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Through the application of our human reason, in combination with our natural inclination to recognize and seek the good, we are able to reflect upon and discover laws, in the form of general tendencies, that satisfy basic human needs and fulfill the divinely intended nature of human beings (Meaney, personal communication).
Aquinas proposes four basic goals of human nature: to prolong life, procreate, form community, and seek truth (Ashley & O-Rourke, 1997). For example, our natural inclination to preserve our lives creates obligations to care for ourselves and avoid actions that put us in danger of losing our lives. This respect for our own dignity and life is rationally extended to the dignity and lives of others. Likewise, the inclination to create and care for offspring generates support for the institution of marriage and prohibits actions that would interfere with the procreative process.
Catholic natural law is, in essence, a teleological theory based on God’s plan for man within the universe. However, it is not strictly consequentialist in that consequences are not seen as the sole determinant of a moral act. Instead, a moral act is determined by the act itself, the motive or intentions of the actor, and the circumstances surrounding the act. While rooted in natural law, the Catholic moral tradition has evolved various approaches to the process of moral reasoning.
Proportionalism is an approach that evolved in the 20th century with the intent of formulating a dynamic, evolutionary and more pluralistic worldview in light of the complexity of contemporary society. It relies on intuitive positive values such as love and loyalty that can be weighed through the reasoning process in any particular situation to achieve a proportionately favorable outcome. A primary strength of this approach is its acknowledgement of the very complex issues presented by rapidly evolving technologies and pluralistic social orders.
