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● general view that moral rules & principles are objective, absolute, and universal truths
Natural Law
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● can be discovered in the nature of things & structure of life itself through reasoned reflection.
Natural Law
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● laws that are built into the nature of life itself, and are knowable generally to all people in all societies or cultures.
natural law
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● the concept of natural law first appears
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● stoics believed that human beings have within them a
divine spark(logos spermatikos)
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● They equated nature with law and reason and taught that what was important was to live a life according to nature.
stoics
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● believes that everything that exists in nature serves some particular and specific purpose
Aristotle
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Aristotle's conception of natural law revolves around 4 basic ideas;
- 1. Everything in nature has a purpose.
- 2. Everything in nature has an essential nature-certain features that constitute 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.
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● rule or norm which governs nature and/or actions of things
Law
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● any constant way of acting or reacting any directive rule of activity.
Law
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● rule of conduct which governs, directs, or regulates the free acts of men.
Law
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7 ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS FOR A LAW TO BE REASONABLE
- 1. It must be just
- 2. It must be honest
- 3. It must be possible of fulfillment
- 4. It must be relatively permanent
- 5. It must be promulgated
- 6. It must be directed to common good
- 7. It must be promulgated by one who has care of the community
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● as a law, It must promote & and; uphold rights and dignity of every human person.
It must be just.
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● a law should not contradict to any higher law.
It must be honest.
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● people can follow law without extreme difficulty.
it must be possible of fulfilment.
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● law, once established and enacted, should be more or less stable.
It must be relatively permanent.
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● law, must be made known or publicize in a language that is understandable.
It must be promulgated
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● law should promote general welfare rather than just serve a few individuals.
It must be directed to the common good.
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● law should be enforced by competent & legitimate authority.
It must be promulgated by one who has the care of the community.
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5 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/recognizable.
- 5. The natural law is immutable/unchangeable
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● natural law should carry w/ obligatory element
The natural law is obligatory.
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● Natural law is universal regardless of differences in culture
The natural law is universal.
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● natural law has sanctions & penalties to those who do not obey
The natural law has its proper sanctions.
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● since God is the author of natural law, his commands will always be the same & unchanging
The natural law is knowable or recognizable.
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● relate to our character, that is, to what kind of persons we ought to be, unchangeable.
Formal Norms
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Ex Do good and avoid evil, Be honest
Formal Norms
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● prohibit/require specifically described behaviors that observer clearly could know had or not had occurred.
Material Norms
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Ex: Intentionally targeting and killing innocent people is wrong.
Material Norms
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4 BASIC & UNIVERSAL NATURAL HUMAN INCLINATIONS
- 1. Self-preservation or Survival
- 2. Propagation of our Species
- 3. To live in Peace & in Harmony with Other Men
- 4. To Seek for Truth & Knowledge of the Good.
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● man has to preserve himself in existence
Self-preservation or Survival
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● unite sexually to produce offspring
Propagation of our Species
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● Just & fair dealings w/ others
To live in Peace and in Harmony with Other Men
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● use will & intellect to know the truth & seekgood
To Seek for Truth and Knowledge of the Good.
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2 what is Natural law & Church’s teachings on contraception
- ● Roman catholic are opposed to use of contraception or use of birth control
- ● Every sexual act should be open to conceiving a child, anything who
- frustrates natural act is ethically wrong
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4 Natural law & Church’s teachings on Premarital sex
- ● it is wrong even to firm intention to marry
- ● engaging in premarital sex does not ensure sincerity & fidelity
- ● Having children outside marriage is also immoral
- ● primarily made for procreation & not on recreation
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1 Natural law & Church’s teachings on Homosexuality
● Homosexual acts done by LGBTQIA are unnatural, considered evil,worthy of moral condemption
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1 Natural law & Church’s teachings on Masturbation
- ● masturbation is wrong & morally abhorrent bcs deliberate use of sexual organ outside marital relations contradicts to finality of
- faculty ( sex organ is for procreation)
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5 SPECIFIC ETHICAL PRINCIPLES UNDER NATURAL LAW THEORY
- 1. The Principle of Double Effect
- 2. The Principle of the Inviolability of Life
- 3. The Principle of Forfeiture
- 4. The Principle of Totality
- 5. The Principle of Stewardship
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● says that if doing something morally good has a morally bad side-effect, its ethically acceptable to do it providing the bad side-effect was not intended.
The Principle of Double Effect
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4 An act has good & bad effects if:
- 1. The action intended in & of itself must be good/morally neutral
- 2. The evil effect must not be directly
- intended but morally allowed only as
- regrettable side issue
- 3. The evil act must not be the means by
- which good effect is achieved
- 4. The good effect must outweigh the evil
- effect or atleast proportional
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● One must not do evil in order to achieve good.
The action intended in & of itself must be good/morally neutral
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● Our intention should be is to achieve good
- effect, A good act done out of bad intention will
- invalidate the good act
- The evil effect must not be directly intended but
- morally allowed only as regrettable side issue
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● The end does not justify the means, One is not morally justified to do something evil even if the purpose is good. If the means of obtaining it is wrong, it is wrong
- The evil act must not be the means by which
- good effect is achieved
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● The act is never justified if the evil effect is heavier than good effect
- The good effect must outweigh the evil effect or
- atleast proportional
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● any human life, is of infinite value as its sacred &precious gift from Almighty Creator.
The Principle of the Inviolability of Life
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● even though you might have to kill your would-be assailant, it is morally justified for self defense
The Principle of Forfeiture
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● a part of human body exists for the good of the whole. often invoked when a particular part or organ of the human body has to be cut
- off, mutilated, or removed.
- The Principle of Totality
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● belief that all life comes from God, it is wrong to commit actions like suicide and euthanasia.
The Principle of Stewardship
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● related principle & application of principle of forfeiture
JUST WAR THEORY
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● The principle of forfeiture can be used not only to justify an act of self defense but also in the case of defending a country from an unjust aggressor/invader
JUST WAR THEORY
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Just War Theory is only justified bcs of 7 reasons
- 1. Law and Competent Authority
- 2. Just Cause
- 3. Last Resort
- 4. Good Intention
- 5. Reasonable Chance of Success
- 6. Right Use of Means
- 7. Proportional Response
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● For war to be justified, it should come from lawful & competent authority
Law and Competent Authority
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● it should not come from an individual, private person/ small group of persons
Law and Competent Authority
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● In PH, only congress & not the president can declare a state of war
Law and Competent Authority
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● war is justified if its waged to protect the innocent from harm
Just Cause
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● invading &subjugate a nation is wrong
Just Cause
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● war is justified if it is fought as the last resort
Last Resort
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● All possible peaceful & legal means to resolve conflict is exhausted &atired & fail can be considered war as option
Last Resort
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● war is justified if it has element if good fait, If the war is for the sake of protection of human rights, preservation of moral good
Good Intention
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● war is justified if a nation that resorts to it has reasonable chance of attainting its objectives
Reasonable Chance of Success
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● It is not morally right to go to war if the chance of success is impossible
Reasonable Chance of Success
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● Risking thousands of lives does not pay great price to pay for war
Reasonable Chance of Success
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● Unwinnable war is immoral war
Reasonable Chance of Success
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● war is justified if the right use of means should be moral & legal
Right Use of Means
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● Country must employ ordinary means in combat
Right Use of Means
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● Use of nuclear bombs, chemical/ warfare is morally objective
Right Use of Means
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● Any violence must be directly proportional to the act of provocation/ aggression coming from enemy
Proportional Response
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● The act of self defense allows only the repeal of attack & not destruction
Proportional Response
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● Condition of armed & active hostility between 2 or more nations
War
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● Unlawful uprising of citizen against government
Rebellion
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● mutiny/disobedience to lawfully constituted authority
Coup d’ etat
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It is a Justified Rebellion/Revolution if: 5 reasons
- 1. When there is a clear & manifest
- long-standing tyranny & oppression
- 2. When all peaceful & legal means to
- resolve the conflict have already been
- resorted & exhausted
- 3. When there is a reasonable probability
- that the revolt will be a success
- 4. When the good to be achieved is well
- proportionate or of the same weight to the
- damage that would be inflicted
- 5. The decision to wage a violent revolt
- against government should come from the
- majority and not just form a few private
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