Who can Determine what the Natural Law Is?

Abstract

ideas. The case for a universal rational movement given directly by God is alone fully consonant with these realities. We must not be put off if the inquiry shows that volitional effects bear the marks of originating in a transcendent metaphysical cause, a creative cause. This conclusion may repel the scientist because it carries his inquiry beyond his tangible, measurable world of sensible reality; but his repugnance would not be very scientific. The Determiners of the Content of Natural Law.-At long last we are in a position to answer the question, Who can determine what the natural law is? If there is demonstrated a complete indeterminancy of the will or a complete determinancy of the will whether by finite or infinite causes with no area of freedom, there can be no natural law; and no one can determine it. If, on the other hand, there be demonstrated a universally fixed general direction in the motions of the rational mover, with power in the mover to select particular directions, there is a basis of natural law. There is no absolutely certain answer. In order to further the inquiry indeed, in order to decide when any conduct is right or wrong it is necessary to commit oneself, at least implicitly, to some theory, and to proceed contingently based upon the decision. If the decision be in favor of the theory of a creative direction of volition with freedom as to particular applications (which I believe is the only possible basis of natural law), all those persons can determine natural law who, adopting creativity as the measuring norm of good or bad conduct, are qualified to perceive what befits this norm. It is not at all necessary that these persons prove to themselves that this must be the prime norm if in fact it is so any more than a person must prove that a certain object is a table in order to adjudge it a good or bad table. The starting point can be assumed and adopted by the judge; it suffices that others have demonstrated it. Goodness, then, we decide contingently, is to be found only in the conduct which befits a creative power. In other words, the natural law pattern which we are seeking is precisely that pattern of conduct of which the prin-