Name: Camag, Angelica Section: BSED GENSCIE lB

REFLECTION PAPER
An individual or a group can be guided by a system of rules and ideals known as ethics
to discern between acceptable and inappropriate behavior. It is a subfield of philosophy
that examines moral principles and codes of conduct that direct how people should
behave in different contexts. Religion, culture, and society are just a few examples of
the influences that might influence ethics. It entails making choices that are just, fair,
and respectful of every person’s rights. In many different professions, including
business, health, law, and government, among others, ethics is crucial. Natural law
theory refers to the general view that moral rules and principles are objective, absolute
and universal truths that can be discovered in the nature of things and in the structure of
life itself through the use of reasoned reflection. Such a paradigm has been so dominant
throughout the entire history of the Christian moral tradition, especially during the
Medieval Period, courtesy of Christendom’s greatest thinker St. Thomas Aquinas the
so-called Angelic Doctor of the Catholic Church. His thorough, grand and systematic
religious interpretation and appropriation of the purely secular and humanistic
Aristotelian conception of nature has exerted a significant influence in the way Catholic
teachings are traditionally framed and articulated throughout its history, particularly on
matters concerning sex morality. At the outset, “it is important not to confuse ‘natural
law a pertains to morality with what modern science means by a natural law, such as
the law of gravity. Everyone is subject gravity and every other scientific law. Such laws
are descriptive generalizations and, as such, are not logically those sorts of thing that
can be broken or defied. They are natural laws that immutably govern how the natural
world operates”. According to the natural law paradigm, all we need to do to understand
morality is to look to nature, specifically human nature, and ask what it expects of us as
intelligent beings with free will. As a result, there is really nothing mysterious or
metaphysical about it that we couldn’t possibly figure out on our own. “Morality is not
located in some mystical domain; rather, it is based on what may be discovered via a
thoughtful examination and close examination of human nature by our mental powers.
Both human reason (natural reflection) and experience can access the moral rule. What
is right and wrong for us to do is decided by reason, or even “common sense” in and of
itself. Additionally, as reason is universal true to all, it also holds true for all people,
regardless of their upbringing, social background, or cultural preferences. Natural law
also refers to the laws that are inherent in life itself and, as a result, are commonly
known by all members of all civilizations and cultures. We can determine what is good
and wrong and what is beneficial for us because reason is “built in” to everyone. It is
said that in order to find moral truths that are inherently woven into the very fabric of life,
we just have to follow the rules of reason. The Knowledge of the Natural law With the
foregoing, it can be argued that all men have within their nature the capacity to know the
contents of the natural law no person, unless he/she has lost his/her capacity to reflect
and reason “would ever think that evil should be done and good should be forbidden.
That seems unthinkable and [simply] against human nature. It is therefore admitted that
with regard to the fundamental and general moral principles of the natural law,
knowledge is common to all men (italics in the original). No person [indeed after the
[proper] use of reason can be invincibly ignorant as to the substance of the Ten
Commandments, although there can be involuntary impediments which in particular
cases, [might] hinder the clear knowledge of these precepts.” Under normal conditions,
the fundamental ideas of the natural law cannot be abandoned or forgotten by man,
albeit in some situations, passions [and emotions] may obstruct rational thought and a
[correct] understanding of them. However, it is true that they may fail due to the
influence of some passion to apply a principle to a specific case. As for the secondary
precepts, men may be ignorant of these due to prejudice or passion. This is because
the natural law is [grounded] in Human nature itself. The Teaching of the church on
contraception and Natural law. The central philosophical foundation of Catholic morality
was the theory of natural law ethics, as brilliantly interpreted and articulated by St.
Thomas Aquinas during the Middle Ages (generally regarded as the golden age of
Christian philosophy), particularly (as was already mentioned) in matters pertaining to
sexual morality. The Roman Catholic resistance to contraception or the use of artificial
birth control methods, which the current administration is promoting through the RH
Law, is a clear illustration of the practical application of natural law doctrine. The
development of a child is said to be the natural goal of sexual activity. In light of this
particular and specific natural goal, the act. Every sexual act should at least be open to
the potential of producing a child; anything other is always more unjustifiable, according
to Thompson (2003:251). “anything that deliberately or willfully frustrates ethically
natural outcome (of the act) must be viewed as unethical” (Thompson 2003:251). In the
same way, any other form of sexual activity that does not result in conception, or at
least does not provide room for the possibility of conception, such as anal and oral
activity, masturbation, homosexuality, and similar Behaviors, is regarded as immoral.
Simply go against nature as a result. These are even considered sexual perversions,
therefore if denounced, they must be Discouraged . Teachings on homosexuality in the
Church and Natural Law Despite being very understanding of their circumstances, the
Church’s particular teachings on homosexual relationships remain firm and
unambiguous. As stated in the same Declaration. No pastoral approach can be used
that would morally justify these homosexual]acts on the grounds that they would be
consistent with the condition of such people, despite the fact that homosexuals must
undoubtedly be treated with compassion, supported in the hope of Overcoming their
personal struggles and their inability to fit into society, and their culpability will be judged
with caution. Due to the fact that homosexual relationships violate the objective [natural]
moral order’s requirement that all genital acts be directed toward reproduction or
propagation, which states that this is the only essential and necessary finality for genital
activities. Let’s talk about the debate around gays and lesbians. What do we learn
when we consider the relevant factors? The fact that LGBT people are pursuing the only
kind of life that can make them happy is what matters most. Because sex is, after all, a
particularly intense want, few people can be satisfied without fulfilling their sexual
needs. But sex shouldn’t be our primary concern. Being homosexual is just as much
about who you fall in love with as it is about who you have sex with. Crushes and
romantic relationships are just as common for gay people as they are for straight
people. And like heterosexual people, homosexual people frequently desire to live, love,
and create a life with the person they care about. It should be stated that those who
identify as gay are unable to sidestep the problem by making the decision to turn
straight. Instead, those who claim that gays should act on their impulses are frustrating
lives. Once a certain age is reached, both homosexuals and heterosexuals come to
terms with who they are, no one chooses which sex they are attracted to .In this sense,
if the majority of individuals lack a human trait, it is unnatural. In this sense, being
homosexual would be out of the ordinary, just as being left-handed, tall, or even
particularly lovely would be. Obviously, this is not a justification for Condemning
homosexuality .This appears to capture what many people mean when they claim that
homosexuality is against the natural order of things. Masturbation, oral sex, anal sex,
condom use, and even sex between women during pregnancy (during menstruation), or
after menopause would all need to be outlawed if gay sex were to would be equally
“unnatural” (and undoubtedly harmful) as gay sex. But since this line of thinking is flawed as a
whole, there is no reason to accept any of Be condemned for this reason. These acts would be
equally Unnatural And undoubtedly harmful as gay . But since this line of thinking is flawed as
a whole, there is no reason to accept any of these conclusions. Therefore, is it Inappropriate to
snap one’s fingers to draw attention to oneself? Why is it so hard to come up with new uses for
things? This line of reasoning is flawed because it cannot sustain the notion that only “natural”
uses of objects should be permitted. Many people consider it to be true that homosexuality is
against nature and hence immoral. The reasoning is flawed, notwithstanding that. Each
understanding Of it is flawed.

Reference:
Source: Excerpts from James Rachels & Stuart Rachels’ Elements of Moral Philosophy, 8 th ed.,
2015, pp.43-45)