Ethics & Law - Explained
How does law affect the understanding of ethics?
Written by J. Mance Gordon
Updated at April 21st, 2024
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What is the role of ethics in law?
- Both ethics and law deal with right and wrong and foster social cooperation.
- Societys ethical values become law through legislation and we often associate complying with the law as ethically correct.
- That the state enforces law but that personal ethics are voluntarily observed.
- Ethical systems are a broader based commitment to proper behavior than law.
- The values found in ethics may be imposed on an individual, but motivation to observe moral rules comes from within.
- That ethical values frequently become law and that legal regulation reflects ethical values.
- Ex. Civil Rights Act of 1964
- Legal regulation is a significant source of values for business.
- The motivation to observe the law come from outside oneself i.e., legal consequences.
- Personal ethics is a much higher standard than legal compliance which is a bare minimum.