Some Thoughts on Imprecise Usage, Natural Law.

In legal theories this is the supposedly ideal system of law, as distinct from the system of law that actually exists in any given country (the jus civile). A third category is the jus gentium (a kind of summary or distillationof the laws of all nations, specifying a consensus). Nowadays many people are unaware of these three technical terms, especially journalists, other writers and politicians, who glibly speak of “natural law.” In Roman Catholic theology the phrase denotes a highly abstruse definition, as much to do with moral principles as issues of law. With that very distinct exception, it is probably sensible to bear in mind what is now the common usage of the phrase, “natural law,” as being virtually meaningless, apart from whatever the writer or speaker happens to think to be desirable.