LESSON 3:

NATURAL LAW
CECIL P. DAGA
Teacher
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

• After discussing this chapter, you should be able to:

1.Define Natural Law Ethics.
2.Explain the Four Principles of Double Effect; and
3.Discuss the Three Determinants of Moral Actions
 NATURAL LAW ETHICS

“Thomistic ethics”
“Reason” is the source of the
moral law and that it directs us
towards the “Good”

• ultimate goal of the person’s actions

• discoverable within the person’s nature.
St.Thomas Aquinas
“To do good and avoid evil”.
How do we know that a person is acting rightly or
wrongly?

An act is morally right if it is done in

accordance with the moral law. ?
“Reason” is the source of moral law;
Hence, the moral law is the dictate
of reason.
Moral law comes from
God’s Eternal Law

DIVINE LAW

DO GOOD AND AVOID

EVIL
HOW DO WE KNOW THAT ONE IS ACTING IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE GOOD?

The “good” is that which is suitable to human

nature or that which is proper to human nature.

An action is good if it is done in

accordance with conscience.
serves as the guide in making
moral decisions
How do we know that an action obeys
conscience?

If it satisfies the THREE-FOLD NATURAL

INCLINATION OF THE HUMAN PERSON

1.Self-preservation
2.Just dealing with others
3.Propagation of human species
1.Self-preservation
2.Just dealing with others
3.Propagation of human species
If at least one of these three
natural inclinations of the
human person is violated, then For an action to be considered
an act does not obey moral in natural law ethics, it must
conscience; it is therefore be done in accordance with
immoral. conscience; it must be done in
accordance with the moral law,
that is, “doing good and
avoiding evil”.
THREE DETERMINANTS OF MORAL ACTIONS

1.Object of the act

2.Intention of the act
3.Circumstance
OBJECT OF THE ACT

That which the WILL

INTENDS primarily and
directly.

“TO REMOVE A TUMOR”

INTENTION OF THE ACT

The PURPOSE of the

doer or the agent of the
human act itself.
 CIRCUMSTANCE

The CONDITION which affects the morality of an action

CLASSIFICATIONS:
a. quality of a person (WHO)
b. quality or quantity of the moral object (WHAT)
c. the circumstance of place (WHERE)
d. the circumstance of means (BY WHAT MEANS)
e. the circumstance of end (WHY)
f. manner in which the action is done (HOW)
g. time element involved in the performance of the action (WHEN).
 THREE DETERMINANTS OF MORAL ACTIONS

1.Object of the act

Must be
ALL 2.Intention of the act
GOOD 3.Circumstance
 FOUR PRINCIPLES OF DOUBLE EFFECT

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.
REMOVING A CANCEROUS UTERUS OF A PREGNANT WOMAN
EVIL > Kills the fetus
GOOD Saves the mother’s life

Principle # 1 – INTENTION IS GOOD

Principle # 2 – GOOD AND EVIL EFFECTS OCCURS SIMULTANEOUSLY
Principle # 3 – ABORTION/DEATH OF FETUS WAS NOT INTENDED
Principle # 4 – SUFFICIENT REASON FOR ALLOWING THE EVIL EFFECT
 KILLING A DRUG LORD

Utilitarian
The act is GOOD as it may
produce more benefits.
Natural Law Ethics
Principle # 1:
The act is intrinsically immoral AN ACT MUST BE
because it does not satisfy the first GOOD IN ITSELF.
principle of double effect.
 ANY QUESTIONS?

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!