The Natural Law Theory gives human beings morals based on nature and can be interpreted by human reason. The theory gives guidelines on what human beings can do in their settings, and it does not dictate what should be done. Notably, the theory concentrates on human character and asserts that human beings can flourish in goodness instead of doing wrong acts. The theory is linked to religion which reflects god’s plan of building human beings. The concept of natural law was motivated by Aristotle’s view that all human beings have a purpose on earth despite their weaknesses.
According to the Natural Law Theory, human beings are naturally inclined to do good deeds and avoid evil ones. Good deeds can be either genuine when a person has a pure heart and good intentions. While there is apparent good where one thinks they are doing the right deeds in reality, they are sinning. In natural law, experience and reason are needed to come out with proper outcomes. However, the Natural Law theory has some weaknesses. For instance, it isn’t easy to relate the theory in complex situations in life. Surprisingly, the theory gives people the idea of basing their decisions on assumptions that might be wrong. If people do not reason for themselves when situations call, it will be challenging to make a sound judgment (Hittinger). Ideally, a single human nature can’t be common with all societies. Above all, the theory suggests that all human beings should live a life of reason without wasting their time or anything. Aquinas believed that some natural laws are unchangeable and universal, meaning that they apply to every human being. The Natural Law Theory can be summarized into three types of laws: eternal laws, divine laws, and human laws.
Work Cited
Hittinger, Russell. Critique of the New Natural Law Theory. 2020.