Natural Law Theory Essay -- essays research papers fc

Natural Law TheoryThe innate(p) law theory is a theory that dates back to the time of the Greeksand broad thinkers like Plato and Aristotle. Defined as the law which statesthat human are inborn with certain laws preordained into them which let themdetermine what is right and what is wrong.(Bainton 174) This theory was themadapted by religious philosophers to fit the Christian religion.(Berkhof 114)This, however was not exactly the same as the original. The classical thinkerswere the first to define the natural law. Heraclitus, in the sixth century BC, specify one the components by saying, *for all human laws are nourished by one,the divine.* This meant that a divine power determined a logic and gave to allhumans. (Microsoft Encarta) This comment put this law into direct conflictwith positive laws. Aristotle elaborated on the word natural in relation to law.He said that a natural law was one that had the same validity for every one andsituation.(Berkhof 268) An example of this wou ld be that a man contemplatingmurder would see that it was wrong by his nature. His causal agency would tell himthat to kill another was unnatural, and therefore wrong. Cicero tries todetermine what the actual law encompassed and he came up with the theory ofStoicism. Stoicism is an interpretation of the natural law which states thatevery, private person is a part of the universe that was created and is ruled bya divine power rationally. To live rationally and with virtue, according to...