1. Natural Law – John Finnis’ development of Natural Law
By the end of today’s lesson you will:
Have learnt the 7 basic goods for John Finnis
Be able to state the 9 requirements of practical reason
Considered whether or not Finnis’ N.L is more applicable to modern day soceity

2. Spec Check AO1 AO2 John Finnis’ development of natural law
Development of the seven basic human goods (life, knowledge, friendship, play, aesthetic experience, practical reasonableness and religion); distinction between theoretical / practical reason; nine-requirements of practical reason (view life as a whole, prioritise certain goods over others, basic goods apply equally to all, do not become obsessed with a particular project, use effort to improve, plan your actions to do the most good, never harm a basic good, foster common good in the community and act in your own conscience and authority); the common good and the need for authority
Whether Finnis’ natural law is acceptable in contemporary society
The extent to which Hoose’s proportionalism promotes immoral behaviour
Whether Finnis or Hoose provide a basis for believers and or non believers
The strengths and weaknesses of Finnis’ and Hoose’s natural law
The effectiveness of Finni’s and Hoose’s natural law in dealing with ethical issues
The extent to which Finnis’ natural law is better than Hoose’s proportionalism and vice versa

3. John Finnis
Another white, middle class, male theologian, John Finnis in an Australian scholar who now teaches at Oxford
20th Century scholar
Wrote Natural Law and the Natural Rights
Is a practising Catholic and tried to revive Aquinas’ Natural Law for modern society

4. John Finnis Finnis starts off by rejecting Aquinas’ primary precepts.
This is because Finnis doesn’t believe that natural law derives from God
Q. What are Aquinas’ 5 primary precepts?

5. Seven Fundamental Goods
Finnis believes that there are 7 ‘goods’ which exist INDEPENDENTLY from humans. These good are absolute, objective and without physical forms.
These basic goods exist despite the need for humans to apply them to ethical dilemmas
Finnis believes that these goods are self evident
Q. What 7 ‘goods’ do you think are evident in human nature?

6. 1. Life
Life includes not just procreation but living a healthy life

7. 2. Knowledge
Humans should be well informed

8. 3. Friendship
Humans take interest in socialisation and their friends

9. 4. Play
Humans like to play for its own sake

10. 5. Aesthetic Experience
We appreciate beauty and art

11. 6. Practical Reasonableness
Using our human intelligence to solve moral problems

12. 7. Religion
We are drawn towards institutions which help us answer the big questions in life

13. Finnis’ 7 goods Life Knowledge Friendship Play Aesthetic experience
Practical reasonableness
Religion
Task:
Come up with a way of remembering these 7 goods
30seconds

14. Where do these goods come from?
Individually read your Finnis sheet and answer the following questions on page 8/9 of your work booklet
1. Distinguish between theoretical reason and practical reason
2. Why is it a problem to deny theoretical principles?
3. Why can we not ignore the basic goods?
4. What does it mean to say the basic goods are ‘obvious’ or ‘self-evident’.

15. Where do these goods come from?
1. Distinguish between theoretical reason and practical reason
Theoretical reason = describes what is true
Practical reason = describes how to act
2. Why is it a problem to deny theoretical principles?
We would never learn anything new as a human race
3. Why can we not ignore the basic goods?
We would never get anywhere when deciding how to behave
4. What does it mean to say the basic goods are ‘obvious’ or ‘self-evident’.
We just know as adults how to behave and what goods should be followed. For those people who ignore the basic goods – they are just wrong

16. Finnis’ 9 requirements of Practical Reason
Practical reason = how to act
There are 9 sub requirements to practical reason (which is a basic good)
TASK: With the person next to you, I want you to write each requirement out in your exercise books AND THEN explain this in your own words underneath
In the exam it is important that you explain these requirements; don’t just list them

17. Which requirement?
Do not become obsessed with a particular project

18. Which requirement?
View your life as a whole, do not live for the moment

19. Which requirement?
Treat every one in society equally in your actions, don’t favour people

20. Which requirement?
Do actiosn which are most efficient and maximise goodness for all

21. Which requirement?
Don’t do something which goes against a common good juts because someone tells you to do it

22. Which requirement?
Never go against a basic good for a greater end

23. Which requirement?
Don’t procrastinate – improve yourself

24. Which requirement?
Prioritise academic work over hand work

25. Which requirement?
Foster good community spirit

26. Finnis vs Aquinas
Complete a Venn diagram which comapres and contrasts Aquinas’ and Finnis’ natural laws

27. Natural Law – John Finnis’ development of Natural Law
By the end of today’s lesson you will:
Have learnt the 7 basic goods for John Finnis
Be able to state the 9 requirements of practical reason
Considered whether or not Finnis’ N.L is more applicable to modern day society

28. Application of Finnis to Immigration and Capital Punishment
You will be given a letter A or B
Use pages 29 and 30 of your work booklet to make a small presentation on how Finnis natural law can be applied to:
A) Immigration
B) Capital Punishment
Be ready to present your A3 sheet to the rest of the group.

29. Evaluation of Finnis’ Natural Law
In pairs, try and think of general strengths and weaknesses of Finnis’ natural law
I will type up our strengths and weaknesses in the discussion
Try and link your answers back to immigration and capital punishment

30. Evaluation of Finnis’ Natural Law
Strengths
Weaknesses

31. Natural Law – John Finnis’ development of Natural Law
By the end of today’s lesson you will:
Have learnt the 7 basic goods for John Finnis
Be able to state the 9 requirements of practical reason
Considered whether or not Finnis’ N.L is more applicable to modern day society