Abstract
Troubled by the fruits of contemporary philosophical and spiritual nihilism and having discerned the inadequacies of positivism, a growing number of people experience profound dissatisfaction with modernity and are renewing the search for "the truth in hings," as Anselme of Canterbury once stated. Some seek a corrective element through a traditional understanding of natural law, and a number of Catholic scholars have made it their task to re-appropriate and articulate the natural law for the modern age, both with varied success. This article traces some of the foundational notions that ground natural law thinking. It illustrates how the natural law might be better recovered and clarified in light of modern philosophical assumptions. Finally, the article suggests that the natural law must be viewed through the theological lens of Christian charity for its full substance to be apparent.
Highlights
I n many ways, the intellectual history of the twentieth century is the history of the dissemination of nineteenth century philosophy, its hermeneutics and language, into popular consciousness
Some seek a return to traditional wisdom, often connected to religious conversion, i n which natural law seems to play an important, i f unclear, role
It has mostly been particular historical events of the past century, rather than abstract philosophical ruminations, that have prompted the new search for the natural law
Summary
TROUBLED BY THEFRUITS OF CONTEMPORARYPHILOSOPHICALANDSPIRITUALNIHILISMANDHAVING DISCERNED THE INADEQUACIES OF POSITIVISM, AGROWING NUMBER OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCE PROFOUND DISSATISFACTION WITH MODERNITY A N D ARE RENEWING THE SEARCH FOR " THETRUTHINTHINGS , " AS ANSELME OF CANTERBURY ONCE STATED. SOME SEEK A CORRECTIVE ELEMENT THROUGHATRADITIONALUNDERSTANDING OF NATURAL LAW, A N D A NUMBER OF CATHOLIC SCHOLARS HAVE M A D E IT THEIR TASK TO R E - A P P RO P R I AT EANDARTICULATETHE NATURAL LAW FOR THE MODERN AGE, BOTH W I T H VARIED SUCCESS. T H I S ARTICLE TRACES SOME OF THE FOUNDATIONALNOTIONS THAT GROUND NATURAL LAW THINKING. IT ILLUSTRATESHOWTHENATURAL LAW MIGHT BE BETTER RECOVERED AND CLARIFIED IN LIGHT OF MODERN PHILOSOPHICAL ASSUMPTIONS. THE ARTICLESUGGESTSTHATTHENATURAL LAW M U S T BE VIEWEDTHROUGHTHETHEOLOGICALLENSOFCHRISTIANCHARITY FOR ITS FULLSUBSTANCETO BE APPARENT
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