If I throw a brick up in the air, it’s going to come back down… quickly. And if I don’t move out of the way fast enough and that brick lands on my foot, I’m going to be in a world of hurt. Gravity exerts a force on objects. Bricks are harder than feet. These statements are true based on the physical laws of the universe.

Just as there are laws of physics, natural law theory suggests that there are objective, universal rules that dictate morality and that human law should reflect them. Natural law theorists believe natural laws can be discovered by careful observation of the world and human nature. Versions of natural law theory go back all the way to ancient Greece, but the thinker most well-known for developing natural law theory is Thomas Aquinas. Aquinas thought that all creatures were instilled with a natural desire for the things that were good for them. Aquinas thought that by observing these natural desires we could uncover the basic goods, or the things we are designed to seek. Once we know what the basic goods are, we can design laws around them. Natural law theory is not without its critics, however. David Hume argued that just because it IS the case that I want a donut doesn’t mean it OUGHT to be the case that I want a donut. This is known as the Is/Ought distinction. Only, he didn’t say donut. I added that because I’m hungry. You can find out more about natural law theory below, I’m off to get a donut! 🍩

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