The Objective Norm of Morality:

The Objective Norm of Morality:LAW

17/28/2012St. Thomas Aquinas: LAW isA decree or ordinance of reasonDirected towards the common goodPromulgated by competent authority, i.e. one who has the care of the community.

LAW AN ORDINANCE OF REASONPROMULGATEDFOR THE COMMON GOOD BY ONE WHO HAS CHARGE OF THE SOCIETY

ORDINANCE or DecreeObligatory force & not merely as recommendation or suggestion.It is a decisive command to be performed or to avoid the performance of something.

ORDINANCE of REASONIt must be based on the insights of reason into what is truly good.It is the basis of any law. Any law not dictated by reason cannot be a true law.

Six qualities of a reasonable law.JustHonestUsefulPossible of fulfilmentRelatively permanentPromulgated.

ORDINANCE OF REASONLAW ORDERS AND DIRECTS HUMAN ACTS TOWARDS THEIR END

LAW FLOWS FROM REASONABLE WILL: FROM THE ILLUMINED UNDERSTANDING OF THE WILL OF AN END

REASON RECOGNIZES WHAT IS GOOD

GOOD IS WHAT WE OUGHT TO FOLLOW

LAW MAKES US FOLLOW WHAT IS GOOD

COMMON GOODLaws can only be enacted for the common good & not for the private good of a few citizens.The aim for the development of all and not for a chosen few. It should need to be concerned for the attainment of universal happiness.

PROMULGATED FOR THE COMMON GOOD

LAW IS MADE KNOWN TO THOSE WHO ARE BOUND BY ITLAW IS NOT MEANT TO IMPOSE HARDSHIPSOR NEEDLESS RESTRICTIONSTRUE LAW TENDS TO MAKE MEN GOOD, LIBERATES MEN FROM PERVERSE AND MISTAKEN JUDGEMENTSLEADS THEM TO THEIR ULTIMATE END

PROMULGATed:The official publication of a LAW so that it can come to the knowledge of the subjects.Necessary in order that a law becomes obligatory.A law must be made known to whom it binds. It must be published in such a manner that it can be known readily, though each subject need not be given personal notice.Knowable in manifestation.Laws can only be enacted by those in charge of the community as a legitimate authority.Laws are enacted by a competent authority of legislative body and finally approved by anyone who has the care of the community (such as the president; prime minister)Authority may be single individual or a body passing laws by joint action.Authoritative in source.

ENACTED BY A COMPETENT AUTHORITYRelevance or Importance of Moral Norms / LAWS: (CFC 849)Provide the objective criteria for our own conscience to judge what is morally good or evil.2. Help our moral development, especially in the formation of our conscience.3. Offer the needed moral stability in our lives.4. Challenge us to stretch for an ideal beyond our limited experience, & correct our moral misconceptions in the process.

CLASSIFICATION OF LAWS:A. ACCORDING TO IMMEDIATE AUTHORDIVINE LAWS HUMAN LAWSB. ACCORDING TO DURATIONTEMPORAL LAWSETERNAL LAWSC. ACCORDING TO MANNER OF PROMULGATIONNATURAL LAW POSITIVE LAWD. ACCORDING AS THEY PRESCRIBE OR FORBID AN ACTAFFIRMATIVE LAWSNEGATIVE LAWSE. ACCORDING TO EFFECT OF VIOLATIONMORAL PENALMIXED13CKINDS or Classes of LAW:ETERNAL LAWNATURAL LAWHUMAN LAWDIVINE LAW

CLASSES OF LAWETERNAL LAWGODS ETERNAL PLAN AND PROVIDENCE FOR CREATIONETERNAL LAW APPLIES TO ALL CREATURES AND DIRECTS THEM IN HARMONY WITH THEIR NATURE

ETERNAL LAWIt is the plan of God in creating the universe & in assigning to each creature their specific nature.

The universal law whereby God directs & governs the universe & the ways of human community according to his plan of wisdom & love.Eternal Law. A type of DIVINE WISDOMThe Creator, therefore, has in Himself the type of what creatures are to do to attain their END & PURPOSE. St. Augustine describes it as Gods divine reason and will commanding that the natural order of things be preserved and prohibiting that the natural order of things be disturbed.Eternal Law. Examples: Physical laws such as the the laws of cohesion, gravity, inertia, etc.Growth of plantsAnimals follow the guidance of instinctEarth turns upon its axis.Properties of Eternal LawEternal and unchangeableAbsolutely universalMAN ALONE MAY REFUSE THE DIRECTION OF ETERNAL LAWAS A BODILY BEINGMAN ACTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH PHYSICAL LAWSIN MATTERS THAT LIE UNDER MANS FREE CONTROLMAN MAY REFUSE THE DIRECTION OF ETERNAL LAW

NATURAL LAWTHAT MORAL ORDER (A DIRECTIVE, ORDERING MAN TOWARDS ULTIMATE END)WHICH ARISES FROM THE NATURE OF MAN AND CREATION AND WHICH CAN BE RECOGNIZED BY MANS REASON.IT IS ALSO DIVINE NATURAL LAW BECAUSE ITS ORIGIN IS ULTIMATELY TRACED BACK TO THE WILL OF GOD

NATURAL LAWPHYSICAL LAWS & their properties The nature of all created things which is the principle of their movements & actions.

II. MORAL ORDER the universal natural moral laws built into human beings by God when creating them & are made accessible to the light of reason (discern what is good & what is evil). - It binds man to seek the good fitting his rational nature.NATURAL Moral LAW:It is the eternal law as knowable by sound human reason without the aid of supernatural revelation.The basic precept: DO GOOD, AVOID EVIL.

Natural Moral Law is recognized by all men regardless of creed, race, culture, or historical circumstances.Morality written in mans heart.Law of reasonCompelling the individual to be true to his nature as rational human being.PagpapakataoNatural Moral Law is the human participation in Gods wisdom.Man knows naturally, by the light of his understanding, that there are some things evil in themselves, & some things which are necessarily good.The inclinations of human nature & the Natural Law:The inclination to the good.The inclination to self-preservation.The inclination to sexual union & rearing of offspring.The inclination to knowledge of the Truth.The inclination to live in society.Properties of Natural LawUniversalIt binds every man at all times and in all placesUnchangeableThere is a constant in human nature which remains throughout all historical and cultural change.Obligatory and IndispensableNatural law is identical to Gods will. No human authority may give a dispensation from it.RecognizableIt is knowable by all persons using their critical reason.HUMAN positive LAWContains regulations promulgated by legitimate human authority.STATE (civil laws) - Constitution& CHURCH (ecclesiastical laws) Canon Law

Intended to preserve peace & harmonyDirecting each members of the society to work towards the common good.HUMAN LAWLAWS ENACTED BY CHURCH OR STATEECCLESIASTICAL LAWCIVIL LAWA HUMAN LAW DERIVES ITS BINDING FORCE FROM NATURAL LAW AND ULTIMATELY FROM ETERNAL LAWA CONCRETE AND DETERMINATE APPLICATION OF NATURAL LAW.

PROPERTIES OF HUMAN LAWEnforceableHas the coercive power of the lawConcerned with external conduct onlyExternal compliance with the law suffices to secure the social order and the common good.Limited to particular groupsHuman laws oblige only those who are members of the community for which the laws are enacted.Historically conditioned Human laws change as societies and civilizations changeHas presumptive obligatory force Presumption favors the duty to obey the law.Fallible

Human Laws must:Conform with Divine LawsPromote the common goodJust & not discriminatoryDynamicPracticableJust LawGenerally, an unjust law does not oblige.Conditions of a Just LawIt must promote the common goodThe burdens which the law imposes on society must reflect an equality of proportion.It must not exceed the power of its human authors.31DIVINE positive LAWThe norms contained in the word of the Holy Scripture (Bible) as revealed divine law.They may spell out obligations of natural law in order to clarify them, e.g. the 10 Commandments.Direct us towards our proper end.DIVINE positive LAWEvangelical or new law: The law of the Spirit.It is called the law of love because it makes us act out of love infused by the holy spirit, rather than from fear; a law of grace because it confers the strength of grace to act by means of faith and sacraments;

DIVINE positive LAWEvangelical or new law: The law of the Spirit.A law of freedom, because it sets us free from the ritual and juridical observances of the old law, inclines us to act spontaneously by prompting of charity, and finally, lets us pass from the condition of a servant to that of a friend of Christ- or even to the status of son and heir(ccc1972)