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Thomas Aquinas: Natural
Law and Happiness

Thomas Aquinas
• Thomas Aquinas was born in the 13th century to
noble family in the small town of Roccasecca,
near Aquino, Italy.
• Aquino was a Dominican priest who was
considered as a great philosopher and classical
proponent of natural theology during the period
of Scholasticism.
• Aquinas philosophy greatly influenced the
foundations of Christian theology in particular
and Western philosophy in general.
• His most important and enduring works are the
Summa Theologica and Summa Contra Gentiles
(addressed to non-Christians).
Meaning and Nature of Law
Law is an ordinance of reason for the common

good made to regulate the actions of the
community. According to Aquinas, law is "a
certain rule and measure of acts whereby man
is induced to act or is restrained from acting."
Main Functions of Law
1. It is directed towards specific ends.
2. It induces man to act in a certain way.
3. It restrains man from acting in certain

ways.
Basic Elements of Law
1. A law is an order of practical reason. It binds or obligates a person to a particular behavior.
It is based on an intelligent judgment of what is right and wrong.
2. The law is meant to further the interests of the entire community, and not just of a few
individuals.
3. The people can enact their laws, or laws can be made through a genuine representative
who works on behalf of the common good.
4. The people are expected to be properly oriented and informed about the law. The law
must be communicated clearly, publicized, or made publicly known.
Kinds of Law
1. Eternal Law-According to St. Thomas Aquinas, this is the law that exists because of God's
divine providence. It is what governs the nature of the entire universe. Eternal law is the
basis for all other kinds of laws.
2. Natural Law-It indicates the system of right or justice held to be common to all humans
and derived from nature. Aquinas states that people participate in the eternal law through the
natural law. The basic formulation of the natural moral law is "do good; avoid evil"
3. Divine Law-It is derived from eternal law as it appears to humans. especially through
revelation.
4. Human Law It is enacted and enforced in society. Promotion of virtue is necessary for the
common good and human laws are instruments in the promotion of virtue. Most people are
kept from crime by fear of the law.
Natural Law ethics
1.Basis of Moral Standards
• Derived from the nature of the world and human beings.
• The eternal law of divine reason, though unknowable to humans, manifests through
the law of nature.
• According to Aquinas, the law of nature is "the participation of the eternal law in the
rational creature."
2. Human Nature and Appetites
• Human beings share sense appetites with animals like love, fear, and hate.
• Uniqueness arises from rational appetites, setting humans apart.
• Anything contrary to the order of reason is contrary to the essence of human beings.
3.First Precept of Natural Law
• Aquinas identifies it as the law to "do good and avoid evil."
• Good and evil are defined by the rational nature of human beings.
• Both are objective and universal, guiding human actions towards achieving what is
inherently good.
Three Ends of Human Beings
1. To preserve life
2. To reproduce
3. To belong in society
The three ends of human beings spring from their natural tendencies.
primary precepts (laws) are derived from natural human inclinations.
human choose the ones that are instrumental to human perfection. These
inclinations are purified with constant evaluation and reflection through
the use of reason. Objective goodness is revealed when the divine guides
one's natural inclination and is made clearly perceptible in the light of
reason.
Reason is not absolute because human observation, interpretation, and

reasoning may err, and situations or conditions may change. Human →
reason continuously explores and develops towards perfection.
Aquinas agrees with Aristotle in thinking that the goodness or evilness of an
act depends on whether it contributes to or hinders one from his or her
ultimate end, which is happiness or perfection. The way to attain one's
ultimate goal requires a consistent and proper use of intellectual and moral
virtues.
For Aquinas, humans naturally seek perfection to fully realize their

existence. They are naturally equipped with certain powers or
"potentialities," most especially, reason. An individual can reach his or her
full potential as a human being only with the use of reason. The proper
exercise of one's natural capabilities to do good contributes to his or her
moral development. The morality of an action depends on whether it is
commensurate with or contrary to one's nature as a rational being.
Conscience: Guide in Making Moral Decisions
For Thomas Aquinas, conscience is the natural faculty of human reason to
distinguish right from wrong. Such process of recognizing right from wrong is
an innate intellectual activity that guides individuals to make moral decisions.
Aquinas believes that the conscience has two parts: synderesis and
conscientia. The former is the innate 'right reason' to know good and evil
while the latter makes use of the synderesis to make appropriate decisions.
In order for one to truly know what is right from wrong, he or she should have
the virtue of making correct judgements-prudence. Aquinas maintains that if
one's conscience tells him or her that something is right when it is actually
wrong, then he or she is excused from the wrongdoing because his or her
conscience is what is wrong. Children, for instance, do not have fully formed
consciences. As such, they cannot easily determine what is right from wrong.
Virtue as the Source of Moral Strength
For Aquinas, virtue is the means to perfect human activity. It is
equivalent to strength or power that can be developed through constant
training or practice. Constant practice makes an act a habit that later
becomes a virtue which is the source of strength of the person's character.
Virtue is a habit that helps one to live righteously. It is a habit that shape
one's intellect, will, desires, and emotions. These human faculties are what
makes one human. Good habits are needed to properly direct one's
capabilities to the goals or ends that fit his or her nature.
All of these of course, to lead the ultimate end which is happiness.

Three Main Categories of Virtues
1. Intellectual virtues help perfect the discipline of the mind. The virtue of
understanding gives one the ability to properly discern why something is right or why
something is wrong. The virtue of wisdom, on the other hand, perfects one's understanding
of what is right and wrong.
2. Moral virtues are the habits that make one a good person. They equip an individual with
the will to always choose what is good. In traditional Christian theology, there are four,
cardinal virtues; prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude. They are called cardinal
virtues, from the Latin word cardo (hinge), because they are the necessary virtues required
to lead a virtuous life.
3. Theological virtues in theology and Christian philosophy are the

qualities associated with enlightenment resulting from the grace of God. The three
theological virtues are faith, hope, and charity. Faith helps one to see and understand
everything with the eyes of God. Hope helps one to trust in the goodness and power of God
in times of weakness and difficulties. Charity helps one to love everybody with the heart of
God.
The Ultimate End: Happiness in God
According to Thomas Aquinas, the ultimate end is happiness in God. It is not simply being in
the state of happiness on one's own but in union with God. Such perspective of the ultimate
end in Christian theology highlights an ultimate end that lies beyond what one can attain
through his or her human capacities.
In many instances, good people suffer while the evildoers get away with their wrongdoings.
Everyone desires happiness, not in the temporary or short-term sense, but a real one.
Humans do everything for an end. They make choices from different alternatives to attain
something. They also follow certain standards to make the best choice. Their will desires
what is good for them. Whatever they do, they do it if they believe that it is something good.
Human acts are judged as good and evil according to their purpose or ends.
However, not all humans share the same goals that will make them achieve the ultimate end.
They want and desire different things to make them happy and satisfied in life. Where are
they going to bring us? If an end leads to another end, and so on and so forth, is there an
end which could be the last and the most important?
In the teachings of Thomas Aquinas, everything begins and ends with God.
Therefore, the ultimate end of human beings is happiness in God. Only God
can satisfy one's longing for perfect happiness. The intellect seeks truth and
the will desires goodness. In Christian theology, God is the infinite truth and
absolute goodness, the perfect satisfaction of the hunger of one's intellect
and will.
Aquinas believes that it is not possible to find complete or perfect happiness

in this world. God is the Summum Bonum, the Highest Good, the Final and
Perfect Happiness. According to him, the ultimate end is the ultimate good
which is God, "who alone can fill our will to the brim because of infinite
goodness."

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Thomas Aquinas: Natural

Law and Happiness

Law is an ordinance of reason for the common

1. It is directed towards specific ends.

2. It induces man to act in a certain way.

3. It restrains man from acting in certain

Reason is not absolute because human observation, interpretation, and

For Aquinas, humans naturally seek perfection to fully realize their

All of these of course, to lead the ultimate end which is happiness.

3. Theological virtues in theology and Christian philosophy are the

Aquinas believes that it is not possible to find complete or perfect happiness

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