1. Disputes: Is metaphysical knowledge of human nature a prerequisite for knowing the precepts of the natural law? NO: New natural law theorists YES: traditional natural lawyers All Thomists agree there is a human nature and that it grounds constraints on what autonomous subjects may correctly declare to be their good.
2. Chappell - A person is faced with choices in life whether or not to pursue, respect, or violate goods, and success in finding balance between the various goods and the appropriate attitudes gives a coherence or integrity to that life.
3. -Scholars linked Nature-reason-order -NL is not seen as fixed set of precepts -NL not seen as unquestionable starting place, from which moral rules could be derived NL is not: 1) A version of deontology 2) A version of consequentialism 3) A version of VE - Although law, flourishing and virtues are aspects of NL Main points of agreement: 1. Plurality of basic human goods 2.Incommensurable with one another 3.Not reducible to a single good 4. Constitutive of well-being of humans
4. Thomas Aquinas Law = 'Ordinance of reason' Precepts of NL are to the practical reason, what the first principles of demonstrations are to the speculative reason. Good is the first thing that falls under the apprehension of the practical reason First precept of practical reason is founded on the notion of the good. All other precepts of NL are based upon this. It is proper to man to be inclined to act according to reason.
