Aquinas’ theory of Natural Moral Law

• What is four fold division?

  Four different types of law. How we come about understanding what is right or wrong
• What are the laws included in four fold division?

  Eternal law, divine law, natural moral law, human law
• What is eternal law?

  God is eternal and is the source of all laws
• What is divine law?

  God has revealed all his laws to humanity in the bible
• What is natural moral law?

  Humans use their reason to understand these laws. The pope is always reflecting and interpreting for the church
• What is human law?

  We all implement and live by these laws
• What is the Syndresis rule?

  'Good is to be done and persued and evil is to be avoided' - the guiding principle that should equate to every law that is created
• What are the primary precepts?

  The final end or goal that we need to achieve through our actions.
• What are the five primary precepts?

  1. Preservation of innocent life / preservation of self .2. Reproduction 3. Education of children 4. Worship of God 5. An ordered society
• Are the primary precepts deontological or teleological?

  Teleological
• What are the secondary precepts?

  Govern how we should act in a specific situation; rules, standards or norms that help us achieve the primary precept.
• What is an example of a secondary precept?

  If the primary precept is to reproduce, then a secondary precept is to not use contraception as it achieves that goal
• Are the secondary precepts deontological or teleological?

  Deontological
• What are rules for rules?

  Rules must abide by four fold division, must be in keeping with the syndresis rule and they must support the primary precepts.
• What is the principle of double effect?

  Double effect helps to avoid mistakes in moral reasoning in difficult cases. There must be two effects: good and bad. The effects must be proportional.
• Is double effect deontological or teleological?

  Deontological
• What four conditions must be satisfied before an act is permissible?

  1. The nature of the act - action must be morally good or indifferent. Acts such as lying or intentionally killing an innocent person are never morally permissible.2. The means end condition - the bad effect must not be the means by which the good effect is achieved.3. The right intention condition: intention must only be to achieve the good effect. Bad effect must be only an unintended side effect. 4. Proportionality condition: good effect must at least be equivalent in importance to the bad effect
• What is proportionalism?

  an ethical system that deduces the moral value of an act from the proportion of its good and evil effects
• Who developed proportionalism?

  Bernard Hoose
• Example of proportionalism from Aquinas

  He allowed that, if a man was starving, it would be acceptable to steal rather than let him die in hunger. This achieves the primary precept of preservation of life