What is natural law according to St. Thomas Aquinas?

Participation in eternal law guiding human actions.

How do human beings differ from lower creatures according to Aquinas?

Possess natural inclinations and spiritual soul for free choices.

Inclination to good, self-preservation, union, truth, society.

Human laws must align with natural law for justice.

Natural law allows intentional participation in God's plan.

St. Thomas Aquinas believes that natural law is derived from God's eternal law, which serves as the blueprint for the universe, guiding human behavior towards the good and aligning with God's plan.
Human beings, equipped with both natural inclinations and a spiritual soul, can freely choose to follow natural law, which encompasses five key inclinations such as seeking the good, self-preservation, and living in society, ensuring their actions lead to happiness and freedom while contributing to the common good of their community.

What is natural law according to St. Thomas Aquinas?
Participation in eternal law guiding human actions.
How do human beings differ from lower creatures according to Aquinas?
Possess natural inclinations and spiritual soul for free choices.
What are the principal natural inclinations for human beings according to Aquinas?
Inclination to good, self-preservation, union, truth, society.
How does natural law relate to human laws according to Aquinas?
Human laws must align with natural law for justice.
How does Aquinas view the relationship between natural law and God's plan?
Natural law allows intentional participation in God's plan.

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St. Thomas Aquinas' teaching on natural law is deeply rooted in his wider thought centered on God, with the eternal law being the highest kind of law, representing God's plan for the universe.
The natural law is the rational creature's participation in the eternal law, allowing humans to understand what is good and act upon it through their will, contributing to God's plan.
Human beings, unlike lower creatures, have both natural inclinations and a spiritual soul, enabling them to make free choices based on their spiritual nature, which does not oppose their natural inclinations but rather enhances them.
Aquinas lists five principal natural inclinations for human beings, including the inclination to the good, self-preservation, sexual union, knowing the truth, and living in society, which guide human actions towards happiness and freedom.
Natural law, according to Aquinas, is not imposed externally but is inherent in human beings' design, allowing them to intentionally and freely participate in God's plan by ordering themselves and their communities according to it.
Human laws, to be just, must align with natural law, with negative precepts like those in the Ten Commandments being universally applicable, while positive precepts require more specific application by human lawmakers to promote the common good of their community.