Deck 7: Natural Law and Human Rights

Question 1

Existentialists like Sartre believe that essence precedes existence.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Evolutionary theory may present a challenge to natural law theory.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Locke argued all humans should be treated equally because we all have the same basic nature.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

A ccording to natural rights theory,  moral requirements cannot be grounded in human nature.

Question 5

According to Thomas Aquinas (in your reading from the text), "Good has the nature of , while evil has a contrary nature."

A)an end
B)a means
C)scientific truth
D)indeterminacy

Question 6

For Locke every person has a distinct right to punish those who transgress the natural law.

Question 7

Explain what "teleological" means and how it relates to natural law theory.

Question 8

The idea that the basic moral law can be known by human reason is a fundamental tenet of natural law theory.

Question 9

According to Cicero, which of the following is true?

A)The natural law is relative to culture.
B)Natural law is an evolving phenomenon.
C)The natural law is timeless.
D)There is no such thing as a natural law.

Question 10

Which of the following philosophers does NOT agree that there is such a thing as human nature?

A)St. Augustine.
B)Locke.
C)Sartre.
D)Aristotle.

Question 11

The natural state of human liberty is a state of license according to Locke.

Question 12

One problem for natural rights theory is that not everyone agrees on what human nature requires.

Question 13

For Thomas Aquinas all laws created by humans are derived from natural law.

Question 14

"Laws of nature" always refer to a natural law theory of ethics.

Question 15

Aristotle was the first philosopher to develop a complex ethical philosophy related to the ideas of natural law theory.

Question 16

The idea that we know what the basic moral law requires by looking to human nature is a tenet of natural law theory.

Question 17

According to Thomas Aquinas, reason naturally inclines human beings to be good.

Question 18

Civil law is prescriptive and as such tells us how we ought to behave.

Question 19

According to your text, which of the following is NOT a view that Aquinas and Aristotle shared in common?

A)That the moral good consists in innate tendencies of our nature.
B)That human nature is radically evil.
C)That humans are biological beings.
D)That humans are sentient animals.

Question 20

The Declaration of Independence draws on the theory of

A)Plato.
B)Locke.
C)Aristotle.
D)Hobbes.

Question 21

How does the idea of natural law contribute to the idea of natural rights?

A)Natural law supposedly tells us what allows human beings to flourish.
B)The idea of a natural law makes people happy.
C)There is no connection between natural law and natural rights.
D)The right to life is natural.

Question 22

Is it possible to be both an egoist and, at the same time, accept the natural law view of ethics? Explain.

Question 23

Is it possible to be both a relativist and, at the same time, accept the natural law view of ethics? Explain.

Question 24

Which of the following is another word for telos .

A)nature
B)essence
C)goal
D)human

Question 25

The key moral principle for the Stoics was to

A)seek just, love mercy, and to walk humbly with God.
B)create the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number.
C)"know thyself."
D)"follow nature."