The Natural Law Approach to Ethics Essay - 1344 Words

The Natural Law Approach to Ethics In the modern world people within society that have some ability or knowledge of reason know that there are certain laws which govern the way in which the world works. An example of this in the world can be observed in the form of the laws of Gravity or that the angles of a triangle will always add up to 180 degrees. We know these things because as soon as we are able to think for ourselves we accept that there are certain rules which are just part of our universe. We can also know that these rules are certain as we can observe them working in the world in our day to day lives and see for instance how objects react when dropped. We work out these answers or†¦show more content†¦A moral life is a life lived according to and in accordance with reason. Aquinas deduced that fundamentally humans should do good and avoid evil. As a Mediaeval Scholar Thomas Aquinas set out to show that if human reason is believed to have come from God or given by God then both faith and reason together can provide people with the best tools for living their lives. In matters of Ethics Aquinas believed that people should not have to choose between blindly following either their common sense or following the commands that are written in the Bible. Natural Law attempts to show how the two can be brought together which is both rational, intelligent and the person involved in making the decision whether it is ethical or not can also be faithful to God at the same time. Another part of Aquinass theory, which is relevant to the Natural Law theory is Aquinass views of conscience. Aquinas believed that conscience was a device for distinguishing right from wrong actions. Aquinas thought that in general people tend to try and do good and avoid evil in life he called this the synderesis rule. Rather than being a voice that commands one thing or another, conscience is the reason making decisions as conscience deliberates between good and bad.Show MoreRelated‘Natural Law Is the Most Reliable Approach When Making Decisions About Premarital Sex.’ Discuss.1640 Words   |  7 Pages‘Natural Law is the most reliable approach when making decisions about premarital sex.’ Discuss. Natural Law, the basis for many of the teachings of the Catholic Church, is often considered a very conservative approach to sexual ethics, particularly to pre-marital sex. This allows for many interesting points for discussion in a modern society like our own. In this essay I will outline the Natural Law approach to pre-marital sex and evaluate its reliability. I will also outline and evaluate otherRead MoreComparison Between Deontological And Teleological Approaches1276 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction to Ethics essay Essay Question- â€Å"Compare and contrast deontological and teleological approaches to ethics†. At its simplest form, ethics can be defined as a system of moral principles. They affect how people make choices and lead their lives. Ethics are concerned with what is good for individuals (BBC , 2014). The term ethics comes from the Greek word ethikos, meaning ‘character’. It may be translated as ‘custom’ or ‘usage’ (Bowie Frye, 2008, p.2). There are three main types of ethics; normativeRead MoreTo What Extent Are Ethical Theories Helpful When Considering Ethical Business Practice?1298 Words   |  6 PagesTo what extent are ethical theories helpful when considering ethical business practice? 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Utilitarianism is the view that what is good is determined by the consequences of the action. If it can be shown that an action benefits the greater amount, than it is good because it outweighs the small amount of harm thatRead MoreDeontological Vs. Teleological Ethical Systems Essay examples1140 Words   |  5 Pageswhat can be considered as a good consequence, than it must be good and that the end result will justify the reason that the act was committed in the first place (Pollock, 2004). Among the teleological ethical systems are utilitarianism, ethics of virtue, and ethics of care. Utilitarianism is the view that what is good is determined by the consequences of the action. If it can be shown that an action benefits the greater amount, than it is good because it outweighs the small amount of harm that