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Questions and Answers
What is a norm?
What is a norm?
What distinguishes Eternal Divine Law from Human Reason in terms of norms of morality?
What distinguishes Eternal Divine Law from Human Reason in terms of norms of morality?
What does the classical concept of law by St. Thomas Aquinas define law as?
What does the classical concept of law by St. Thomas Aquinas define law as?
Why are laws considered determinants of human behavior?
Why are laws considered determinants of human behavior?
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How does one combat Relativism according to the text?
How does one combat Relativism according to the text?
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Which type of law is concerned with moral acts and constitutes a sin if violated?
Which type of law is concerned with moral acts and constitutes a sin if violated?
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What is the purpose of Human positive law?
What is the purpose of Human positive law?
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What characterizes Law in its narrower sense?
What characterizes Law in its narrower sense?
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What is the main difference between Eternal Divine Law and Human Reason as norms of morality?
What is the main difference between Eternal Divine Law and Human Reason as norms of morality?
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Which type of law requires the performance of an act?
Which type of law requires the performance of an act?
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What distinguishes Natural Moral Law from other types of laws?
What distinguishes Natural Moral Law from other types of laws?
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Why do some people argue that laws are necessary for societal well-being?
Why do some people argue that laws are necessary for societal well-being?
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Study Notes
Norms of Morality
- A norm is a rule, standard, or measure that evaluates human conduct as good or bad, right or wrong, moral or immoral.
- Norms of morality are standards that indicate the rightfulness or wrongness of human conduct.
Types of Norms of Morality
- Eternal Divine Law: objective, absolute, and independent of any standard; also called "The ultimate and absolute Norm of Morality".
- Human reason: subjective, related to personal conscience, telling individuals to do what is good and avoid what is evil.
Combating Relativism
- Subjective norms must be in accord with objective standards to combat relativism.
Law as the Objective Norm of Morality
- Law in its broadest sense: a rule or norm that governs nature and action of things.
- Law in its narrower sense: a rule of conduct that governs, directs, and regulates the free acts of men.
Definition of Law by St. Thomas Aquinas
- "Ordinance of reason promulgated by the competent authority for the common good".
- Ordinance of reason: result of serious study, deliberation, or public debate.
- Promulgated: announced publicly, made known to people who are to observe them.
- By competent authority: only those with legitimate authority to govern may pass laws.
- For the common good: the purpose of the law is for the general welfare of the people.
Relevance of Laws
- Laws mandate some actions as prohibited and others as permitted or required.
- Laws determine human behavior because some people do not do what is good unless forced to.
- Society adopts law to protect its members from themselves or from those who might want to hurt them.
- Laws encourage and compel people to act for the good of all by prescribing punishments for transgressions.
Kinds of Law
- Divine positive law: laws made known to men by God (e.g., Decalogue), concerned with moral acts; violation constitutes a SIN.
- Human positive law: laws made by legitimate human authority (e.g., state laws, Canon law), intended to preserve peace and order, direct members to work towards the common good; violation constitutes ILLEGAL ACTS.
- Affirmative laws: require the performance of an act (e.g., giving respect to elders, paying taxes).
- Negative laws: prohibit the performance of an act (e.g., prohibition against smoking in public places).
- Natural Moral Law: inherited on essential tendencies of human nature, regulate thoughts and feelings, bound in conscience, enforced by personal convictions rather than corporal punishment.
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Description
Test your knowledge on norms of morality, including understanding the concepts of rules, standards, and measures. Explore the two types of norms of morality: eternal divine law and natural law.
