What are the differences and similarities of law and ethics?

Answer 1

Whose ethics are we talking about here? Law is law, it is generally very black and white, and set by either law makers or statutory law. Ethics are a very personal set of rules, by which each individual run by, much like Morals. Really Morals and Ethics are closer related than Law to either of them. Ethics are to a person as Morals are to a group, in a sense. Laws are drawn on either of these, or neither, however since each group has a different opinion, and more so each individual opinion differs, Laws don't tend to follow every group's Morals and even more so any person's Ethics.

Answer 2

Laws are mandates – a set of rules of behavior, for which punishments are spelled out for those who do not obey.

Ethics are moral guidelines to assist people in determining what is right and what is wrong.

They are similar in that legal and ethical codes can specify what is considered inappropriate behavior, but bear in mind that a violation of the one is not necessarily a violation of the other.

Answer 3

Law is to Ethics as Accounting is to Finance.

Law is to Ethics as Religion is to Faith.

Law is to Ethics as Marriage is to Love.

Law is to Ethics as Paint by Numbers is to Jackson Pollack.

Law is to Ethics as Communism is to Democracy

Law is to Ethics as Education is to Learning

Law is to Ethics as Californians are to New Yorkers

Answer 4

Difference: Laws set boundaries to what a country can & can`t do. Ethics are the boundaries you set for yourself, & that you think are either proper, or improper.