18 Questions
According to natural law moral theory, what is the master principle of natural law, as stated by Aquinas?
Good is to be done and pursued, evil avoided
Which of the following is considered unnatural according to the principles of Natural Law?
Active euthanasia
What does the Principle of Stewardship entail?
Responsibility over natural resources
In the context of natural law, what is the Principle of Double Effect concerned with?
Allowing for morally good outcomes even if bad effects may result
What role does reason play in the application of Natural Law principles according to Aquinas?
It reveals particular natural laws good for humans
How does Aquinas define the relationship between good and evil in the context of natural law?
'Good is to be done and pursued, and evil avoided'
According to Aristotle, which of the following is NOT one of the accidents?
Power
In St. Thomas's view, why does the soul die with the body?
As a natural consequence
What is the ultimate goal of a human's choice through Virtue, according to the text?
Inheriting eternal life
Which of the following is NOT one of the Five Ways of Demonstrating God’s Existence mentioned in the text?
Argument from Motion
According to St. Thomas, what is naturally apprehended by reason?
Good
Which of the following is NOT classified as one of the inclinations by St. Thomas among others?
Revenge
What is the relationship between the soul and body according to Plato?
The soul and body have virtual contact like a sailor in a boat.
According to Aristotle, what is the soul considered to be?
The principle of animal life.
Which philosopher believed that human knowledge is innate?
Plato
What concept does Aristotle introduce to explain being as composed of matter and form?
Hylomorphism
What did St. Thomas Aquinas attribute as the reason behind the union of soul and body?
Virtual contact like a sailor in a boat.
In Aristotle's view, what does the soul represent in a human being?
'The principle of animal life.'
Study Notes
Natural Law
- According to natural law moral theory, moral standards are objectively derived from human nature and the world.
- The master principle of natural law is that "good is to be done and pursued and evil avoided."
- Reason reveals particular natural laws that are good for humans, such as self-preservation, marriage and family, and the desire to know God.
- Anything unnatural is wrong, including abortion, contraception, premarital and extramarital sex, active and passive euthanasia, mutilation, suicide, and homosexual acts.
Principles of Natural Law
- Principle of Stewardship
- Principle of Inviolability of Life
- Principle of Forfeiture
- Principle of Double Effects
- The Principle of Double Effects has four conditions:
- The act itself must be morally good or at least indifferent.
- The agent may not positively will the bad effect but may permit it.
- If the agent could attain the good effect without the bad effect, he should do so.
St. Thomas Aquinas
- A Dominican friar, theologian, and philosopher who instigated the marriage of Faith and Reason (Fides et Ratio).
- Wrote Summa Theologiae/Theologica and Summa Contra Gentiles.
- Asked questions about God, human, heaven, hell, purgatory, Jesus, angels, and Mary.
Human Nature
- According to Aqueran (1966), human nature is objectively derived from the nature of human beings and the world.
- Plato believed that human is primarily a soul, which is immortal and uncreated, and that knowledge is innate.
- Aristotle believed that human being is a substantial union of body (matter) and soul (form), and that the soul dies with the body.
- St. Thomas agrees with Aristotle, but with God's Grace, a human being can inherit eternal life through virtue.
The Four Ultimate Causes
- Material Cause
- Formal Cause
- Efficient Cause (where the being comes from?)
- Final Cause
The Five Ways of Demonstrating God's Existence
- First way: The Argument of the Unmoved Mover
- Second way: The Argument of the First Cause
- Third way: The Argument from Time and Contingency
- Fourth way: The Argument from Degree of existence
- Fifth way: Argument from Design (Final Cause or Ends)
Explore the concept of Natural Law and moral theory as discussed in ST: First Part of the Second Part. Delve into how moral standards governing human behavior are derived from the nature of human beings. Reflect on the idea of acting according to reason and the universality of Natural Law principles.
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