1. Proportionalism as a way forward…
Advocated by Richard McCormick and Bernard Hoose
Like Aquinas, recognise the importance of reflecting on human nature to reveal general moral principles e.g. do not lie
Unlike Aquinas, do not believe that natural law is always, absolutely binding
Sometimes the situation will demand putting NML aside for the sake of the greater proportionate good, even though this may unavoidably entail committing ontic (pre or non-moral evils)

3. Kosovo women who were raped by Serbian soldiers during 1999 were given the morning after pill by the United Nations peace keeping forces.
What would be the response from the traditional stance of natural moral law?
What would be the response of a proportionalist?

5. Do you think that proportionalism can be charged with collapsing into utilitarianism?

6. John finnis and hugo grotius
Lesson Objective
To explore alternatives to Natural law, including Grotius’ secular version and John Finnis’ developments.

8. Hugo Grotius
Read about Grotius and natural moral law on the information sheet you have been given.
Answer questions 1-4 at the bottom of the sheet.

9. John Finnis ( )
Finnis’ version of Natural Law is based on the idea of ‘human flourishing’.
Life, knowledge, play, work, aesthetic experience, friendship, practical reasonableness and religion/spirituality, are all needed for flourishing.
Someone deprived of leisure or play, for instance, will not flourish.
These areas are supported by basic methodological requirements like a coherent plan of life, following one’s conscience and pursuit of goods.
From these goods and requirements, we can derive the unchanging natural law.
Often we can put these in the form of rights e.g. the right not to be tortured.

10. How are Aquinas’, Grotius’ and Finnis’ versions of natural law theory similar and how are they different?

11. Homework
Make sure you have sufficient notes on John Finnis (page of your green text book)
Read through the PowerPoint called ‘proportionalism information’, on the learning space. Make notes and write down anything that you don’t understand.