Virtue and Natural Law. Natural law theory (Aquinas) Eternal law: law of nature governing universe...
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Transcript of Virtue and Natural Law. Natural law theory (Aquinas) Eternal law: law of nature governing universe...
![Page 1: Virtue and Natural Law. Natural law theory (Aquinas) Eternal law: law of nature governing universe Natural law: governs what things should do or be A.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062219/5a4d1add7f8b9ab0599755c3/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Virtue and Natural Law
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Natural law theory (Aquinas)
• Eternal law: law of nature governing universe• Natural law: governs what things should do or
be• A thing’s nature determines its function, and
thus its virtue (Aristotle)• So, eternal law determines natural law
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What is natural law?
• General form: pursue good— what helps to perfect our nature— and avoid evil
• Goods are reasons to act• Principles of practical
rationality
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Natural Law
• Principles for judging acts as reasonable or unreasonable
• They are objective, universal, and knowable
• Natural dispositions are guide
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Dispositions and Precepts
• What natural dispositions do we have?• Kinds of natural law precepts:– Self-preservation– Biological welfare– Laws of reason
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Self-preservation
• Our survival is a good— it gives us reason to act
• We have a natural disposition to survive, to protect ourselves
• Normally, things that violate that disposition are wrong
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Self-preservation
• So, normally— in the absence of other moral considerations— it is wrong to– Kill– Injure– Attack
• Anyone, including oneself• Killing the innocent is always
wrong
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Self-preservation
• Normally— in the absence of other moral considerations— we are permitted to do what we must to protect ourselves and survive
• So, we may– Defend ourselves– Use resources to survive
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Biological welfare
• We have a natural disposition to seek to improve our own welfare
• Our welfare is a good; it gives us reason to act
• So, normally, we may seek– Food– Shelter– Companionship– Material goods
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Laws of reason
• Our function is rational activity• Our rational nature gives us
dispositions• We are naturally disposed to
seek to– Know– Understand– Be reasonable
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Conscience
• We have a natural disposition to pursue the good and avoid evil
• Conscience: natural law written on the heart
• We have the ability to tell right from wrong
• And a natural tendency to do right
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Conscience
• There are no rules to tell us, in every case, what to do
• We must rely on practical wisdom: judgment, virtue
• But there are some absolute rules (do not kill the innocent, for example)
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Goods
• Play• Beauty• Pleasure• Absence of pain• Achievement• Excellence• Inner peace• Harmony• Integrity• Happiness
• Life• Procreation• Social life• Knowledge• Rational
conduct• Authenticity• Justice• Friendship• Religion
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Right action
• An act is right, or reasonable, if it– Aims at some good– Has no intrinsic flaws
• When is an act intrinsically flawed?• Look at act’s intention, objects,
ends, and circumstances
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Intrinsic Flaws
• An act is intrinsically flawed if it– Has a flawed intention—
directed against a good (e.g., murder of innocent people)
– Has an object mismatched to its end (switching means and end— treating money as an end in itself, for instance, or material goods just as ways of getting money)
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Intrinsic Flaws
• An act is intrinsically flawed if it:– Is directed at the wrong end (e.g.,
obsessive-compulsive behavior)– Is inappropriate in the circumstances
(e.g., singing in class, eating while teaching, etc.)
• There list of intrinsic flaws is indefinite; there may be other ways
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The priority problem
• How can we choose among competing goods?
• Aquinas gives no definite answer• A moral rule is justified if it rules out
only choices that presuppose something false about basic goods
• Sometimes, there is no rule• We need practical wisdom