Natural law – Introduction

The natural law – introduction

Reading time: 2 minutes.

The idea that nature behaves according to fixed laws existed before the fifth century BC. For this we have to go back to the Greek philosophers who sought explanations about the origin of the universe and the workings of the cosmos, without falling back on traditional myths or metaphysical excuses. These philosophers included Pythagoras, Heraclitus and Anaximenes.

The natural law in physics

In physics natural laws, in the plural, refer to mathematical descriptions of fundamental natural phenomena. They help us understand the world around us, make predictions and act on nature. Such a natural law must be universal, that is, valid in all circumstances, or at least always valid within a given framework.

Take, for example Newton’s laws. In the late seventeenth century, Isaac Newton (1643 – 1727) discovered laws relating to inertia, acceleration and action-reaction. Two centuries later, Einstein (1879 – 1955) and his followers adjusted these laws. Indeed, he discovered that the laws Newton had defined apply on Earth, but not outside it, if you think in light-years. Thus Einstein created a very different framework with broader laws of nature, into which Newton’s still fit, but are limited within human dimensions.

The natural law in biology

The biological laws of nature seem less strict than those in physics because they often deal with complex and variable processes in living organisms In biology, natural laws describe patterns and regularities observed in organisms, but these are usually less predictable than the laws in the physical world. An example of a biological natural law is the Mendel’s law, on heredity, or the law of conservation of energy in biological processes.

The natural law in ethics and social science

Also in ethics and social sciences the term “natural law” is used. In this context, the term refers to moral principles considered universal and immutable. These may include human rights, justice or moral obligations. The philosophy of law holds that there are inherent moral principles that are above the laws made by humans. But if there are principles and rules that have universal validity and are above positive law because they precede laws conceived and enacted by humans, how can we clarify them? Who has the authority to say exactly what those laws of nature dictate to us?

The natural law is not a written law voted on a certain date by a parliament. It is, however, a bundle of laws that man can reveal through investigation and inquiry. Such a natural law is not fixed, and everyone is allowed to have his or her opinion about it. But then, who may just say that he knows the natural law and may explain it?

Want to read more?

– Next article in this series: (article to be published soon)

– Dutch article on the presocratic philosophers: https://www.filosofie.nl/fundamenten-van-de-beschaving/ . Accessed 20/9/2024.

 

Photo: Image of Pythagoras (1655). Source: Wikimedia Commons.

---