Often people will say an action or inaction is "wrong" simply because it's against the law. What do you think. Is breaking the law malum in se (wrong by nature) or are some laws actually immoral?
2006-06-23 08:36:18 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
I suppose it all depends on your own morality. Breaking the law does not necessarily make you an immoral person i.e. a father stealing a loaf of bread to feed his family. Its a slippery slope, though, because sometimes the letter of the law overrides the intent. Some laws seem immoral to me. Any law that deprives people of personal liberty is immoral, be it looking at what books you read at the library or banning cigarette smoking in a bar.
2006-06-23 08:55:02 · answer #1 · answered by DIRT MCGIRT 3 · 3⤊ 2⤋
Like they say, you can't legislate morality. And you can be as immoral as you want, as long as it isn't covered by the law, or you've found a loophole. Plus, sometimes not acting would be immoral, but the law rarely covers that. And most laws have nothing to do with morality. Indiana has laws that are insane. At one point in the 1800's they actually passed a law defining the value of pi to be 4! And there are still laws here that you can't sell cars or liquor on Sundays! (Tell that to the Indy 500 crowd!)
2006-06-23 15:59:25 · answer #2 · answered by cross-stitch kelly 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've taken a couple law classes and my point of view is; legality and morality are not synonymous. Morals are based on the beliefs of the people... laws are based on a large generalization of the people. Sometimes breaking the law seems like the moral thing to do.. for example; you witness someone being harassed and you have three choices: 1)do nothing, pretend you never saw it. 2)Call the police and give a statement. 3)"take care of" the situation yourself.
The legal thing to do would be number 2... call the police.
The Moral thing to do would probably be number 3... take care of it yourself. but number 3 could get you brought up on assault charges or harassment charges depending on what the plaintiff in the case decides to try for.
I'm not saying the law itself is immoral... I'm saying the moral action itself depending on what it is... could be considered illegal.
2006-06-23 15:49:54 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely not! In fact, more often, they're antonyms. Morality is not determined by the government. Morality exists separate from government if it can be said to exist at all. Any action seen as desirable by a person, so long as it is not forcing anything on another, is just and moral. It's called natural law and is a core part of libertarian philosophy.
2006-06-23 15:44:27 · answer #4 · answered by fatkidsfighting 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
breaking any law is immoral unless the law itself is immoral, but i still think you should accept the consequences of your actions even if it was the right thing to do
2006-06-23 15:41:45 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some actions are legal but immoral. Some actions are moral but illegal.
2006-06-23 18:08:51 · answer #6 · answered by bestanswer 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ofcouse they are not, there is a right and wrong,and to follow those ethics is "moral", legality is simply obedience to the enforced ethics of another, they are written and altered by man, but that which is right is metaphysical and hence unalterable.
2006-06-23 15:48:46 · answer #7 · answered by iconoclast_ensues 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What do you think about slavery? how about abortion? They both seem morally wrong to me, but they were BOTH legal at one time...
2006-06-23 15:48:31 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
man are you in the wrong place. in the middle east THEY ARE THE SAME (or will be if we would just leave them alone ) hope you make it there soon , have fun.
2006-06-23 15:52:44 · answer #9 · answered by fact checker 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think so.
2006-06-23 15:40:26 · answer #10 · answered by B 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋