Since the great works of classic Greek philosophy are seldom taught either at the high school or college level, the author gives a brief but convincing grounding in Aristotle. Proceeding through other great thinkers like Thomas Aquinas, he relentlessly shows the universal applicability of moral principles. The book is a very effective foil for those post-modern thinkers who believe (without proof) that mankind has moved beyond the natural law, or that there is no such thing. The book is written at a very readable level. ~ W. Patrick Cunningham

Table of Contents

• • Acknowledgments 9
  • Preface 10
• Unit I Aristotle 13
  • 1 Politics & the Human Good 15
  • 2 Moral Excellence & Regime Design 26
  • 3 Friendship, Justice & the Moral Significance of Law 38
• Unit II Thomas Aquinas 51
  • 4 The Grand Design of Law 53
  • 5 The Law of Nature & the Law of Man 65
  • 6 Human Law & Regime Design 80
• Unit III John Locke 95
  • 7 The State of Nature & the Social Contract 97
  • 8 Two Views of Natural Law 108
  • 9 Private Property & Revolution 123
• Unit IV John Stuart Mill 135
  • 10 The Pleasure Principle 137
  • 11 The Problem with the Pleasure Principle 145
  • 12 Utility & Justice 161
  • Intermezzo: The Art of Teaching 169
• Unit V Written on the Heart 177
  • 13 A Christian Appraisal of Natural-Law Theory 179
  • 14 A Reprise of the Older Thinkers 187
  • 15 A Sampling of Recent Thinkers 196
  • Appendix: Elementary Reasoning 220
  • Notes 229
  • Select Bibliography 241
  • Index 245