Natural Law

Natural Law

1. The "order of nature" interpretation of natural law is also known as "generic natural law". This interpretation of natural law is influenced by Ulpian's idea of ius naturale, which is what man shares in common with the animals. The "order of nature" emphasizes human physical and biological nature in determining morality. This theory of natural law supports physicalism over personalism and is strictly biological. Physicalism understands nature as the viceroy of God and that the structures and actions of nature are the expressions of God's actions on humankind. Physicalism does not take into account the human intervention that takes place in natural law. Physicalism instead focuses on studying human functions in their natural, or "God-given", states before any type of human intervention. Physicalism is the dominant interpretation of natural law in the Catholic Church and allows moral positions to be taken with question in every scenario where the action is the same.

2. The "order of reason" interpretation of natural law is also known as "specific natural law". This means that the person participates in natural law according to the way proper for a human, according to reason. In this interpretation of natural law, reason, not the physical and biological actions taken by a person, becomes the standard of natural law. In Thomistic school, reason is defined as the dynamic tendency in the human person to know the truth, to grasp the whole of reality as it is. This means that humans should use observation, research, analysis, logic, intuition, common sense, etc. to give themselves knowledge of the whole of reality. A morality that uses reason must be a morality based on reality. Under this interpretation, natural law can be defined as reason's reflection on human experience that leads to discovering moral value. This understanding of natural law has implications on moral norms. As reality continues, these moral norms must be open to some type of revision, which in turn may bring change to a person's reasoning.

3. Some benefits of "physicalist" interpretation of natural law are that natural laws are in a way "set in stone". In the "physicalist" interpretation of natural there is a wrong and a right with no in between, this makes natural laws simple to understands, and involves no thought process or reasoning. This interpretation sets a very simple, or easy to understand, moral code to live by that cannot be questioned, which may help lead one to a better more "moral" lifestyle. Althought this interpretation takes away one's ability to reason, it makes it very clear what is wrong and what is right, in other words the laws are "black and white", nothing between the two.

4. Although it may have its benefits, the "physicalist" interpretation of natural law has many disadvantages, which include taking away one's ability to reason what is moral from what is immoral. This interpretation sets in stone what is moral and what is immoral, but these rules may have to change depending on moral norms of the time. Without the ability to reason, natural law is merely something that evryone follows without any type of question, which can become frustrating. Reasoning is what separates humans from other animals, and taking away this ability makes us no different from any other animal. Simply interpreting natural law though only a physical or "natural" sense can leave one to wonder "Why is this action immoral?" or "What about the negative outcomes this action may cause?" For these question one must reason and "physicalism" takes this ability away.