UNIT 3: NATURAL LAW
LESSON 3 – GREEK HERITAGE
GREEK HERITAGE ON NATURAL LAW
The influential contributions of philosophers in shaping the conceptual
framework of natural law.
NEOPLATONIC GOOD
“Neo” means new, and “Platonic” refers to the philosophy of Plato, means a
new or revived form of Plato’s philosophy.
The “Good” represents the ultimate source of all existence and perfection. It is
the highest principle and the source of reality, transcending both intellect and
being.
God creates. This does not only means that He brings about beings, but it
also means that He cares for, and thus governs, the activity of the universe
and of every creature in it.
PLATO
Plato was trying to answer questions such as, “Why should I bother trying to
be good?” and “Why cannot ‘good’ be just whatever I say it is?”
His answer, placed in the mouth of the main character Socrates, is that “the
good is real and not something that one can pretend to make up or ignore.”
Goodness is not something we can just make up or ignore; it’s a real and
objective aspect, existing independently of personal opinions. Goodness has
a concrete existence that goes beyond individual interpretations or attempts to
pretend otherwise.
Plato states that Good which, while difficult to comprehend, can at least be
said to be a reality, and not just a mere idea in someone’s head. It is saying
like Goodness is like a tip of an iceberg.
EXAMPLE: The sun, as we know, through its light allows for the possibility of seeing,
and thus, of knowing. And because of both its light and its warmth, the sun also
allows for the growth of plants, and from this follows the nutrition of animals, and
thus, in short, the possibility of beings. In a vague and yet grand statement, we are
told that the good is like the sun in all that it does, but even more so.
PLOTINUS
All beings come forth, and their motion in the universe is set to ultimately
return to and rest in the Good once again.This statement imposes that
everything in the universe emerges, moves, and eventually returns to the
ultimate state of goodness.
EXAMPLE: Waters fountain in the park. The water emerging represents all beings
coming forth from a common origin. The flowing water’s journey, as it cascades and
dances, symbolizes the motion of beings in the universe. As the water finds its way
back to the basin, it mirrors the idea of all things return and find rest in the source.
STOICS
The idea is to focus on being a good person, making rational choices, and
understanding that you can control how you react to things, even if you can’t
control everything around you.
EXAMPLE: Imagine you plan a picnic, but it starts raining unexpectedly. A Stoic
response would be to accept the situation calmly, recognizing that weather is beyond
your control. Instead of getting upset, you might adapt your plans, perhaps have an
indoor picnic or reschedule.
ARISTOTELIAN BEING AND BECOMING
BEING
state of existence or reality. The actuality of something at a particular
moment.
4 Causes of Being
1. Material Cause - any being we can see around is corporeal, possessed of a
certain materiality or physical “stuff.”
2. Formal Cause - we differentiate a being to other being due to it’s particular shape
or form that if unique from others.
3. Efficient Cause - a being is from another being or process which is prior to it.
4. Final Cause - a being has an apparent end or goal.
MATERIAL FORMAL EFFICIENT FINAL
CAUSE CAUSE CAUSE CAUSE
EXAMPLE 1: The
A bicycle manufacturing Utilizing
A bicycle is
process and the bicycle as a
different from
people involved means of
Metal, rubber, other vehicle
in assembling transportation
etc. because it has
the various and exercise
wheels, pedals,
parts to create for
and handlebar.
a functional individuals.
bike.
EXAMPLE 2: The
Utilizing the
A laptop A laptop is manufacturers,
laptop as a
Metal, plastic, handy and engineers, and
tool for work
silicon, etc. much smaller workers who
and school
than the PC. assemble the
related tasks.
laptop.
BECOMING
The process of change or development. It’s the transition from potentiality to
actuality.
Being may carry within itself certain potentials, but these require being
actualized.
2 Principles of Becoming
1. Potency – potential of a being to change but it has not yet happened.
EXAMPLE :
An education student having potential to become a successful teacher in the
future.
A seed has the potential to sprout and blossom into a flower.
A child has the potential to develop into an adult.
2. Act – a being is change.
EXAMPLE:
A former education student becoming a teacher in the present.
The blooming flower is the realization of the seed’s potential.
The adult is the actualized state, representing the fulfillment of the child’s
potential.
