Professor’s New Book Explores Why Right, Wrong Still Matter

Dr. Steven Jensen finished a new book titled, "The Natural Law: A Beginner's Thomistic Guide," which offers clear insights into perplexing ethical dilemmas, drawing upon the timeless wisdom of St. Thomas Aquinas.

The way Dr. Jensen decided to write the book is a tale as old as time.

"I wrote the book because my wife wanted me to - what better reason?," he said. "I had written many scholarly books and articles on aspects of the natural law, but she was concerned that too many people are being misled about the natural law, and she thought that an introductory book might help to guide people in the right direction."

Therefore, during his sabbatical in the fall of 2022, he devoted his time to making the natural law relatable for the average reader.

"As it unfolded, I saw three important themes: moral realism, the morality of harming others, and society," he said. "Our society is plagued with moral relativism, so a clear statement of moral realism is indispensable. Furthermore, in the 20th century we saw unprecedented attacks upon human dignity, including the Holocaust, the communist starvation of Ukrainians and Chinese, and the travesty of abortion. Consequently, our culture desperately needs a clear statement about what harmful actions are acceptable and what harmful actions are unacceptable. Finally, fundamental societal structures are crumbling around us, including most importantly the family but also political society is being undermined through various totalitarian regimes, such as communism. The book plays out according to these three themes."

Dr. Jensen is a University of St. Thomas Tenured Professor of Philosophy, Bishop Nold Chair in Graduate Philosophy and Director of Center for Thomistic Studies.

His areas of research include ethics, medieval philosophy, Thomas Aquinas, action theory, biomedical ethics, natural law, and human dignity.

Find "The Natural Law: A Beginner's Thomistic Guide" wherever books are sold.