Explain Aquinas' Teachings About Natural Law

Natural law is the belief that the universe is ordered and rational this is based on the idea that human beings are created with an ultimate purpose, and the natural order of things is for us to fulfil that purpose. Doing good means behaving in ways which conform to our ultimate purpose doing evil means acting in a way that frustrates it. Aquinas used the idea from Stoic philosophers that the world was divinely ordered and spoke of it in terms that the universe is governed by Gods Eternal Law. He taught that human beings, our nature is objectively knowable and our reason will help us to understand what is meant by it. Natural Law can be explained by the use of five rigid primary precepts Preserve Innocent Life, Reproduce, Ordered Society, Worship and Learn which human beings have to follow regardless of the consequences. It can also be explained by the very deontological use of the secondary precepts principles formed from our own experience and reason which have to apply to one or more of the primary precepts. Everything that someone does is decided as either an apparent good or a real good, which can only be achieved if their interior and exterior acts are fulfilled. When Aquinas looks at behaviour in Natural Law he examines both these acts for behaviour to be considered good, both interior and exterior must accord with our ultimate purpose Aquinas would as a result say that your interior acts are judges just as much as youre exterior however they are judged by God. Conversely this states that our common humanity is a set of principles from which we make moral decisions and its purpose for humans is to achieve our desires, this is morality which is rooted in the desire for happiness this is something that Aquinas didnt believe, Natural Law for himself was not enough if we are to attain final happiness for this we need God. The primary precepts on the other hand for Aquinas are always true, as they are able to send us in the right direction, but we require