Matthew’s Reviews > Natural Law And Natural Rights (Clarendon Law) > Status Update

The different aspects of practical reason are well-articulated. Fidelity to conscience feels like it ought to stand above the other aspects, but conscience can only operate properly when the other aspects are given their proper place, so I think Finnis’ placement of conscience is correct.

Extremely clarifying. Great exposition of how natural law theory has been misconceived or misrepresented by others.

Incredibly rigorous approach.

Restarting Finnis after too long away.

Finnis intriguingly begins his account of practical reason (one’s moral action) with the requirement of having a plan (or plans) of life (meaning a broad purpose and orientation); a chosen focus on something such as scholarship, marriage, etcetera.

A much broader canvas to consider moral action within than we typically consider.

Finnis also has a great critique of Rawls’ thin conception of what is good.

The terminology for Finnis’ basic goods is a little confusing, but the schema makes sense.