Marc Dillon & Nathan Woodard

BBorn 1225 and died 1274 LLived in a society where the relationship of faith and reason was in question EEarly studies took place at Montecassino, and followed to the University of Naples, and completed his studies at the University of Paris CCatholic church regularly commends importance of his work

 Advocated Natural Law  Natural law serves as a guide to become better people  Natural law requires humans to exercise free will and reason  Thomas Aquinas grounds his theory of natural law in the God’s Eternal law

 Aquinas’ contribution to Natural law is based on concepts that God is the natural giver of law and that humans as rational beings receive law.  He distinguished between four types of law: natural, human, divine, and eternal law  The idea for the governance of all things is by God through His eternal law

 Aquinas says we must refer to natural law to define human law  Natural law is more perfect than human law  Human law is the more specific application of Natural law  When human law deviates from natural law, it is a perversion of law

 We are all subject to follow natural law because we are governed by God  Natural law outlines the universally accepted principles such as prohibiting murder and being fair and equal to everybody  Human law, or political law, is important for the particular aspects of natural law

 Natural law is a fundamental principle of ethics in roman catholic tradition  The contemporary catholic understanding of natural law is using our reason and the principles of natural law in order to know what is right  In contemporary jurisprudence natural laws can be discovered but not created  Natural law was very important in the development in English common law, which has influenced Canada’s legal system.