Natural Law The Human Conception Of Justice Or Moral Right

Natural law can be defined broadly as a philosophical belief that the human conception of justice or moral right is common to all humans and derived from nature. However it’s definition has been highly debated across history and therefore different definitions must be used as to not misinterpret the ideas and principles of different strains of thought within natural law (Boucher, 2009, P.19). It is also very important to distinguish how rights are understood in natural law, which is another contested definition. Rights in terms of natural law are generally emphasise doing what is ‘right’ as prescribed by law. This focuses on duties and obligations to the common good, rather than individual universal rights garnered from nature. (MacKinnon in Boucher, 2009, P.11). Rights in natural law are formed on the basis of obligation to obey God’s law, as mere reason of itself cannot create obligation (Boucher, 2009, P.12). 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