2007-03-08 02:10:06 · 11 answers · asked by km 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
In the old days (when people were more philosophical than today) there were two kinds of law: natural law and positive law. Natural law was what is "wired in" to us; theists would say that, although it is tarnished in various ways in different people (Christians would say because of sin), it comes from God. Positive law, on the other hand, is what a legally constituted society agrees to. Positive law should reflect natural law, of course: you generally only punish via positive law what is thought to be wrong through natural law.
However, the two do not always go hand in hand. Usually the natural law will prohibit things the positive law will not. That's something that's legal though not ethical (for example, abortion, as the other answer notes). Sometimes the positive law will prohibit something that most people's perception of natural law does not; although, if the positive law is just, I believe that it should.
Let me give a personal example of the latter: the no-right-turn-on-red law that is in force at certain intersections in the town where I live. I used to think that law ridiculous: why am I sitting here waiting when I could just go through? I usually followed it, though not happily. Then one day I was a pedestrian myself, and I found out why there was no right turn on red. It suddenly made sense to me: positive law matched with natural law.
2007-03-08 02:21:18 · answer #1 · answered by Gary B 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Ethical is a subjective term. Legal is an objective term. Something that is legal according to the law might be unethical in the eyes of a segment of the population. It would be unreasonable (and completely scary) to create laws for every situation imaginable in order to define what is ethical to the public. No one would agree, nor should they. Legal guidelines, however, are to be followed (in theory) by all citizens.
2007-03-08 10:17:34 · answer #2 · answered by justcurious 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Legal only means that it is allowed by law. Somethings that are fully allowed by law are unethical. Would it be ethical to walk up to a young child and tell them that there is no Santa Clause? Certainly there is no law preventing you from doing that, but it's undoubedly unethical.
Likewise there are some laws on the books outlawing things which are fully ethical. Would it be ethical to break the speed limit if you are rushing someone to the hospital? Of course. But it's still against the law to speed.
2007-03-08 10:17:14 · answer #3 · answered by Louis G 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Something that is illegal means that it is against a national/state/county/municipal law. Something that is unethical is something that most people would view to be wrong, but there are no laws against it. Normally an organization has an ethics board that sets rules, and if the rules are broken there are some set consequences.
2007-03-08 10:15:09 · answer #4 · answered by juddthestud1987 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The definition of ethical is pertaining to or dealing with morals or the principles of morality; pertaining to right and wrong in conduct, or being in accordance with the rules or standards for right conduct or practice.
The definition of legal is "permitted by law".
Just because something is legal doesn't make it moral or honest.
2007-03-08 10:18:02 · answer #5 · answered by TMOM 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Legal is man-made...i.e., determined by a legislature and/or a court. Ethical adheres to a higher law, perhaps a natural law. It may be legal, for example, for a public employee to retire from a job, start getting retirement pension benefits, and then get appointed back to the same job....but it is not ethical.
2007-03-08 10:14:46 · answer #6 · answered by kingstubborn 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
An analogy: Is it okay to do something just because it is legal? The difference being that just because it is legal, doesn't make It the right thing to do. Integrity is the key to making this decision.
2007-03-08 10:18:26 · answer #7 · answered by Ben H 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If it's illegal, there is a law prohibiting it. Ethical questions are not always covered under the law. Ethics are more closely related to morals than they are to laws.
2007-03-08 10:18:16 · answer #8 · answered by Bush Invented the Google 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
An action can be unethical without being illegal... It has to do with integrity.
If you see someone accidently drop a $10.00 bill on the sidewalk and you pick it up and stick it in your pocket instead of giving it back to the person who dropped it - that is unethical - but not illegal.
2007-03-08 10:14:31 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Although gossiping about your boss isn't a crime, it's not a very ethical thing to do.
One has to do with law, the other with morals.
2007-03-08 10:13:40 · answer #10 · answered by NightShade 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋