A law enforces the principles and edicts established in a community by some jurisdiction and applicable to its people – this is the cardinal statement that has been made by Joseph Albo in The Book of Principles. He expounds on the basic teachings of Judaism with its accent on superiority of the divine law. The essence of Albo’s philosophy is the affinity between divine revelation in both reward and punishment for human deeds. The supremacy of the divine law is revealed in the context of Albo’s work, when cultivating optimal individual traits. Albo contrasts the nomic and divine laws, demonstrating a bias to the divine law. He emphasizes the binding factor of divine Law which proves to be the most perfect kind of law, as it is intended for man's “true happiness.”(248)
Albo begins to explore the aspects of laws that govern the human race by differentiating three principal laws, which are natural, nomic and divine law. He compares nomic law to divine law, while explaining the meaning of natural law as a universal law which equally applies to all the people always and everywhere. The laws are intended to promote justice and manage (even eradicate) injustice; however, they are divergent in their rationale. Nomic law is not regarded as completely fair due to its ambiguity, while divine law gives precise and specific guidelines. Divine law intends to guide individuals in obtaining true happiness and at the same time it teaches society to refrain from abstract happiness so they do not accrue false hope.
The author argues no man’s intellect is adequate to differentiate correctly between “fair and despicable.”(242) He asserts the primary reason for which the nomic law fails to be equal to divine law is because of nomic law’s enduring focus on merely what is fair and what is not fair. The overriding advantage of divine law is its ability to “embrace perfection in moral qualities and doctrines, which are the two parts upon which the perfection of the soul depends.” (244) Restoration of the soul is the final outcome in the process of human perfection that comes as a result of divine law.
From the onset of the excerpt the author provides the reader with a meticulous defense of the ideas dealing with divine law. In turn, Albo exhibits superiority of the divine law over the nomic law. The ideas are supported by a steady stream of arguments that are presented to the reader in a straightforward manner. Albo illustrates the failure of nomic law to differentiate between the “fair and despicable” (244). As I see it, Albo addresses profound problems of human existence that are often marked by the conflict of choice between the divine and nomic laws. In addition, Albo questions human intellect. So, do we really have to live by nomic law or divine law? Or maybe both?
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What interested me the most from Joseph Albo's excerpt is the way he compared the three respective laws. What stood out the most to me is that one of the functions of divine law is it "trains them (people) to abandon imaginary happiness so that they may not desire it and feel its loss," (Pg 243). That stood out to be because I felt that natural and nomic law could not give that kind of benefit to humans.
What I took from this is that natural laws are things that all humans every where follow. These things develop from our natural instincts. The nomic laws are the ones that come from society. For example, our written laws. The divine law comes from a higher power, in this case God and his teachings are in the Torah. Natural and divine law do not change whereas nomic law does. Divine law is better than nomic law because nomic law was created by people and since people are flawed they will never be able to create a perfect system like God can. This makes divine law better according to Albo.
I think we govern our individual actions via divine and natural law, but when placed into the context of society, must draw up these nomic laws to fully verbalize the sentiments of people as a whole. Acting collectively by creating nomic law allows society to each place their individual rights second to the full rights of all. Doing so, they protect negative freedoms and are allowed to live according to divine law.
I think that both laws, nomic and divine will always be present among society. Divine law, the law that governs perfectly which is represented by religion, gives us our morals that will always have an effect towards our actions. Nomic law is said to be governed by the community and for the community. These laws have to be in effect to have society under control if not anyone can justify their actions on account that the divine laws permitted it. Both of these laws I believe are necessary to live by.
I think that the divine law is the most powerful law and that the nomic laws should be derived from the divine laws. The divine laws were made by the Gods, compared to the nomic law which is made by a monarchy. I also agree that the nomic law is not equivalent to divine law because it only establishes what is just and unjust. The Divine law fits every case, and covers every type of law. Also Aldo explains how the renewal of the soul is what people should aim for and the only way their soul can continue is by following the divine law. In conclusion to this, I believe that the divine law is higher than the nomic law.
I feel Joesph Ablo is unoriginal from a Catholic's standpoint. Ablo proposes a serious of fundamental beliefs which he calls principles.These principles are then characterized through divine law. I feel like I am repeating CCD class all over again. Believe in a god, follow the scripture and there are consequences of not accepting them. I feel like he really didn't add much to divine law. And what if we do not accept divine law what happens, are we considered a heretic?
Albo makes an important distinction between nomic law and divine law; the former differs in "intention" from the latter (242). He mentions that the intention of nomic law is to "repel the despicable according to the commonly accepted view," while the intention of divine law is to "guide men to obtain true happiness, which is spiritual happiness and immortality" (242). Perhaps Albo is suggesting that nomic law governs the realm of social convention. In contrast, divine law governs the realm of the spiritual. It is important to note, however, that social convention is constantly changing, while, according to Albo's religious dogma, the spiritual realm is eternal and immutable. It is in this way that Albo's message implies a concept central to Neo-Platonistism-- nomic law meshes well with the concrete, ephemeral, earthly realm; divine law is important to the abstract, intransient heavenly realm.
Divine law can always be seen as the perfect, unchangeable law since it comes from God (or the gods). Nomic law, or human law, will always be the written form that regulates the ordinary lives of citizens. Nomic and Divine law can be compared to temporal and eternal law, respectively. Nomic is ever changing while the Divine is never changed. But they are both applicable to our existence.
I feel that there is an excessive bias toward the superiority of divine law throughout Albo’s writing. He highlights the eternal and unchanging domination of divine law over everything and speaks of nomic law as imperfect and flawed through human error. We are to blame for the failure of nomic law because as human beings we are nowhere near the excellence of God who bestowed divine law through prophecy. Therefore, divine law is the essence of perfection and reigns supreme because nomic law is as inadequate and limited as the human race.
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