AJ 102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Summa Theologica, Epicenter, Stoicism
Document Summary
Natural law: the ethical theory of natural law holds that there is a common collection of rights and wrongs comparable to certain religious beliefs, though without regard to a divine figure unique to them. Originating most specifically with the stoics, natural law is an ethical philosophy in which there is no understanding of the distinction between physical laws such as the rule of gravity and moral rules. Morality is a function of the universe"s natural order. However, through cultures and ages this principle is the same. The nature of morality is what conforms to the natural world; hence, the foundation of moral values is formed by simple inclinations. For example, maintaining one"s own being is a natural instinct, and is therefore a basic concept of morality. Actions compatible with this natural instinct will be those to protect one"s own life, for instance in self-defense, but also those to maintain or conserve the environment, such as a murder prohibition.
