Natural Law Theory

Natural Law Theory

In attempting to garner an understanding of the nature of law, early legal philosophers and academics formulated what has come to be known as the natural law theory, and has become a literal cornerstone of the development of modern legal thinking.  Although somewhat limited in modern jurisprudential thinking, natural law has had a tremendous impact on our understanding of what law means in society as a baseline from which to build more complex theories.  In this article, we will look at some of the major propositions underpinning the concept of natural law, and the corresponding strengths and weaknesses of this fundamental interpretation of the legal function.

Natural law starts with the basic premise that the law is driven by morality, and consequently is affected by it.  With a history extending back to Aristotle and other early philosophers, the natural law theory has traditionally linked the law with religion and an innate sense of justice, rather than the more pragmatic approaches of some other theories.  Although this might sound rather basic, the principals have been developed and refined through academic debate for centuries ultimately leading to a far more sophisticated theory of the nature of law.  The idea that all law is subject to an unwritten code of morality is fundamental to natural law.  This also throws up some potential problems in terms of civil regulation.  Certain natural law theorists suggest that for a law to be binding on the citizen, it must conform to this sense of natural justice.  However, there is clearly no definitive objective concept of morality, which casts doubt over this principle.  Additionally, the prospect that a law may be disregarded in favour of some higher sense of morality doesn't conform in reality, considering the potential implications of consistently disregarding law on the grounds of the subjective concept of justice.  

Furthermore on this primitive understanding of natural law, the citizen in contravention to the laws of his state, could attempt to excuse his actions through a justification of 'immoral' laws.  This would also create a state of disorder, given the natural variation of personal opinions, which would ultimately render society unworkable.  For this reason, the natural law scheme has failed to garner modern academic acceptance, of course with a few exceptions.

Natural law has been proposed as a consideration in trying war criminals, on the basis of the retrospectivity principle, i.e. no man can be tried for a crime that was not a crime when he committed it.  Many war criminals are merely cogs in the machine of a legal regime, which ultimately permits their actions, however unjustifiable morally.  Natural law theories give a basis for challenge on these grounds, whilst avoiding the awkward question of direct legal contravention, which ultimately works to serve justice.  In this sense, it is perhaps useful as a canon of interpretation and in determining just and equitable outcomes in 'difficult' cases.  However, as a wider legal concept, natural law and the proposed intersection between law and morality seems too awkward to reconcile with considered academic legal understandings.  Having said that, natural law has provided an excellent starting position for further advanced argumentation, and has provided a platform for critique that has been essential to the development of the more sophisticated ideas held in regard in this modern day.

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The Potential Effects of The Iraqi War on the Election

The Potential Effects of The Iraqi War on the Election

The upcoming election has many people wondering exactly how the 'War on Terror' will effect the decision for our next President.  With President Bush's approval ratings taking a nose-dive in recent years it seems as if the American people are ready for a change, and want the troops that have been overseas for so long to be returned home to their families and loved ones.  Many Americans are upset over the length of time the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have dragged on, and with the steadily rising death toll brave soldiers and their families are paying the ultimate sacrifice for something they no longer wish to be a part of.

The military is beginning to feel the effects of the war as well, with almost 4,000 soldiers deserting in 2006 alone, the highest numbers since World War 2.  Many are looking to avoid the war and chaos as much as possible, which leaves the country trying to determine whether another Republican in office is going to make things better, or potentially worse for the country.  As some issues in Iraq are cleaned up, more appear on an almost daily basis, causing the troops return date to be delayed even further.

Many Americans are also highly upset that while the troops are overseas, there is no definite timeframe for withdrawal, and no clear idea of when they will return home.  No timeline has been determined, despite the long duration of military presence in these conflict areas.  People all across the country are starting to feel as if this is potentially nothing more than a game that President Bush is playing, while using the troops as his personal game chips.  A deadline for returning the troops has been discussed numerous times, yet has never materialized into anything worthwhile.

Where does this leave the country?  With thousands killed in Iraq there are numerous votes that should have been counted in the next election that will be missing, as the fallen soldiers are all missed.  With Bush's approval ratings in the mid to low 30's range, it is starting to look very bleak for the Republican party to manage to find a strong enough candidate to run on their ticket who can repair the massive 'goodwill' damage from the Bush administration.

It is suspected that the effects of the war will have a damper on the election, especially since in the course of the war the House has moved to a Democratic majority in power.  With this major shift, as well as Bush's approval ratings being so low, it seems obvious that the people are sitting up and taking notice of everything that is occurring all around the country, the question remains, is how deeply this will upset the election and how heavily it will weigh on the minds of voters while they are standing in the polls casting those final ballots.

Many are rejoicing that Bush is unable to run, after seeing the war, as well as the state of the economy and hoping for a much better outcome from the next election.  With the next election, looming in the horizon it will be very interesting to see how everything plays out in the political arena and the attitudes and ideas that the candidates will be emphasizing.

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Healthy Food Choices

Eating healthy is something we all would like to do,
although it can be hard.  In order to eat healthy, you
must first make the right food choices.  Eating healthy
is all about what you eat, which makes the choices very
crucial to your results.

Grains
You should consume 6 ounces of grains per day.  To do this,
you can eat 3 ounces of whole grain cereals, breads, rice,
crackers, or pasta.  You can get an ounce of grains in
a single slice of bread, or 1 cut of cereal.

Vegetables
These should be varied, as you should eat 2 1/2 cups of
them each day.  You should start eating more of the dark
vegetables, such as broccili and spinach.  Carrots and
sweet potatoes are good as well.  You should also eat
more dry beans such as peas, pinto beans, and even kidney
beans.

Fruits
Fruits are very important.  You should try to eat 2 cups
of them each day.  Focus on eating a variety, such as
fresh, frozen, canned, or even dried fruit.  You can
drink fruit juices as well, although you should use
moderation when doing so.

Milk
Milk is your calcium rich friend.  For adults, 3 cups
is the ideal goal.  For kids 2 - 8, 2 cups is where you
want to be.  When choosing milk products or yogurt, you
should go for fat-free or low-fat.  Those of you who
don't like milk or can't have it, should go for lactose
free products or other sources of calcium such as fortified
foods and beverages.

Meat and beans
Eating 5 ounces a day is the ideal goal, as you should go
lean with your protein.  When eating meat, always bake it,
grill it, or broil it, as this will prevent grease from
adding to the equation.  You should vary your protein
as well, with more fish, beans, peas, and nuts.

When cooking your food, you should also limit solid fats
such as butter, margarine, shortening, and lard.  These
foods may add flavor to your dishes, although they can
also help raise your cholesterol as well.  Therefore, you
should try to add these foods and any foods that happen
to contain them.

To help keep your saturated fat, trans fat, and sodium low,
you can check the nutrition facts label.  This label can
be found on the food package and will tell you all the
information you need to know about the food item.

By picking your foods wisely and watching what you eat,
you'll help control your lifestyle.  Exercise is great as
well, as it goes along perfect with a healthy eating
lifestyle.  No matter what your age may be, eating healthy
will help you keep your active lifestyle for years and
years - even help you and your health in the long run
as well.