What is natural for you?

Give an example.
Module 3

Natural Law as
Ethical Theory

J.M. Daño
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this module, the students should be able to:
1. define what is a law and its kinds;
2. distinguish natural law from the eternal law, divine law, and
human law
3. apply the precepts of natural law to contemporary moral
issues.
Same sex union Gene editing
In vitro fertilization Human trials
Euthanasia Pre-marital sex
Use of contraception
Death penalty Suicide
St. Thomas Aquinas

-born in 1 2 2 5 in Roccasecca, Italy

-Studied at university of naples
-At 1 9 , joined the dominican order
and later on became priest
St. Thomas Aquinas
-One of the greatest scholastic
philosophers
-produced a comprehensive synthesis
of Christian theology and
Aristotelian philosophy that
influenced Roman Catholic doctrine
for centuries
Like Aristotle, st. Thomas believed
St. Thomas
that everything follows a plan or
purpose (telos).
Aquinas
If an object follows its purpose or
function, then such object is good.

HOW ABOUT A PERSON? HOW CAN

WE CALL A PERSON A GOOD
PERSON?
St. Thomas Aquinas’ answer: REASON

People have the capacity to reason so

we can make choices in an ethical way.

He argued that reason is what makes a

person unique.
St. Thomas Aquinas
-Wrote summa contra gentiles and
summa theologiAE
-Died in 1 2 7 4 & Became a saint and
patron of students
 St. Thomas Aquinas’ answer: REASON

People have the capacity to reason so

we can make choices in an ethical way.

If we act according to reason, instead of

acting according to God’s commands,
(faith) where does God in all these?
God is there to help us see what is right
and wrong, rather than figure out or
determine right and wrong.
God is there to help us see what is right
and wrong, rather than figure out or
determine right and wrong.

???????
KINDS OF LAW
1. Eternal Law
2. Divine Law
3. Natural Law
4. Human Law
SUMMA THEOLOGICA

NATURAL LAW
THEORY IS
CONTAINED IN
TREATISE OF LAW

QUESTIONS 90-108
Law is ordinance of reason,
promulgated for the common good by
the one who has charge of the society.
-St. Thomas Aquinas
ETERNAL LAW
 “...the order of divine providence as
promulgated from eternity by God,
according to which each rational and non-
rational creature is ordered toward the
good of the universe.”
 Meaning, Eternal law is God's
rational purpose and plan for all
things.

It refers to what God wills for

creation, how each participant in
it is intended to return to Him.
Eternal law is identical to the mind of God as
seen by God himself. It can be called law
because God stands to the universe which he
creates as a ruler does to a community which
he rules. When God's reason is considered as
it is understood by God Himself, i.e. in its
unchanging, eternal nature (q91, a1) , it is
eternal law.
The Eternal Law is the mind of
God.

It has always existed.

Can MAN fully know the

ETERNAL LAW?
DIVINE LAW
 “...revealed law (revelation of
God), which leads us toward our
supernatural end, gives us
certitude with respect to what is
to be done and what it is to be
avoided, governs our interior
acts as well as our exterior acts,
and guarantees that no sin at all
is unprohibited and unpunished.”
Divine law is derived from eternal
law as it appears historically to
humans, especially through
revelation, i.e., when it appears to
human beings as divine
commands.
Divine law is divided into the Old Law and
the New Law (q91, a5):
The Old - old testament (Ten
Commandments)
New Law- new testament (Teachings of
Jesus)
NATURAL LAW
“...a certain participation in eternal law insofar
as we have providence over ourselves and
others and can order ourselves and others
toward the good of our nature; the light of
natural reason whereby we discern what is
good and evil--which pertains to natural law--is
nothing other than the imprint of the divine light
in us.”
Human beings possess intrinsic values that
govern their reasoning and behavior (Human
Nature).
Natural law maintains that these rules of right
and wrong are inherent in people and are not
created by society or court judges.
Reason
First principle: Do good and avoid evil.
ORDER OF THE PRECEPTS OF NATURAL LAW
1. Self-preservation
2. Reproduction
3. Education of offspring
4. To seek God
5. To live in a community
6. To avoid offense
7. To shun ignorance
Human Law
“...particular statutes
instituted in accord with
human reason for the
good of civil society.”
Human law pertains to be more
specific and at the same time
more concrete in the actual
operation of human acts.

Laws of the society.

Should be in line with Natural law

Natural or Unnatural?
Incest
NATURAL LAW
First principle:
Do good and avoid evil.
NATURAL LAW
Man’s participation in eternal law.

CONSCIENCE guides our moral

thinking.

God gave man reason and it is man’s

rational nature that directs him to
seek the good and avoid evil.
 INCLINATIONS REASON
Creature’s inclination
toward what is good for
How to pursue good
them

Man naturally knows what is

good for him.
 If people instinctively knew and seek to
follow the natural law, the why do people
constantly not follow the natural law?
Why do people keep doing the
wrong things?

The reason is ignorance and

emotion.
Why do people keep doing the
wrong things?

IGNORANCE is the lack of

knowledge in someone who is
capable of knowing
Why do people keep doing the wrong things?

EMOTION is an appetitive faculty that

enables man to move into action in order to
satisfy a bodily need.
It precedes judgment of reason, which shows
just how powerful emotion can be when it
comes to making decisions.
A desire to preserve
one’s own being
It is common to all human beings to preserve
our own kind.
Thus, Aquinas tells us that it would be a
violation of the natural law, and therefore
unethical to take the life of another.
Is death bad?
Actions such as murder or
even physician assisted
suicide will not be morally
acceptable according to
Natural law.
Murder?
Extra-judicial killings?
Self-defense?
War?
Death penalty?
Abortion?
Euthanasia?
 To reproduce
Like animals, the natural inclination to engage in
sexual act and to reproduce exists.
Sexual activities should be in accord to promotion of
life.
Is sex good?
Thus, sexual activities or actions that prevent the reproduction of life will go
against the natural law.
Surrogacy?

Abortion?
To care and educate offspring
It is good to care for the young, to
make sure that they properly fed,
sheltered and educated.
Thus, it is bad to abuse the young in
a physical and emotional way.
 To seek God
Man seeks the truth about God because of reason.
He naturally thinks of a greater good and higher
being.
WORSHIPPING GOD
To live in a community
Man is a social being.
The desire to love and be loved
Aquinas promotes friendships are good.
Lying?

It breaks the social bond of

people in the society
Thus, lying to others is morally
unacceptable.
To avoid offense
As part of a community, man
should avoid offending those
people with whom he lives.
Thus, stealing from others is morally
unacceptable.
To shun ignorance
Man always strives to know the truth.

Created with capacity to reason, he is

natural knowers.

Being ignorant is not a good thing.

Things that deprive the truth
are never good.
The Natural Law theory have provided
us with an objective basis for ethics:
our own natural inclinations (basic
goods). They are nurtured by our
reason. Our conscience also guides us
in doing moral actions. If human act
goes against the natural law, then, it is
immoral. If not, moral.
Do good and avoid evil.
Man is endowed with natural reason
that distinguish what is good or bad.
We can judge our action through the
natural inclinations or the precepts of
natural law.
Study questions

1. Can you think of human laws that are proper extensions of the
natural law? Explain how this is so. Can you think of other human
laws that violate the natural law? Explain how this is so.

2. Are there current scientific developments- for example in biology -

that challenge the understanding of nature presented by Aquinas?