Ethics, Politics, and Natural Law

Foreword by Russell Hittinger

Acknowledgments

Introduction: Natural Law Ethics as "Commonsense Morality"

1. Basic Human Goods: The First Principles of Ethics



What Ethics Is About: Human Action and Free Choice
Basic Human Goods: The Basic Reasons for Action
Responses to Common Objections

Does Human Life Really Have Intrinsic Value?
What about Pleasure?
What about Autonomy?


How We Come to Know Basic Goods
Some Clarifications about Basic Goods

Incommensurability of Basic Goods
Basic Goods as First Principles of Practical Reason
Basic Goods and Human Nature


Nature, Natural Law, and Practical Rationality
Putting It All Together

2. Moral Principles



The First Principle of Morality and Intermediate Moral Norms

Never Intentionally Damage or Destroy a Basic Human Good
Fairness: The Golden Rule
The Vocation Principle: Establishing a Reasonable Priority among Goods
The Unity of Life Principle: Integrating Pursuits and Commitments in View of an Ultimate End


The Doctrine of Double Effect
Virtues: The Embodiment of Moral Principles

Acting for No Real Reason
Unreasonable Preferences among Persons or Goods
Practical Wisdom and Emotional Motivation



3. The Social Dimension of Human Flourishing



The Nature of Community
The Role of Community in Human Flourishing: The Life of Susie

The Family
Intermediate Associations


Justice and Special Obligations

4. The Political Dimension of Human Flourishing



The Political Community as a Community of Communities
The Common Good of the Political Community: All-Inclusive Common Good versus Specifically Political Common Good
Political Authority
The Limits of Political Authority

Substantive Limits on Government
Procedural Limits on Government: The Rule of Law


Natural Law and Liberalism
What about Patriotism?
Conclusion

5. Human Flourishing, Morality, and God



God and Moral Obligation
God and Moral Motivation
Christian Revelation and the Promise of the Kingdom
Conclusion

Appendix: Annotated Resource Bibliography

Bibliography

Index

Extended Table of Contents