Identify Three Ethical Principles That Reflect Natural Law
Question 1: Identify three ethical principles that you personally believe reflect “natural laws” that are self-evident and that all people ought to ascribe to. If you don’t personally believe that there are any such principles, then identify three such ethical principles that are incorporated into one or more religions (such as the Golden Rule).
1. We all should treat others how we would want to be treated (Golden Rule).
2. Accept that all people are not the same and don’t judge people because they are different
3. Be honest with everyone including yourself.
Question 2: For each of the ethical principles that you just identified, describe a moral situation in which the principle would guide you in making an ethically appropriate decision.
1. …show more content…
If I were walking down the street or in a building and saw someone drop something, I would run over to pick it up for him or her. If I were in their situation, I would want someone else to do the same for me.
2. Many of my peers were cruel to me as a child and I feel that to this day still has an impact on my self-esteem. When I hear or see people make fun of others I speak up and tell my story in hope they will understand people should not be made fun of just because they are different.
3. Many people believe it is okay to lie as long as you are not hurting anyone in the process. I believe that for every lie you tell will come back to get you. As a teenager, I called out of work using the excuse that my car broke down because I wanted to spend time with my friends instead. When I went to leave my house to meet my friends, my car would not start. That is a perfect example of Karma.
Question 3: Aquinas ties his natural law ethic to a comprehensive religious theology. However, Aristotle argued that a belief in God is not necessary for the existence of natural law. Which point of view do you agree with?
Why?
1. I agree with the belief of Aristotle. I do not follow a religion but I believe in natural law ethics. I believe our own ethic morals come from what we experience in life and not from a belief in a supernatural being. There are people who may follow a religion but really do not have many morals. They are willing to hurt others to get what they want and that is not natural law ethics by any means.
Question 4: “We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights; and that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness…” So begins the Declaration of Independence. Would this statement have the same authority if the phrase “endowed by their creator” were replaced by the phrase “entitled by natural law”? Why or why not?
1. I believe that the statement would still have the same authority any way it was written. This statement was created by an significant person in history and people tend to follow the words of influence as long as they believe in the words. According to the text, many people believe that god is the creator of natural law therefore both phrases would have the same meaning (Chaffee 469-473).
1. We all should treat others how we would want to be treated (Golden Rule).
2. Accept that all people are not the same and don’t judge people because they are different
3. Be honest with everyone including yourself.
Question 2: For each of the ethical principles that you just identified, describe a moral situation in which the principle would guide you in making an ethically appropriate decision.
1. …show more content…
If I were walking down the street or in a building and saw someone drop something, I would run over to pick it up for him or her. If I were in their situation, I would want someone else to do the same for me.
2. Many of my peers were cruel to me as a child and I feel that to this day still has an impact on my self-esteem. When I hear or see people make fun of others I speak up and tell my story in hope they will understand people should not be made fun of just because they are different.
3. Many people believe it is okay to lie as long as you are not hurting anyone in the process. I believe that for every lie you tell will come back to get you. As a teenager, I called out of work using the excuse that my car broke down because I wanted to spend time with my friends instead. When I went to leave my house to meet my friends, my car would not start. That is a perfect example of Karma.
Question 3: Aquinas ties his natural law ethic to a comprehensive religious theology. However, Aristotle argued that a belief in God is not necessary for the existence of natural law. Which point of view do you agree with?
Why?
1. I agree with the belief of Aristotle. I do not follow a religion but I believe in natural law ethics. I believe our own ethic morals come from what we experience in life and not from a belief in a supernatural being. There are people who may follow a religion but really do not have many morals. They are willing to hurt others to get what they want and that is not natural law ethics by any means.
Question 4: “We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights; and that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness…” So begins the Declaration of Independence. Would this statement have the same authority if the phrase “endowed by their creator” were replaced by the phrase “entitled by natural law”? Why or why not?
1. I believe that the statement would still have the same authority any way it was written. This statement was created by an significant person in history and people tend to follow the words of influence as long as they believe in the words. According to the text, many people believe that god is the creator of natural law therefore both phrases would have the same meaning (Chaffee 469-473).