Aquinas' Theory of Natural Law

Practical reason involves making moral decisions based on emotions

The natural law is understood as a set of external rules imposed on human beings

The first natural inclination is to preserve the existence of the species

The second natural inclination is to know the truth about God

Man is not obliged to preserve his own existence according to natural law

The third level of inclinations involves faith and social relations

Aquinas indicated that the first natural inclination is to live in society

Natural law is understood as a set of external rules imposed on human beings by a higher authority

The order of natural inclinations corresponds with the order of the directives of human law

Practical reason is able to decide how to fulfill the precepts of natural law with recourse to evil actions