NATURAL LAW ETHICS

WHAT IS NATURAL LAW ETHICS?

Natural Law refers to the general view that moral rules are objective,
absolute and universal truths can be discovered in the nature of things
through the use of our reason.
This law should not be confused with the scientific natural law; since
moral law is just accessible through human reason (natural reflection).
Natural law refers to the laws that are built into the nature of life
itself.
THE STOIC’S INTERPRETATION OF THE NATURAL LAW

The stoics believe that human beings possess a “divine spark”

[logos spermatikos – rational seed].
They equated nature with law and reason and taught that what
was important was to live a life according to nature.
Moreover, the Stoics conceived the whole of the universe as
governed by a certain immutable laws that exhibit rationality.
ARISTOTELIAN CONCEPTION OF NATURAL LAW

 Aristotle believes that everything that exists has a purpose and that
we can never fully understand a thing unless we know what it is for.
 The whole process of how a thing develops from potentiality to
actuality is possible because of the thing’s very nature.
 For Aristotle, every individual substance has an intrinsic nature
which is dynamic. The essence of a thing is an activity.
 The activities that human being can do [thinking] which made them
different from other beings make them human.
ARISTOTELIAN CONCEPTION OF NATURAL LAW

Aristotle’s conception of natural law revolves around four

basic ideas. These are (Camp, Olen & Barry, 2015: 75):

1. Everything in nature has a purpose.

2. Everything in nature has an essential nature-certain
features that constitutes its defining features.
3. Everything in nature has its proper good.
4. Something’s natural purpose, its essential nature, and its
proper good are intimately related.
THE MORAL LAW

Law in a broader sense refers to standards/directives which

beings are supposed to constantly follow.
In relation to ethics, law is the “rule of conduct which governs,
directs, or regulates the free acts of men” (Montemayor, 1994,
pg. 79).
THOMISTIC INFLUENCE ON NATURAL LAW

Law as Defined by St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelic Doctor)

 He defines it as “the ordinance of reason for the common good,
promulgated by one who has the care of the community” (as cited in
Fagothey, 1967, pg 106).
 Thus it is binding the subjects to obey; since it is a kind of
imposition, apart from being a plea.
 For something to be a law, it must be grounded on reason.
ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS FOR A LAW TO BE REASONABLE

 It must be Just
 It must be honest
 It must be possible of fulfilment
 It must be relatively permanent
 It must be promulgated
 It must be directed to the common good
 It must be promulgated by one who has the care of the community
ATTRIBUTES OF THE NATURAL LAW

1. The natural law is obligatory

2. The natural law is universal
3. The natural law has its proper sanctions
4. The natural law is knowable or recognizable
5. The natural law is immutable or unchangeable.
CONTENTS OF NATURAL LAW

It is distinguished between: formal and material norms

 Formal Norms – relate to our character that makes us what we ought to
be; unchangeable, not relative to the subject.
 Material Norms – actions that we ought to do; it is the application of
formal norms to concrete action
KNOWLEDGE OF NATURAL LAW

 No person “would ever think that evil should be done and good should be
forbidden. That seems unthinkable and [simply] against human nature…
No person … can be invincibly ignorant as to the substance of the Ten
Commandments …”(Panizo, 1964, 59).
 The general principles of the natural law can never be forgotten in the
mind.
 The basic human inclinations are precisely to put into human nature by an
all knowing and wise Creator to aid humans in the attainment of their
final end
BASIC AND UNIVERSAL NATURAL HUMAN INCLINATIONS

There are basic and natural tendencies or inclinations that are

present in all of us according to St. Thomas Aquinas. These are:

1. Self- Preservation or survival

That is, man has to preserve himself in existence.
2. Propagation of our Species
That is, to unite sexually to produce offspring for the
continuance of the next generation of the human race;
BASIC AND UNIVERSAL NATURAL HUMAN INCLINATIONS

3. To Live in Peace and in Harmony with Other Men

That is, just and fair dealings with others; and
4. To Seek for Truth and Knowledge of the Good
That is, to use his will and intellect to know the truth and seek
the good, including his highest good, which is eternal happiness
with God.
NATURAL LAW AND CHURCH’S TEACHING

“anything that deliberately or wilfully frustrates the natural

outcome (of the act) must be viewed as ethically wrong. Every
sexual act should at least be open to the possibility of
conceiving a child. Anything outside of it is always morally
unjustified” (Thompson, 2003, 251)
Every genital act should be geared towards procreation.
SPECIFIC PRINCIPLES UNDER NATURAL LAW THEORY
Principle of Double Effect
 This is a moral principle that “provides a neat algorithm for solving all
moral problems in which an act will have two effects, one good and
the other bad.” (Pojman, 2002, p. 45)
 Conditions for an act to be justified:
1. The action must be intended for the good/ morally indifferent/neutral.
2. No intention that leads to an evil effect (side effects are exempted)
3. Evil effect must not be the means by which good effect is achieved
4. The good effect must outweigh the evil effect or proportional
SPECIFIC PRINCIPLES UNDER NATURAL LAW THEORY

The Principle of the Inviolability of Life

 LIFE is of infinite value as it is a gift from the Almighty Creator
SPECIFIC PRINCIPLES UNDER NATURAL LAW THEORY

The Principle of Forfeiture

It is morally permissible to preserve your own well-being,
even if it leads to the point of taking another life since the
assailant forfeited his/her innocence by threatening yours.
SPECIFIC PRINCIPLES UNDER NATURAL LAW THEORY

The Principle of Totality

 This principle refers to the view that a part (of a human body)
exists for the good of the whole.
SPECIFIC PRINCIPLES UNDER NATURAL LAW THEORY

The Principle of Stewardship

 Has its beliefs that all life comes from God, the supreme creator
and maker of all, thus no one can claim that he/she is the owner of
anything in the world; we are only keepers/caretakers.
SPECIFIC PRINCIPLES UNDER NATURAL LAW THEORY

1.
2
3
4
5
NATURAL LAW OR LAW OF NATURE?

Law of gravity
Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth
Life cycle
Satisfying own needs and desires
NATURAL LAW OR LAW OF NATURE

Natural Law deals with ”what ought to

do/behave”
Law of nature deals with “what should
do/happen”
JUST WAR THEORY

1. Lawful Authority
2. Just Cause
3. Last Resort
4. Good Intention
5. Reasonable Chance of Success
6. Right Use of Means
7. Proportional Response
In BR,
DIFFERENTIATE REBELLION AND
REVOLUTION
JUSTIFIED REBELLION OR REVOLUTION

Rebellion is going against the constituted authority.

Conditions must be met in order for a revolution [Coup d’ etat]
may be justified:
1. When there is a clear and manifest long-standing tyranny and
oppression.
2. When all peaceful and legal means to resolve the conflict have been
expended.
 JUSTIFIED REBELLION OR REVOLUTION

3. When there is a reasonable probability

that the revolt will be a success
4. When the good to be achieved is the
same weight to the damage that would
be inflicted.
5. The decision to wage a violent revolt
against the government should come
from the majority and not just from a
few private individuals.
STRENGTHS OF NATURAL LAW THEORY

1. Natural law theory affirms our basic belief in the infinite and inherent
worth and value of human life.
2. It gives purposive direction and coherent explanation to all realities in
the cosmos.
3. It offers a clear and comprehensive guideline as to what are the things
that we ought to do and not to do
4. It grounds morality in human nature that is discoverable by reason.
STRENGTHS OF NATURAL LAW THEORY

5. It gives emphasis on the various human inclinations as something good and

thus should be promoted and enhanced.
6. It grounds morality on certain universal human values such as the value of
life, truth and goodness.
7. It coherently integrates the significant role of conscience in knowing what is
right and wrong.
8. It explains in a systematic manner why things (nature) are the way they are
and their implications to human moral action.
STRENGTHS OF NATURAL LAW THEORY

9. It provides a religious dimension to morality

10.It categorically rejects relativism
11.It provides reasoned justification on why some things are good
or bad.
12.It offers a clear and logical guidelines in complex situations.
13.It gives a definite assessment as to morality of certain actions
STRENGTHS OF NATURAL LAW THEORY

14.It offers a more philosophical alternative to the Divine

Command Theory of ethics.
15.It is deeply consistent with our own intuition
concerning the objectivity of morality.
CRITICISMS AGAINST NATURAL LAW THEORY

1. Can the way things are by nature provide the basis for knowing how they
ought to be?
2. If natural law is discoverable by human reason, and since reason is true to
all men, then why is it so difficult to know and be certain what it is?
3. In what sense is the “natural law” a law?
4. The popular scientific theory poses a serious challenge to the traditional
natural law thinking.
CRITICISMS AGAINST NATURAL LAW THEORY

5. Is human nature fixed?

6. Is human nature inherently good or bad?
7. What about the negative human tendencies?
8. The idea of St. Thomas that human nature originally comes from God as its
author is problematic
9. What is natural for one may not be natural for another.
10. Is conscience always right?