Natural Moral Law

• What are the roots of natural law attributed to?

  Ancient Greek and Roman culture
• What does Antigone argue in Sophocles' play?

  The state cannot overrule divine laws
• What distinctive ability do humans have according to Aristotle?

  Ability to reason
• How does Aquinas combine different ideas in Natural Moral Law?

  He merges divine revelation and human reason
• What are the four-fold divisions of law according to Aquinas?

  Eternal Law, Divine Law, Natural Moral Law, Human Law
• What does Eternal Law represent in Aquinas' framework?

  God's blueprint for moral order
• What is the role of Divine Law in Aquinas' Natural Moral Law?

  Reveals moral principles through scripture
• How is Natural Moral Law developed according to Aquinas?

  Through human reason
• What is the purpose of Human Law in Aquinas' framework?

  To create laws that align with natural moral laws
• What is the guiding principle of the Synderesis Law?

  Good is to be done and evil avoided
• What are the primary precepts according to Aquinas?

  Preservation of life, reproduction, education, worship, ordered society
• How do some commentators view Aquinas' primary precepts?

  As teleological rather than deontological
• What do secondary precepts govern according to Aquinas?

  How to act in specific situations
• What is the difference between primary and secondary precepts?

  Primary precepts are final ends; secondary precepts are actions
• What does Aquinas argue about acts of sex and reproduction?

  Sex must lead to reproduction to be right
• What must secondary precepts adhere to according to Aquinas?

  Four-fold division and synderesis rule
• What is the issue with universal laws in Aquinas' framework?

  They may not be culturally relative
• How does Aquinas view polygamy in relation to natural moral law?

  It contradicts biblical teachings on marriage
• What does Aquinas mean by real and apparent goods?

  Real goods lead to true fulfillment; apparent goods do not
• What is the principle of double effect?

  One act can have both good and bad effects
• What does Aquinas say about killing in self-defense?

  It is justified if not intended
• What are the four conditions for the principle of double effect?

  Nature of act, means-end, right intention, proportionality
• What does the nature of the act condition require?


  The action must be morally good or neutral
• What does the means-end condition state?

  The bad effect must not be the means to the good effect
• What is required by the right-intention condition?

  Only the good effect should be intended
• What does the proportionality condition require?

  The good effect must outweigh the bad effect
• What is proportionalism according to Bernard Hoose?

  Principles can be overridden for proportionate reasons
• How does Aquinas' teaching allow for proportionalism?

  It permits exceptions in dire circumstances
• How does the just war theory relate to proportionalism?

  It allows killing under proportionate circumstances
• What must be considered in justifying a war according to Aquinas?

  Proportionality between injustice and war damage
• What is the criticism of Aquinas regarding lying to save someone?

  Aquinas argues lying is always sinful
• How do present-day proportionalists view Aquinas' stance?

  They argue for more flexibility in ethics
• What factors determine the morality of an act according to proportionalists?

  Intention and proportion of value to disvalue
• What does proportionalism allow in moral decision-making?

  It considers individual circumstances in moral choices
• Why does Aquinas argue against lying to save someone?

  He believes lying is inherently sinful
• How do present-day proportionalists view Aquinas' stance on lying?

  They argue it is inconsistent and should be allowed
• What factors determine if an act is morally good or bad according to proportionalists?

  Intention and proportion of value to disvalue
• In what scenario does the surgeon's intention matter?

  When evaluating the morality of a surgical cut
• What do proportionalists claim about acts being intrinsically evil?

  They argue no acts are intrinsically evil
• What does the doctrine of double effect address?

  It evaluates the morality of actions with unintended consequences