Forthcoming from Oxford University Press:

The Philosophy of Francisco Suárez

Date of Publish: ?
Date available in store: ?
Book Content: 11 Chapters

Abstract: Chapter 11 [pdf download]
Author: James Gordley (Tulane University))

Suárez and Natural Law

In his account of natural law, and in metaphysics, Suárez differed from Aquinas in ways that led some critics to claim that his account of natural law is “minimalist” and “negative,” and others to object that his metaphysics is “essentialist.” The changes are related. Suárez’s metaphysics enabled him to explain natural law differently than Aquinas. By understanding that relationship, we can see how Suárez became vulnerable to both sets of critics. Nevertheless, although the change in metaphysics was original to Suárez, his approach to natural law had been anticipated, in part, by some of his contemporaries. That account may have become plausible, not because of a change in metaphysics, but because of changing expectations about the sort of rules that comprise the natural law.