The natural law is found in us. Philo sophia - lovers of wisdom, started in ancient Greece. Greeks began to use reason to discern the world around them. Meanwhile, the early Jews were given special attention of a Creator, God and understood that reason (or purpose) came from God. There is a law at work. Without natural law, chaos will completely destroy the ordered world. In nature we have entities, with its own properties and characteristics. For example, if you take two molecules of Hydrogen, and mix it with one molecule Oxygen, we get water. A new entity with its own properties was born, however it has quite different the properties of Hydrogen and Oxygen.
Everything in this universe has its own properties. The act of cataloging or classifying objects in to family groups, reflect our need to bring order in a way we understand that already exist in the natural world. Therefore, as human beings, we have certain characteristics that are unique to us. We can observe the natural world and catalog our interaction with it, we can learn, we can set goals, we have a desire to enjoy, a desire for pleasure, a desire to advance our well being. As human beings, we recognize instinct, and that we live above the level of just sheer natural world's instinct. We want to conquer, to seek adventure, to explore, to thrive and prosper. We have a realization of eternity (time goes on after us) and the finality of physical death. Therefore in general, we as human beings cherish the value of passing on goods, wealth and knowledge to our children for their betterment, and also "us" as their baton that they carry into future where we can't go. These are properties of a human being.
The concept of good and bad, only exist in the natural world with respect to life or death. What is good for dog, will promote it's life, while what is bad for it will kill it. Therefore one can argue that the natural law is in itself a set of laws to promote what is good for life. So, all natural law exist for the ultimate promotion and propagation of life. Look at another example, a tree will die if it does not get water, therefore what is good for the tree is to be near water. The natural law dictates what is good for all species in various ways. What is good for a lion, might be what is bad for a gazelle. But the balance of providing what is good is built into the natural law. Remove the lion, and you will get an imbalance that will create an over population of gazelles; that in turn will destroy the vegetation, causing more bad than good. The harmony that preserves the balance is our natural law. As a Christian, I point to Jesus Christ as the One who holds this balance in His hand.
However, man is different from plants and animals, because he is able to conceptualize ideas, and then act on them. He is a reflection of his Creator. Man creates because he reflects the image of the Creator. But to create, you must have a purpose in mind before the creative act is performed. An artist thinks about what he or she want to paint. Thought articulates purpose, preceding the actions taken to create. You are going to create something because it should be or do something! There must be a purpose for this creation. Purpose is defined and driven by mission, and values. An engineer is determined to create the most fuel efficient engine; he or she is driven by perhaps a life purpose for doing so. Mission and values set goals. Goals set things in motion, so that what was an idea can now become a created entity that can be experienced. Things in motion involves work and energy to achieve the goals. The engineer has to operate within the framework of his characteristics in order to create by planning and working through the use of natural law to obtain his goals. This is uniquely man. Well, one can say that animals also can create, take a look at apes. Chimps, for example, "create" beds made of leaves high in the forest canopy. They repeat the pattern of building because it is in their DNA, we don't see them improving the beds they make from one generation to another, they simply are responding to genetic programming called instinct. Again, not so with humans. One generation strives to learn more of the natural world, and works hard to better life. New techniques and method solve problems and give rise to science and technology. It is part of the human species to engage this creation.
Another property unique to humans is trade. Whether you believe in big bang or creation, you cannot deny that early archaeological finding exposes trade from early civilizations. Trade is as natural to humans, as meat is to a lion. We need trade to be human. When proper trade is made regular (regulated), then society has a better chance of experiencing peace and order. Another word for trade is commerce or business. A business exist to provide a specialize product(s) or service(s) created out of an idea to solve a problem. The solution could be a better product, or more efficient service, but whatever it might be, it exist because there is a need for it. You may have several businesses trying to solve the same problem, but eventually the ones that forecast well through competition and best solves the problem, incentivized by reward, moves ahead of others. It is vital part of our being to engage in good trade policies and the by product of these trade policies result in the healthy building of a community. A healthy economy is depended on humans understanding the need for trade as a human property and part of our DNA, and not hinder but enhance it. Therefore what is good for humans, which is to trade is then a natural law for the betterment of humanity. No government, nor groups of any kind should be allowed to impede or hinder the vital practice of free trade, but all humanity should be educated to understand the importance trade is to humanity, and guard the sacred law by an active promotion and vehement support of it. Where nations are concerned, trading partners become peaceable partners. The mutual benefit realized by parties that trade. Economic Theory 101.
