Let us move on from preoccupation with whether the law should enforce morality by accepting that the law does, and should, depend on moral values"
Discuss
"Let us move on from preoccupation with whether the law should enforce morality by accepting that the law does, and should, depend on moral values"
The law is a "system of rules which a particular country or community recognizes as regulating the actions of its members and which it may enforce by the imposition of penalties". To create this "system", the law consists of legal rules, moral rules, private rules and rules of natural justice. This is to achieve justice and regulate conduct within a country and all these rules can have an effect on our daily lives whether it involves wealth, health, strength, power or safety. Great Britain is a democracy giving each person the right of freedom of speech, movement, religion and privacy. In order to exercise these freedoms, rules have to be put into place to ensure other people's rights are not interfered with.
The law is compulsory and if breached, a sanction will be given. The law varies between countries so focusing on English law, Christian morals have some involvement in shaping the legal system.
Morals are "concerned with the principles of right and wrong behaviour" and try to achieve the perfect society. As a society, people have different morals which can be based on a persons religion, beliefs and upbringing.
Unlike legal rules, morals are not compulsory. If something was deemed to be morally (but not legally) wrong, a sanction would not be enforceable by the law. It would however have an influence on a person's feelings (i.e. guilt, self loathing, disappointment).
It is clear that that the law and morals coincide however morally wrong is distinguishable from lawfully wrong. Abortion could be deemed to be morally wrong, believing all humans should have care and respect before birth however on the other hand, it could be seen as...