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Born in Roccasecca,
Italy in 1225
Born into a noble
family
Studied at University
in Naples , as well as
Cologne and Paris
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Natural Law- A principle or body of laws
considered as derived from nature, right
reason, or religion and as ethically binding in
human society (“Dictionary.com”)
Natural Law consists of a person’s first
judgement . These first judgements relate to
our existence, food, drink, sex, family, society,
and desires to know
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Aquinas said that man is by nature a social and
political animal
The natural, in this sense is not what is chosen,
but given
What is given about human life is that we are
born into a community and family, and are
dependent on them for years in order to
survive
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We flourish as human
beings within various
larger social and
political communities
Our morals depend
on behaving well in
these given settings
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Aquinas describes law as a certain rule and
measure of acts whereby man is induced to act
or is restrained from acting
Because the rule of human actions is reason,
law has an essential relation to reason
He believes that law is directed by its nature to
the good, and especially to the universal
common good
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Aquinas distinguished four kinds of law:
eternal, natural, human, and divine law
St. Thomas says that human law is not obliged
to repress all vices
It is framed for most people, who are far from
perfect in virtue
It is also directed to the more grievous vices
from which the majority can abstain e.g.
Murder, theft etc.
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Were the law to attempt to legislate perfection,
it would make people hostile to the law and
defeat its purpose
Aquinas realized that because the law is by
nature general, the law may require exceptions
In most cases, the exceptions would only be
made with the consent of a political authority
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In St. Thomas’ thought, the goal of human life
is to be in union with God
It is to experience salvation, a perfect happiness
which is only to be experienced after death
But to experience this happiness, one must do
the righteous things in present day life such as
charity, peace, and holiness
If a person does these things in everyday life,
they will experience true happiness
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This is represented in
present day life because
of the people in society
that go to church,
practice their religion,
give to charity, and live
a good life
They do all of this
because of their belief
that God will reward
them after death in
heaven
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"Natural Law." Dictionary.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2011.
<http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/natural+law>.
"Philosophy and Theology in Thomas' Thought." Aquinas On
Law. N.p., n.d. Web. 22
Feb. 2011.
<http://people.wku.edu/jan.garrett/302/aquinlaw.htm>.
"Saint Thomas Aquinas." Standford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
N.p., 30 Sept.
2009. Web. 22 Feb. 2011.
"Thomas Aquinas." Answers.com Reference Answers. N.p., n.d.
Web. 22 Feb. 2011.
<http://www.answers.com/topic/thomas-aquinas>.