Universität Wien

010180 SE Natural Law. Classic and Modern Approaches (2025W)

5.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 1 - Theologien und Religionswiss.
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle
We 10.12. 11:30-14:45 Seminarraum 2 (Kath) Schenkenstraße EG

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 30 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Wednesday 01.10. 11:30 - 14:45 Seminarraum 2 (Kath) Schenkenstraße EG
  • Wednesday 15.10. 11:30 - 14:45 Seminarraum 2 (Kath) Schenkenstraße EG
  • Wednesday 29.10. 11:30 - 14:45 Seminarraum 2 (Kath) Schenkenstraße EG
  • Wednesday 12.11. 11:30 - 14:45 Seminarraum 2 (Kath) Schenkenstraße EG
  • Wednesday 26.11. 11:30 - 14:45 Seminarraum 2 (Kath) Schenkenstraße EG
  • Wednesday 07.01. 11:30 - 14:45 Seminarraum 2 (Kath) Schenkenstraße EG
  • Wednesday 21.01. 11:30 - 14:45 Seminarraum 2 (Kath) Schenkenstraße EG

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

The course deepens moral theological knowledge of Natural Law amidst the challenges of a contemporary pluralistic reality of ethical approaches. To address this plurality, the course methodically employs classic and modern scholarships by engaging historical and current ethical discussions. The course offers the understanding of Natural Law from the Greek world–through the Middle Ages, Neo-Scholasticism, Enlightenment, Christianity, to our contemporary period. The course explores some exemplarist classic natural law approaches and gives a systematic account and evaluation with the help of some works like, “In Search of a Universal Ethic, A New Look at the Natural Law” by the Commissio Theologica Internationalis and “The Natural Law Tradition in Ethics” in Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy by Mark Murphy. More precisely, the course engages with modern approaches, e.g., Robert DEINHAMMER’s book “Kritische Naturrechtsethik” and Germain Gabriel Grisez’s works “The Way of the Lord Jesus” Vol I & II. The aim is to be able to critically analyse and constructively classify both classic and modern arguments in the Natural Law Ethics pondering modern moral theological debates. The course is enrichingly combined with collaborative readings, discussions and writing a reflective paper on current ethical topics like the New Natural Law and Jesus Christ as the fulfilment of the Natural Law.

Assessment and permitted materials

Regular active attendance with a reflective paper to be written at the end of the semester with approximately 30,000 characters (min. 10– max. 15 pages). Active participation includes mandatory attendance of at least 80% of the sessions. For the assessment of exam components, see “Type of performance assessment and permitted aids” and “Minimum requirements and assessment criteria”.
• Katholisch-Theologischen Fakultät, KI in der Lehre. URL: https://ssc-kaththeologie.univie.ac.at/fileadmin/user_upload/s_ktf/2019/Im_Studium/Leitlinien_KI_der_KTF_Endfassung.pdf [Accessed 07.08.2025].
• Katholisch-Theologischen Fakultät, Leitlinien für wissenschaftliche Arbeiten. URL: https://ssc-kaththeologie.univie.ac.at/fileadmin/user_upload/s_ktf/2019/Studienabschluss_HP_neu/Zitierrichtlinien.pdf [Accessed 07.08.2025].

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

The main method of evaluating the understanding of students, and retention of material will be through assignments and reflective paper, which may be cumulatively graded or not. Grades will be partly based on each one’s cumulative efforts.
In the written paper, it must be proven that the basic concepts in theological ethics have been clearly understood and can be systematically expounded.
In the reflective paper, the central ethical issues of the course must be reflectively and critically discussed along the chosen theme with me against the background of the current theological-ethical question posed.
The student must be able to interpret classic and modern texts in theological ethics against contemporary debates. The minimum requirement is a positive overall assessment.
Assignments will be graded on a descending scale of 1-5 (1=very good; 5=unsatisfactory). Sehr gut (1), Gut (2), Befriedigend (3), Genügend (4), und Nicht genügend (5).

Examination topics

The assignments cover the required literature and the discussed material throughout the semester sessions in its eventual application to contemporary debates in theological ethics. The final paper must be a personal reflective engagement with the contemporary debates in theological ethics. If AI is used in preparation of the paper, the totality of steps must be stated in addition to the text, mentioning all AI prompts and commands used without exceeding 5%. Otherwise AI detection tools might classify AI-generated paper content as plagiarism.

Reading list

The literature will be continuously updated, and specific page ranges emphasised. It is easily accessible, and it is in very few instances that students will buy personal copies. Elementary knowledge of ethics or theological ethics is a prerequisite for fully profiting from this course. For basic initiation into the discipline of ethics and theological ethics, kindly read:
• MARSCHÜTZ, Gerhard, theologisch ethisch nachdenken, Bd. 1: Grundlagen, Würzburg, 2. überarbeitete Auflage 2014. Available in library.
Required Readings:

Philosophical Ethics
• BOYLE, Joseph M - LIPTAY, John. J - TOLLEFSEN, Christopher - GEORGE, Robert. P, Natural law ethics in theory and practice: a Joseph Boyle reader, Washington D. C. 2020. Library online access.
• COYLE, Sean, Natural law and modern society, 1st ed., Oxford 2023. Library online access.
• DEINHAMMER, Robert, Kritische Naturrechtsethik (1. Auflage), Mohr Siebeck 2024. Open Access.
• FINNIS, John, Natural law and natural rights, 2nd ed., Oxford - New York 2011. Library online access.
• HITTINGER, Russell, Critique of the New Natural Law Theory, Notre Dame 1988. Library online access.
• MURPHY, Mark, The Natural Law Tradition in Ethics, in: Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy URL: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/natural-law-ethics/ substantive revision on 30th April 2025. Open Access.
• SHELLENS, Max Solomon, Aristotle on Natural Law, in: The American Journal of Jurisprudence (Natural Law Forum) 4 (1959) 72–100 Library online access.

Theological Ethics
• FATHERS OF THE ENGLISH DOMINICAN PROVINCE, Summa theologica: St. Thomas Aquinas. Part I-II, (“Prima Secundae”), Milton Keynes [England 2012. Especially the “Treatise on Law” (Questions 90-108). Library online access.
• FRASS-POINDL, Stephan, New natural law - eine Rekonstruktion und Kritik der Naturrechtstheorie von Germain Grisez [unveröff. Dissertation Universität Wien, 2022. Open Access.
• GRISEZ, Germain Gabriel, The Way of the Lord Jesus, Volume I: Christian Moral Principles, Chicago 1983. 30€ (used) Amazon.
• GRISEZ, Germain Gabriel, The Way of the Lord Jesus, Volume II: Living a Christian Life, Chicago 1993. 50€ Amazon.
• INTERNATIONAL THEOLOGICAL COMMISSION (Commissio Theologica Internationalis), In Search of a Universal Ethic, A New Look at the Natural Law, 2009. URL: https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/cti_documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20090520_legge-naturale_en.html. [Accessed: 1. August 2026]. Open Access.
• LEE, Patrick, God and New Natural Law Theory, in: The National Catholic Bioethics Quarterly 19(2019) 279–291https://doi.org/10.5840/ncbq201919219]. Library online access.

Association in the course directory

für 011 (15W) FTH 17 oder FTH 25 oder FTH 26, 198 418 BA UF RK 16, 199 518 MA UF RK 02 oder RK 05, 033 195 (17W) BRP 18krp, BRP 18ktb, 795 [2] M3, M4, M5

Last modified: We 01.10.2025 15:45