2.1.2
St Thomas Aquinas - Precepts
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The Precepts
The overriding principle of Aquinas natural law is “do good and avoid evil”. This is the synderesis rule.
Natural human desire to do good
- Aquinas believed that humans naturally want to do good and, through their ability to reason, can work out the correct course of action.
What are the primary precepts?
- Aquinas proposed five primary precepts. These are the five fundamental rules that guide human behaviour.
- Our actions must uphold these precepts at all times. If they do, our action is right. If they do not, the action is wrong.
The five precepts
- Preservation of Life - to defend and protect human life.
- Ordered Society - to live in a lawful society following the primary precepts.
- Worship God - to pray to God who gives the eternal law.
- Education - to learn and teach others about God and his law.
- Reproduce - to continue God's creation.
Secondary precepts
- When humans are faced with a moral choice, they must use reasoning to work out whether or not their action will uphold the primary precept.
- In doing this, they create a secondary precept. This is an application of the Natural Law to a specific situation.
- The secondary precepts vary depending on the situation. But they will always uphold the primary precepts.
Absolute wrongs in Catholicism
- For example, 'killing' of any kind (murder, euthanasia, abortion) is always wrong because any type of killing breaks the primary precept of preservation of life.
- This continues to influence the Catholic Church today, which teaches that homosexual activity is a sin because it cannot lead to reproduction.
- The same reasoning applies to the use of artificial contraception.
1Philosophy of Religion
1.1Ancient Philosophical Influences: Plato
1.2Ancient Philosophical Influences: Aristotle
1.3Ancient Philosophical Influences: Soul, Mind, Body
1.4The Existence of God - Arguments from Observation
1.5The Existence of God - Arguments from Reason
1.6Religious Experience
1.7The Problem of Evil
1.8The Nature & Attributes of God
1.9Religious Language: Negative, Analogical, Symbolic
2Religion & Ethics
2.1Natural Law
2.2Situation Ethics
2.3Kantian Ethics
2.4Utilitarianism
2.5Euthanasia
2.6Business Ethics
2.7Meta-Ethical Theories
2.8Conscience
3Developments in Christian Thought
3.1Saint Augustine's Teachings
3.2Death & the Afterlife
3.3Knowledge of God's Existence
3.4The Person of Jesus Christ
3.5Christian Moral Principles
3.6Christian Moral Action
3.7Development - Pluralism & Theology
3.8Development - Pluralism & Society
3.9Gender & Society
3.10Gender & Theology
Jump to other topics
1Philosophy of Religion
1.1Ancient Philosophical Influences: Plato
1.2Ancient Philosophical Influences: Aristotle
1.3Ancient Philosophical Influences: Soul, Mind, Body
1.4The Existence of God - Arguments from Observation
1.5The Existence of God - Arguments from Reason
1.6Religious Experience
1.7The Problem of Evil
1.8The Nature & Attributes of God
1.9Religious Language: Negative, Analogical, Symbolic
2Religion & Ethics
2.1Natural Law
2.2Situation Ethics
2.3Kantian Ethics
2.4Utilitarianism
2.5Euthanasia
2.6Business Ethics
2.7Meta-Ethical Theories
2.8Conscience
3Developments in Christian Thought
3.1Saint Augustine's Teachings
3.2Death & the Afterlife
3.3Knowledge of God's Existence
3.4The Person of Jesus Christ
3.5Christian Moral Principles
3.6Christian Moral Action
3.7Development - Pluralism & Theology
3.8Development - Pluralism & Society
3.9Gender & Society
3.10Gender & Theology
Practice questions on St Thomas Aquinas - Precepts
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- 1What is the synderesis rule of Aquinas' natural law? Multiple choice
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