOW THAT A PERSON IS ACTING RIGHTLY OR
WRONGLY?
A: (According to Aquinas) “A act is morally right if it is done in accordance
with the moral law”.
Q: WHAT IS A MORAL LAW?
A: “Reason” is the source of moral law; hence, the moral law is the dictate
of reason.
“ Moral law comes from God’s eternal law”
“ The moral law is DIVINE LAW expressive of our nature”
AQUINAS
“ To do GOOD and avoid EVIL”
Q: If the moral law is to do good and avoid evil, How do we know that
one is acting in accordance with the good?
A: (According to Aquinas) GOOD is that which is suitable to human
nature. An action is good if it is done in accordance with conscience.
CONSCIENCE- serves as the guide in making
moral decisions.

Q: HOW DO WE KNOW THAT ONE’S ACTION OBEYS CONSCIENCE?

A: (According to Aquinas) The action obeys conscience, if it satisfies
the three- fold natural inclination of the human person:
 Self- preservation
Just dealing with others
Propagation of human species
 SELF- PRESERVATION

- Natural inclination to take care of one’s health or not to kill or put

one’s self in danger.
- This explain Aquinas that SUICIDE is definitely WRONG.
 JUST DEALING WITH OTHERS

- Treat others with the same respect that we accord ourselves.

- Aquinas: All forms or inhumanities like examples; seduction,
manipulation, cheating, kidnapping, murder are absolutely wrong too
 PROPAGATION

• Aquinas Believes that; the reproductive organ is by nature designed to

reproduce and propagate human species.
• Example: masturbation is immoral in law ethics.

if one or two of this natural inclination of human person are violated; an act does not obey
conscience; it is therefore immoral.
For an action to be considered moral, it must be done in accordance with conscience; it must be
done in accordance with the moral law.
 3 DETERMINANTS OF MORAL ACTIONS

1. Object of the human act

- refers that which the WILL INTENDS primarily and directly.

- it’s either a thing or action.
 3 DETERMINANTS OF MORAL ACTIONS
2. Circumstance
- refers the CONDITIONS affecting the morality of an action
CLASSIFICATIONS:
• Quality of a person (WHO)
• Quality/ Quantity of the moral object (WHAT)
• Circumstance of place (WHERE)
• Circumstance of means (BY WHAT MEAN)
• Circumstance of end (WHY)
• Manner in which the action is done (HOW)
• Time element (WHEN)
 3 DETERMINANTS OF MORAL ACTIONS

3. END
- refers to the purpose of the doe or the agent of human act itself.
- according to Aquinas, it can be taken circumstance because they
end every moral act.
 FOUR PRINCIPLES OF DOUBLE EFFECTS

1. The action intended must be good in itself, or at least morally indifferent;

otherwise, the act is evil at the very outset
2. The good effect must follow the action at least as immediately as the evil effect,
or the good and evil effects must occur simultaneously.
3. The foreseen evil effect should not be intended or approved, but merely permitted
to occur
4. There must be a proportionate and sufficient reason for allowing the evil effect to
occur while performing the action.
Aquinas: All of four principles must satisfied for an action to be considered ,orally
rights.
EXAMPLES:

KILLING A DRUG LORD:

UTILITARIAN- the act is GOOD as it may produce more benefits
NATURAL LAW ETHICS- the act is intrinsically immoral because it does
not satisfy the first principle of double effect.