| Abstract |
The purpose of this thesis is to show the importance of the idea of "Natural Law" that is advanced by the ancient Stoics, in modern moral philosophy, applied ethics, and bioethics. The thesis is organized in three parts.
In the first part I investigate the Stoic understanding of nature and physics. I examine what Nature means to the Stoics and what are the characteristics that make it rational. In this chapter I explain the identity of Nature, which has a twofold profile, namely it organizes the world in a logical way but also has a normative aspect, i.e. it determines how man should act. I discuss how Nature penetrates the world and how this is reflected in man too.
In the second part I talk about the idea of "Natural Law." In fact, I refer both to an individual morally and a more general social context, since this idea influenced human life in all areas and had an impact on Roman Law. Cicero and later Roman iurists distinguish between «ius» and «lex», i.e. between the postulate of human code of justice and that of reason and morality. In this section I examine how "Natural Law" is universal but also the link that unites all rational beings in a single morality. Besides, this chapter explains what Stoics mean by freedom and self-determination of the actor and how this safeguards the free will. By doing that, I try to advocate the Stoic explanation of how man acts in accordance with Nature and Natural Law.
Finally, in the third chapter I attempt to demonstrate the contribution of the concept of "Natural Law" in bioethics. I focus on those aspects of this concept which exhibit greater affinity to modern bioethical thought, such as universality and normativity, given the emphasis that Stoics give on the relationship between Nature/World and man and the normative side of this relationship.
I hope I have shown how the Stoic idea of "Natural Law" has been and can be relevant to addressing bioethical issues and why it is one that deserves our attention despite its historical character.
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Η έννοια του φυσικού νόμου στους στωϊκούς και η συμβολή της στη βιοηθική σκέψη
