Explain how a follower of Natural Law might approach the issue of abortion
‘Explain how a follower of Natural Law might approach the issue of abortion. (25)’
The idea behind Natural Law that God is everywhere and in everyone was first seen in the Stoics. Aristotle then created Natural Law and his ideas where later developed by Thomas Aquinas. Natural law states that there is a natural order to our world that should be followed, and this natural order is determined by a supernatural power – God. Thomas Aquinas believed that Natural Law was one of four Laws in our universe, the others being Eternal Law, which is the mind of God which humans cannot know, Divine Law, which is the law of God revealed to us through the Bible and Jesus, Natural Law and Human Law, which is everyday rules that govern our lives. It believes that humans have a purpose in life, which Aristotle believed was to find genuine fulfilment and happiness, and Aquinas believed was to fulfil our purpose, not matter what it was. Fulfilling our purpose meant humans would reach eudamonia. Natural Law follows the belief that humans find their purpose using their reason, and this reason also helps them decide what is morally right and wrong. Natural Law is an absolute and deontological theory as it has firm guidelines and doesn’t consider the outcome of consequences of the action, only the moral goodness of the action itself.
Abortion is defined as ‘the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy, most often performed during the first 28 weeks.’ and is frowned up in many societies. Most people believe that to form an opinion on the issue of abortion you first have to decide when a foetus becomes a human. For example, the Church believes the cells become a human at conception, others when the foetus has a soul and some when it can survive without its mother. Natural Law believes that a foetus is a human and by having an abortion you are killing a human. The primary precepts give an absolute approach to the destruction of human life and a follower of Natural Law uses these to
The idea behind Natural Law that God is everywhere and in everyone was first seen in the Stoics. Aristotle then created Natural Law and his ideas where later developed by Thomas Aquinas. Natural law states that there is a natural order to our world that should be followed, and this natural order is determined by a supernatural power – God. Thomas Aquinas believed that Natural Law was one of four Laws in our universe, the others being Eternal Law, which is the mind of God which humans cannot know, Divine Law, which is the law of God revealed to us through the Bible and Jesus, Natural Law and Human Law, which is everyday rules that govern our lives. It believes that humans have a purpose in life, which Aristotle believed was to find genuine fulfilment and happiness, and Aquinas believed was to fulfil our purpose, not matter what it was. Fulfilling our purpose meant humans would reach eudamonia. Natural Law follows the belief that humans find their purpose using their reason, and this reason also helps them decide what is morally right and wrong. Natural Law is an absolute and deontological theory as it has firm guidelines and doesn’t consider the outcome of consequences of the action, only the moral goodness of the action itself.
Abortion is defined as ‘the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy, most often performed during the first 28 weeks.’ and is frowned up in many societies. Most people believe that to form an opinion on the issue of abortion you first have to decide when a foetus becomes a human. For example, the Church believes the cells become a human at conception, others when the foetus has a soul and some when it can survive without its mother. Natural Law believes that a foetus is a human and by having an abortion you are killing a human. The primary precepts give an absolute approach to the destruction of human life and a follower of Natural Law uses these to