St Thomas Aquinas and Natural Law

Natural virtues

directed toward perfecting our lives as earthly creatures

theological virtues

directed toward perfecting our lives as spiritual creatures

1) first moral principle

do good and avoid evil. this is self-evident and can be known by anyone who has the use of reason

Four types of Law

eternal, natural, human, divine

Hope

granted to us by God

Internal principles

Virtues of the spirit and the heart brought to perfection by: gifts of the Holy Spirit, Beatitudes, fruits of the Holy Spirit. Also have contraries: vices and sins

Enforceable

if it's not, only the good would keep the law

"ordinance"

an order, a command and an obligation with moral necessity; not advice or a suggestion

Law

an ordinance of reason for the common good, promulgated by him who has care of the community

4) Particular application

anyone can make a mistake in applying the principles (ex. Mercy killing . . . A loved one with sustained suffering)

Eternal law

laws of the universe: the universe is governed by God who "is not subject to time but is eternal"

Consistent

must be consistent with itself and with other laws and no one can keep contradictory obligations

Just

must respect existing rights guaranteed by other laws and must distribute benefits and burdens equitably

Observable

no one can be expected to do the impossible and no one can be expected to do that which is too harsh or difficult

Grace from external

revealed in the Gospel and received through the sacraments; exterior in its origin - God's grace and interior through the depth of its penetration within us

Divine law

revelation/ the revealed word of God: we need to be guided to our ultimate end and our reason is inadequate to reveal it to us

natural law

the belief that God has implanted in all human beings an "original moral sense which enables them to discern by reason the good and the evil". It is about all of creation

Charity

the virtue by which we love God above all things for God's own sake; the object of life and faith and hope are for the sake of charity

3) reasoned conclusions

conclusions derived through reason (ex. Suicide, mercy killing, homicide)

Human law

created by man's for the purpose of implementing natural law

Main theological virtues

Faith, hope, and charity

General part

Full happiness does NOT reside in wealth, glory, honors, knowledge, virtue or any CREATED reality, but rather in the loving vision of God: the Beatific Vision. Human acts, our acts, have two types of principles, causes, sources

Two parts of morality in the Summa theologiae

General part and particular part

Faith

"the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things unseen"(Paul); the beginning of our journey to our ultimate goal

4 levels of knowing natural law

1) First moral principle 2) Common moral principles 3) reasoned conclusions 4) particular application

Basic goods

1) life(all creatures) 2) reproduction (all creatures) 3) educate one's offspring (all creatures) 4) seek God (human beings) 5) live in society (human beings) 6) avoid offense (human beings) 7) shun ignorance (human beings)

"of reason"

Consistent, just, observable, enforceable and useful

Hope

Corresponding gift - fear

Charity

Corresponding gift - wisdom

Courage (fortitude)

Corresponding gift of courage

Justice

Corresponding gift of piety

Faith

Corresponding gifts - intelligence and knowledge

Law from external

Eternal law: God's law, natural law(placed in human's heart), human laws(make natural laws more precise): Old Law (Ten Commandments) and New Law (internal law)

Why do we violate natural law?

Ignorance and emotion

Felicitas

Imperfect happiness: attainable in this lifetime if we use Reason and virtue

Temperance

Intervention of the gift of fear

External principles

Law and grace

Virtue

Made up of Aristotelian Virtues and theological virtues

Reason to be moral?

Morality makes our lives work better

Particular part

Organized around the seven principal virtues(Theological virtues and Cardinal Virtues), the opposing sins and the corresponding gifts of the Holy Spirit, the precepts of the Ten Commandments

Beatitudo

Perfect happiness: it is not achievable in this lifetime, but only in the afterlife

Prudence

Perfected by the gift of counsel

Cardinal virtues

Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, Temperance

2) common moral principles

Simple inferences, easily drawn (ex. Preserve life, do not murder)

Aristotelian virtues

Wisdom, courage, moderation, justice, friendship

Useful

a law is a means to an end and needless restrictions of freedom serve no purpose