Natural Law Theory

Thomas Aquinas

Thomas Aquinas lived from 1225 to 1274, and was a priest of the Dominican Order. He was also a philosopher and a theologian who believed strongly in the concept of natural law. Natural law states that all the rules that govern humankind are found in nature and based on the principles of morality. His studies and writings on the subject of laws and morality led to him to create four separate types of law.

Eternal Law

Eternal law involves the nature of the universe and the laws that govern and sustain it throughout eternity. They are made up of the various laws of science including the chemical, psychological and physical laws. It is believed that nothing can ever change these laws, and that they are perfect and ever lasting by their very nature.

Natural Law

Thomas Aquinas believed that man was born with the ability to understand the difference between good and evil with an inherent inclination to choose to do good. He believed in the morality of the human race and felt that humans were designed to avoid evil and live a life full of high morals and values.

Human Law

The Human Law ties in directly with Aquinas' opinions on natural law. He believed that the only valid laws humans created were the ones that were devised based on the laws found in nature. He felt that any law created by mankind that did not support the laws of nature was not just and therefore not valid. Aquinas went so far as to say that if any law created by humanity went against the laws of nature it was not only invalid, but it was also a "perversion of law".

Divine Law

The theory of Divine Law involves the ability of any person to receive salvation from a divine being. He felt that there were certain moral standards each person must follow in order to earn this salvation, and that no person could understand the concept of Divine Law on their own. Aquinas believed that in order to fully comprehend this law, one must receive a divine revelation and only then will they have a complete understanding.

Aquinas was declared to be a patron saint of Roman Catholic educational establishments in 1880. Today, theories and writings on the laws of nature are still followed, discussed and debated.