ethics—the basics by john mizzoni chapter three: natural law ethics

Ethics—The Basicsby John Mizzoni

CHAPTER THREE: NATURAL LAW ETHICS

Ethics—The BasicsNATURAL LAW ETHICS

The decision NOT to have a therapeutic abortion, and NOT to have a life-saving hysterectomy that might endanger the unborn child: Saint Gianna Beretta Molla


• According to Natural Law Ethics (NLE), it is wrong to have an abortion.

• According to NLE, based on the “Principle of Double Effect”, it is acceptable to have a different life-saving procedure, even if an unborn child might die as an unintended consequence.

WHAT IS NATURAL LAW ETHICS?


According to “The Principle of Double Effect”, in situations where an unintended evil effect occurs in the course of a good action, it is morally permissible to perform the action if four conditions are met.

WHAT ARE THE FOUR CONDITIONS?


These four conditions must be met in applying the Principle of Double Effect:

1. If the good effect rather than the evil effect is intended

2. If the evil effect is outweighed by the resultant good effect

3. If the nature of the act itself is not evil, and 4. If due diligence is taken to minimize the evil effect

SO, WHAT IS NATURAL LAW ETHICS?


Natural Law Ethics is a tradition–Developed in the Middle Ages–Derived from Aristotle’s ethics–NLE associates what is “good” with

what is “natural”, or from nature WHO DEVELOPED NATURAL LAW ETHICS?


• Natural Law Ethics is associated with Saint Thomas Aquinas• Aquinas was a Dominican friar

and scholar, who saw connections between Aristotle’s ideas, the beliefs of the Catholic 1225-1274 CE

Church, and life in this world . WHAT IS THE “NATURAL” LAW?


According to Aquinas, there are four kinds of law:–Eternal Law–Natural (Moral) Law–Divine (Biblical) Law–Human (Civil) Law


Eternal Law is the law through which God governs the universe• It lies beyond time and space• It includes– All physical laws– All moral laws (Natural Law)– All revealed religious laws (Divine Law)


Human Law, or Civil Law, includes all the laws that are designed, proposed, passed, and enacted by humans

It includes, for example– All international laws– All federal and state laws– All local laws (e.g., municipal and township laws)


Divine Law, or Biblical Law, is more specific guidance revealed by God to complement what we know from natural law which is informed by our reason and reflection.

The Ten Commandments, sometimes called the Decalogue, is an example of Divine Law.


• Aristotle did not believe in God, but he believed that everything in nature has a purpose. • The world, therefore, is an orderly

rational system, with each thing having its own proper place and serving its own special purpose.


• Aristotle believed that nature has made all things specifically for the sake of man.• Early Christian theologians, such as

Augustine, followed the ethics of Divine Command Theory and may have been influenced by Plato’s thought. They ignored Aristotle.


• Muslim, Jewish, and Christian theologians rediscovered and reformed Aristotle: The world is created according to a divine plan. –Affirms the supreme value of human life–Explains why humans can use the rest of

nature• The divine plan is a rational plan.


• For these Muslim, Jewish, and Christian theologians, including Aquinas, God is the Designer and Planner and Lawgiver. • The Logos, “The Word” in John’s

Gospel, is pure Reason.


• Natural law (moral law) is derived from the natural order of things:– Things are as they ought to be when they are

serving their natural purposes–When they do not or cannot serve those

purposes, things have gone wrong

• Natural Law Ethics (NLE) is a form of universalist ethics.


Aquinas and NLE address the problem of relativism:– If everyone has the same natural law written

on their hearts, why do we see diverse ethics?– Everyone has the same moral law available to

them, but things get complicated in daily life, and our judgment can become clouded, especially by bad habits or misguided passions.


For Aquinas, there are universal moral standards, and we come to know these universal standards, not through human law, not through human feelings/emotions, not through our society’s customs, but through human reason.


• For Aquinas, although we come to know these standards through reason, their ultimate source is of divine origin.• Aquinas, like Aristotle, holds that

ethics is rooted in human nature, and that human nature is universal.


Both Aquinas and Aristotle hold that when we observe human nature and human natural inclinations, we see that humans are naturally directed to basic and fundamental values and goods. These goods are naturally apprehended by human reason, and opposites, or evils, are to be avoided.


We need only to look at natural human inclinations—human nature—to understand what the natural law is and what it requires us to do.

WHAT ARE FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN GOODS?


Aquinas’ Four Categories of Goods:–Life–Procreation–Sociability–Knowledge

AREN’T THESE “NATURAL” INCLINATIONS?


• Life: Everyone seeks to preserve life–Instinct to protect ourselves–Instinct to “make a living”

• Sexual activity and Reproduction: Everyone seeks to preserve the species–Sexuality naturally leads to

reproduction


Sociability: Everyone seeks to get along with others in social networks–Parents and children–Siblings–Neighbors–Peers/friends–Communities


Knowledge: Everyone seeks to gain knowledge of information–“All men, by their nature, desire to

know” (Aristotle, Metaphysics)–We are naturally curious–We have a natural inclination to

knowledge and the truth


First Principles of Natural Law (Self-evident Truths):• Principle of Identity– “Each being is what it is.”

• Principle of Non-contradiction– “Nothing can be true and false at the same time and

in the same respect.”• Principle of the Excluded Middle– “A thing either is, or it is not; there is no in between.”


Four Natural Law Ethical Principles:• The Golden Rule• The Principle of Natural Law• The Pauline Principle• The Principle of Double Effect


• The Golden Rule–“Do unto others as you would have them

do unto you” (Matt 7:12; Cf. Luke 6:31)• The Principle of Natural Law–“We ought to perform those actions that

promote the values specified by the natural [rational ] inclinations of human beings.”


• The Pauline Principle– “It is not morally permissible to do evil so that

good may follow.” (Cf. Rom 3:8)

(“The end does not justify the means.”)

• The Principle of Double Effect– “It is morally permissible to perform an action

that has two effects, one good and the other bad, if certain conditions are met.”


Advantages of Natural Law Ethics1.Offers answers to the metaphysical and

epistemological objections to moral philosophy–What are the facts that make moral

claims true?–How can we know which moral claims are

true?


Advantages of Natural Law Ethics2. Makes moral claims objective3. Offers a clear motivation to be moral4. Resolves many moral conflicts5. Unifies reason (the known) with faith

(the unknown)


Disadvantages of Natural Law Ethics1. NLE does not appeal to atheists and

evolutionists, since it presumes a divine Designer of the natural world

2. NLE is theocentric and/or anthropocentric; science supports neither of these views

3. NLE offers no proof for the rationality of the world; perhaps the mind “imposes” it


Disadvantages of Natural Law Ethics4. If the world is rational and orderly, NLE

offers no evidence that it will continue to be rational and orderly

5. NLE is absolutist, maintaining that some actions are always wrong; this forbids any exceptions in moral conflicts, such as saving a mother’s life by causing an abortion


NLE and the Origins of EthicsEthical standards have their ultimate origin in

God’s plan for the world:• Ethical standards originate in human nature• God is responsible for human nature being

what it is• Ethical standards do not originate in society


NLE and the Problem of RelativismAlthough Aquinas accepts the fact that there

is cultural diversity and disagreement in ethics, this is not proof that no ethical universals exist• Ethics are grounded in the universal features of

human beings• The standards exist as surely as God exists• Ethical standards do not originate in society


NLE and the Problem of Human Nature

Human beings are rational and social beings that are naturally striving toward basic goods


NLE and the Problem of Right + Wrong

NLE uses a Natural Law framework to answer questions about:• How to determine the right thing to do (an action is

right when it is consistent with the Natural Law)• How one should live a life• What principles can be used to make moral

determinations


NLE and Virtue EthicsNLE incorporates Virtue Ethics• Character is developed by following the Natural Law• The acquisition of virtues is the normal result of

following the Natural Law• Aquinas accepts all the virtues of Aristotle, BUT seems

to re-prioritize them, and add to them


NLE and Virtue Ethics (continued)However, NLE goes beyond Virtue Ethics:• It emphasizes the analysis of moral actions• It emphasizes the application of moral principles• It focuses analysis on intentions (Are we intending to follow

Natural Law?)• It adds the 3 theological virtues: faith, hope, and charity• It places ethics and virtues in a religious framework (When we

develop virtues, we ultimately follow God’s will)


NLE and History

CAN YOU THINK OF EXAMPLES FROM HISTORY IN WHICH NATURAL LAW ETHICS WAS APPLIED?


NLE and Popular Culture

CAN YOU THINK OF EXAMPLES FROM POPULAR CULTURE IN WHICH NATURAL LAW ETHICS IS MENTIONED?

ethics—the basics by john mizzoni chapter three: natural law ethics

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