Natural Law Theory And Stoicism
As defined by the Philosophical Dictionary, the Natural Law Theory is "In moral philosophy, a norm, custom, or set of beliefs shared by people living in different cultures or eras. Such a “law” is supposedly derived from Nature (via reason or some other natural human faculty) and is considered binding on all humans everywhere. Ancient Stoicism, for example, held that there are eternal laws that govern all human actions and that happiness depends on recognizing and living in harmony with these fundamental “laws of nature.” Similarly, Aquinas argued that God established a set of universal laws – ascertainable through reason alone (hence available to everyone, regardless of their religion) – that operate for the welfare and benefit of all creatures.”