Natural Law, Natural Rights, and American Constitutionalism

The Witherspoon Institute ^ | 2016 | Witherspoon Institute

[Godebert]

As is evident by the variety of thinkers and source documents presented here, the natural law and natural right tradition is a complex and many-sided body of moral and political thought. It is unified, however, by an agreement as to the natural (as distinguished from conventional or man-made) character of principles of right and wrong, and of justice and injustice. Philosophers and statesmen who think and act within this shared understanding agree that the standards that ought to guide the ordering of political and social life are accessible to human reason. One can find this appeal to natural standards of justice in students of politics as diverse as Plato’s Socrates, Thomas Aquinas, early modern thinkers such as Thomas Hobbes and John Locke, and the leading lights of American constitutionalism, from the revolutionary and constitutional founders to Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King. As such, the natural law and natural right tradition merits the thoughtful consideration of any citizen seeking to deepen his or her knowledge of the foundations of the American political order.

[Godebert]

An excellent resource for all Citizens. This should be added to Freerepublic's resource links. All those individuals professing to be "Conservatives" should have a basic understanding of Natural Law and it's importance to the founding of our republic.

[Godebert]

This following essay explores the sources and foundations of American law. The thesis of this essay is that the essential American legal principles of equality, rights and government by consent, are derived from the laws of God, articulated in the Declaration of Independence under the general appellation of the “Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God,” and incorporated into the various state constitutions and the federal Constitution. This essay briefly surveys the laws of nature and of nature’s God as that law was first expressed in Creation and then verbalized in the Declaration’s text and the Constitution’s clauses.

The Laws of Nature and of Nature's God: The True Foundation of American Law

[Jacquerie]

The Elusive Ninth Amendment.

[Radix]

Terrific link which I thank you for sharing. It prompted me to look into your profile here and incredibly, I find myself in accord with virtually all of it.

[Jacquerie]

Basic understanding and compliance with Natural Law, the Law of Reason, is essential to personal and national happiness.

Nations find themselves in lots of trouble and misery when they wallow in violation of Natural Law.

[Jacquerie]

Thanks. Only recently have I come to determine that judges have no business in the determination of rights.

“An ya shoulda seen the other guy!” LMAO.

[Godebert]

Thanks for the link. Bookmarked for future reference.

[ImNotLying]

bfl

[fwdude]

Witherspoon Instutitute consistently puts out solid, excellent articles that should be required reading for all conservatives, and every child.

[StoneWall Brigade]

Ping

For your interest

[fella]

Bump for later

[PGalt]

There is a part of human existence which necessarily remains individual and independent, and which by right is beyond all social or legislative competence. Society’s authority, and thus that of legislation, exists only to a relative and limited extent. At the point where the independence of individual existence begins, the authority of legislation stops. If legislation crosses this line, it usurps.

Individual rights are a part of human existence which should remain independent of legislation. They are rights which legislation should never touch, rights over which society has no jurisdiction, rights which it cannot invade without making itself as guilty of tyranny as the despot who has no other title to authority than a deadly sword. The government’s legitimacy depends on its purpose as much as on its source. When this authority is extended over purposes which are outside its sphere, it becomes illegitimate.

Benjamin Constant

http://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/commentary-on-filangieris-work

[MosesKnows]

All those individuals professing to be "Conservatives" should have a basic understanding of Natural Law and it's importance to the founding of our republic.

Please allow me ... All those individuals professing to be "Conservatives" should have a basic understanding of Natural Law and it's importance to the founding of our republic.

[RebelTex]

Thank you for your post and links to excellent resources about Natural Law. These reinforce and document what many of us have known for a long time.

[Godebert]

Thanks for the link. Bookmarked for future reference.

[Godebert]

You are absolutely correct.

[knarf]

WOW ... thanx

[little jeremiah]

A Huge Placemark to read later.

[Godebert]

BTTT....