Thomas Aquinas and Laws
Thomas Aquinas had provided us viable grounds for believing natural law. Primarily, Aquinas believed that there is a common ground wherein all attitudes and beliefs of humanity correspond. This is the human rationality. As a rational being, we are by nature inclined to act in certain ways and do certain things. This trend of human behavior is influenced by the natural law. If we are going to examine the numerous human laws seen in every city, nations and territories around the world, we can find a common ground to where they are founded.
Even in the earlier eras, much of the laws that were crafted correspond to fundamentals that can be said to be universal. In the earlier times, even though these countries and territories were never linked and communicated to each other, they adopted laws and rules that related and almost the same. With this kind of situation, there is only one viable explanation and this is the existence of a natural law that is engraved in the human mind in which every rational ruler and people will tend to follow and this is one of the strongest reason to be persuaded in the existence of the Natural Law as prescribed by Thomas Aquinas.
The existence of a natural law engraved in the mind of every human being does not defeat the purpose of the human law. By definition, the human law is an extension of the natural law which is more concerned in specific and particular cases. The human laws that were prescribed by Aquinas are derivatives of natural law and are aimed to guide specific human actions. Human laws are necessary for the proper guidance in the sense that natural laws are crafted in a vague manner that can pose some problems to humans.
This is the reason why human laws are necessary. With the existence of the natural law, human laws should be assessed and evaluated by the natural laws. Since not all makers of human laws satisfy the requirements of natural laws, it is necessary for us to evaluate them and see if they abide with the foundations of natural laws. As stated, by definition, human laws are extensions of natural laws and being an extension, the human laws should never contrast the natural laws.
Human laws that contrast and are not founded by the natural laws should be reevaluated and revised. In relation to Divine Law, Another question may enter the equation, “why do we need Divine Law? ” when in fact we have natural laws that govern human actions. For this question, the answer is simple. We need divine laws because the human reason is limited. The human reason cannot comprehend everything that is divine and godly in nature. The human rationality cannot totally understand the rationality of the divine being.
God with his infinite reason and wisdom had crafted a grand plan to the universe and all the creatures on it. Sadly, the human reason is finite that will not able to comprehend this grand plan of God. With this reason alone, God must craft laws that will be revealed to humanity. These laws are derived with his infinite reasons and these laws must be revealed to humans for them to be able to participate on the grand plan of God on the universe. This explains the reason why we need Divine laws.
Thomas Aquinas with his scholarly approach on the natural laws and other laws had provided us a good perspective in seeing laws. His discussion had provided humanity to direct its actions towards things that are rational and natural. In this respect, Aquinas’ contributions on morality and ethics are undeniable. Works Cited Aquinas, Thomas/ Dyson R. W. “Saint Thomas Aquinas Political Writings”. 2002. Cambridge University Press. Print. Kemp, Kenneth. “The Moral Philosophy of Thomas Aquinas”. 2000. Thomistic Conference. Lithuania. Print.
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