Proportionalism and the Natural Law Tradition [Hardcover]

Christopher Robert Kaczor (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2002 | ISBN-10: 0813210933 | ISBN-13: 978-0813210933

Consequentialism and Catholic ethics seem to be natural enemies. The Catholic prohibition against intentionally killing the innocent, lying, committing adultery, and so on contradicts the very essence of consequentialism that no act may be assessed as good or evil independently of its consequences. However in the 1960s within the Catholic tradition itself, there arose a method in ethics called proportionalism which practically, if not theoretically, affirmed that which consequentialists have long affirmed and Catholic ethicists had so long denied, namely one may do evil that good may come. According to proportionalists, so long as the good effects are proportioned to the bad effects of the act, the act is licit even if evil is used as a means to achieve the good.

In this book, Christopher Kaczor argues against the plausibility of proportionalism and its first proponents, namely Peter Knauer, Joseph Fuchs, Bruno Schüller, Louis Janssens, and Richard McCormick. Examining the genealogy of the movement, he disputes a received history that depicts proportionalism as a recovery of Thomas Aquinas. Instead, contends Kaczor, proportionalism is best seen as the organic successor to the moral manuals of the pre-Vatican II era. Proportionalism arises not from Thomas but rather extends many of the tendencies and presuppositions of the manuals. In particular, it retains their marginalizing of the account of human action as a knowing-willing involving a number of stages not always consciously recognized yet carefully described by Thomas in Summa theologiae, Prima Secundae, 6-17. Kaczor shows that a great deal of the plausibility of proportionalism rests on a fragile foundation that is rapidly eroding, an education in the moral manuals.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"Balanced discussions that fairly portray both sides of the proportionalism debate are rare; Christopher Kaczor's recent book is one such source. . . . Although no fan of proportionalis, Kaczor succeeds in clearing up the misunderstandings; because of this, his book is an invaluable contribution, and it appears none too soon. . . . Kaczor is a well-organized writer. His chapters are systematically presented. He first gives the context of the chapter's area of discussion, then defines the crucial terms, gives the moralists' views on the subject (often, this amounts to explaining how they have understood the key terms), and finally offers a detailed discussion of a few common cases to illustrate his points. This consistently helps the reader through difficult material. . . . This is a well-done and very useful book for anyone either interested in the principle of double effect, proportionalism, or the scholastic influence upon moral theology."--Nancy M. Rourke, Irish Theological Quarterly

"Excellent, well-argued . . . the best study of proportionalism available displaying considerable knowledge of the system. . . ."--Leo J. Elders, Review of Metaphysics

"Those tempted to dismiss proportionalism simply because it has been the target of magisterial ire would do well to read Kaczor."--Catholic Studies

"Well-written and thorough. . . . Kaczor avoids the 'inflated' and 'abrasive rhetoric' characteristic of most other critiques of proportionalism as he takes on the thorny and much debated question of whether proportionalism is an expression of authentic Catholic doctrine. . . . This book will undoubtedly stimulate many discussions in Catholic moral theology."--Aline H. Kalbian, Review of Politics

"...Kaczor's study is a remarkable achievement. It is simply the best book-length critique of proportionalism currently available. Anyone wishing to understand proportionalism and why it fails as method of moral analysis would do well to read Kaczor's book."-Michael Sherwin, O.P., The Thomist

"[T]he best study of proportionalism available displaying considerable knowledge of the system." -- Leo Elders, Review of Metaphysics --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Christopher Kaczor is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Loyola Marymount University. He has studied with the foremost American proponent of proportionalism, Richard A. McCormick, S.J. Kaczor is author of numerous articles and reviews, and editor of Proportionalism—For and Against.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 248 pages
• Publisher: Catholic University of America Press (June 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813210933
• ISBN-13: 978-0813210933
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,636,084 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Christopher Kaczor is currently Professor of Philosophy at Loyola Marymount University. Raised in Seattle, Dr. Kaczor graduated from Boston College (1992) and holds a Ph.D. (1996) from the University of Notre Dame. He did post-doctoral work in Germany at the Universität zu Köln as a Fulbright Scholar in 2002-2003. Dr. Kaczor has been interviewed on issues of ethics, philosophy, and religion for newspapers and radio stations across the country as well as on television on EWTN, ABC, NBC, Fox, CBS, MSNBC, and The Today Show. His website is http://myweb.lmu.edu/ckaczor/

Customer Reviews

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Collection of Reviews, April 19, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Proportionalism and the Natural Law Tradition (Hardcover)

"Does proportionalism mark a renewal of moral theology, as revisionist theologians claim, or is it a corruption? In his insightful and well-written analysis of proportionalism, Christopher Kaczor attempts to answer this question. ... Kaczor's study is a remarkable achievement. It is simply the best book-length critique of proportionalism currently available. Anyone wishing to understand proportionalism and why it fails as method of moral analysis would do well to read Kaczor's book." The Thomist

"Kaczor explores important differences between proportionalist and Thomistic meanings of intention/foresight, proportionate reason, and the object of human action. ... He handles Thomas deftly, and endevors to reflect the breadth of proportionalist thinnking when he introduces it." Theological Studies

"An instructive critique of proportionalism in Catholic ethics. Against those who insist that it represents a recovery of Thomistic moral reasoning or an outgrowth of the 'spirit of Vatican II,' the author convincingly argues that proportionalism reflects and amplifies the peculiar theoretical weaknesses of the neo-scholasticism that dominated the intellectual life of the Church prior to Vatican II." First Things

"Past critiques of proportionalism have taken various forms. ... Kaczor's scholarly and carefully argued book represents a different genre altogether. Nevertheless, while he avoids the heated rhetoric associated with attacks on proportionalism, his seemingly gentle appraisal and evaluation of proportionalism is a bit misleading. It is, in fact, much more serious and damning than many offered previously. Kaczor deliberately and carefully tries to discredit proportionalism by hitting it where he can cause the most damage. Thus, instead of simply writing it off as an unimportant blip in the history of Catholicism, he acknowledges its importance. Instead of agreeing with those who might claim that proportionalism shares little with the tradition of Catholic moral theology, Kaczor argues that it does, but charts it on the neo-Scholastic branch of the family tree. This book will undoubtedly stimulate many discussions in Catholic moral theology." The Review of Politics