A Land Without Natural Law
The Kingdom of Memoria
The Kingdom of Memoria, under King Lockhart’s reign, had long been trapped in a web of confusion. Its people had been taught to believe that reality was simply a matter of subjective perception. No longer did they look to reason or nature to understand the world. The teachings of scholars such as Nominalist Peter, Idealist Helena, and Behaviorist Titus had long replaced true wisdom with artificial constructs and fabricated systems. The kingdom had become a land devoid of meaning beyond personal expression and subjective identity. The natural law, a law that governed all things in the universe, was unknown to them, lost to the people in a fog of uncertainty.
People of Memoria wandered in ignorance, unable to recognize the principles that held the natural world, and their lives, together. They believed there was no higher order, no universal truths that applied to all people, regardless of time, place, or belief. Their education and the state’s guidance led them to think of morality as a collection of arbitrary rules, shaped by the current mood of the rulers, or worse, as a matter of purely personal preference.
“How could there be laws written into the fabric of the universe?” wondered one man, a merchant in Memoria. “The only laws that matter are the ones we make to suit ourselves, the ones we can change and adapt as we see fit.” “How could something like ‘natural law’ apply to us?” questioned a woman in the village square. “Isn’t it just a theory? Does it even make sense?” To them, the notion that there was a natural order, a set of universal truths binding all of humanity, seemed ridiculous. They had long ago abandoned any real knowledge of their true nature, and with it, any knowledge of how to live justly in a world governed by objective principles.
The Arrival of the Philosophers of Essentia: The First Step to Understanding Natural Law
In the distant land of Essentia, King Reidan had long understood that true freedom and flourishing could only be realized when a people lived in accordance with the natural law; the unchanging principles that governed all of creation, embedded in nature and accessible to human reason. King Reidan saw the plight of Memoria and knew that in order to awaken them to true liberty, they must first understand natural law and moral order, not as abstract theories, but as practical principles that governed their lives. Thus, King Reidan sent his philosophers, wise in the ways of reason and natural law, to help the people of Memoria. When the philosophers arrived, they saw the ignorance of the people firsthand. They were consumed by the belief that truth and justice were malleable, that identity could be created out of thin air, and that no greater law bound them to one another or to nature.
Philosopher Arion stood before a crowd in the central square and began to speak. “What if I told you,” he said, “that there is a law, not of the state or of human invention, but of nature itself; a law that governs every tree, every river, every mountain, and every human life?” The crowd laughed nervously. “What do you mean? There’s no law of nature. There’s only what we make of things. The laws of the land are the only ones that matter.” Arion smiled. “You are right in one sense, but wrong in another. The laws of the land, those created by the state, are important, but they are not the only laws that govern us. There is a greater law, one that applies to all things, regardless of what we decide. It is the law of nature, a law written into the fabric of the world. And it is in understanding this law that we can learn to live justly, as free people.”
The people were intrigued but confused. “What does it mean to live according to this law?” asked one man. Arion replied, “It means recognizing that there are objective truths about right and wrong, good and bad, just and unjust. It means understanding that all humans, by virtue of their nature, have certain rights; rights that cannot be taken away by the state or by any man.” He continued, “These rights are part of the natural law, and they are grounded in the very essence of what it means to be human. You do not need to ask for them, for they are already yours by nature. The duty of the state is not to give you rights, but to protect those that are inherent in your nature.”
The First Step Toward Natural Law: Realizing the Essence of Nature
The people of Memoria struggled to grasp the idea of natural law. After all, they had been taught for generations that reality was simply a construct—what they believed or were told. They had no experience of living in accordance with any kind of higher moral order. Philosopher Arion took a different approach to help them understand:
“Let’s begin with the most basic principle,” Arion said. “Can you all see the tree in the town square? Can you observe it with your senses?”
The people nodded, and some pointed to the towering oak. “Yes, we see it. It is there.”
“Now, imagine that tree did not exist. What would happen? Would it suddenly become a bush or a flower, or would it remain true to its nature, rooted in the earth, stretching upward toward the sky?”
They all agreed that it would remain true to its nature. “The tree is a tree because it cannot be anything else,” Arion continued. “Its essence is inseparable from its existence. It grows and lives according to the principles embedded in its nature.”
Arion turned toward the people. “Just like the tree, you too have an essence, a nature that defines you as human. Your human essence cannot be changed by the state or by others. It is grounded in reason, in morality, and in the natural law that binds all of us together.”
He paused, allowing his words to sink in.
“The natural law is not something arbitrary. It is the order of the universe—the moral structure of right and wrong that exists regardless of human opinion or state decree. It tells us that we have rights to life, liberty, and property because these rights flow from our essence as human beings.”
The Shift in Memoria: Learning to Live According to Natural Law
Slowly, the people of Memoria began to understand. They began to see that natural law was not a foreign concept imposed upon them, but rather a part of their very being. They began to see that their rights to life, liberty, and property were not gifts from the state but inalienable aspects of their human nature. The philosophers of Essentia taught the people that reason; the ability to understand the world and their place in it, was the key to living in accordance with natural law. They showed them that true freedom came from recognizing these universal principles, not from abandoning them. One by one, the people began to see that self-governance was not the freedom to do as one pleases, but the responsibility to live justly in accordance with natural law. They understood that their actions had consequences, not just for themselves but for the community. They began to understand that the state’s role was to protect their rights, not define or grant them, and that moral truth was not subjective or malleable, but rooted in their shared human nature.
The Transformation: A Kingdom of Justice and Liberty
In time, the Kingdom of Memoria underwent a profound transformation. The people, now aware of their essence and their duties to live in accordance with natural law, rebuilt their society. The state no longer had the power to manipulate their identities or memories. They no longer viewed themselves as mere products of state control or social constructs, but as individuals bound together by a common understanding of truth, justice, and liberty. In this new kingdom, the people flourished. They were free, not because they could do anything they wanted, but because they had learned to live according to the objective principles of natural law. They understood that true freedom was the ability to govern themselves, to make decisions based on reason, and to respect the rights of others. And so, the Kingdom of Memoria, once a land of confusion and denial, was reborn; a land where the people knew their essence, understood the natural law, and thrived in liberty, justice, and mutual respect.