Is It Ever Right To Break The Law?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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It can be morally right to break an immoral law , although of course one must accept the consequences of breaking the law. ... Second, one must be breaking the law for the correct reasons. A person must break the law not because it is convenient to do so, but because they sincerely believe the law is unjust.

Is it ever morally right to violate the law?

Sometimes laws may feel unjust. ... There are also examples of the opposite, morally wrong actions that are legally permitted (lying to a friend, exploiting a loophole in the law to avoid paying taxes). Therefore, it can indeed be morally right , and even indicated, to break the law in certain situations.

When should I break the law?

If you truly believe the law is wrong , you should break it in a public way so that people can see what you are doing. You should then prove your sincerity by taking the punishment for your actions. If all of these criteria are met, breaking the law is acceptable.

What causes a person to break the law?

Poverty, parental neglect, low self-esteem, alcohol and drug abuse can be connected to why people break the law. Some are at greater risk of becoming offenders because of the circumstances into which they are born.

Is it ever justifiable to break the law?

It is now widely agreed that a person can be morally justified in breaking a law , even a valid law in a democracy whose institutions are by and large just. There is much less agreement, however, about the sorts of considerations that constitute good moral reasons in support of disobedience.

What laws are morally wrong?

Morally wrong acts are activities such as murder, theft, rape, lying, and breaking promises . Other descriptions would be that they are morally prohibited, morally impermissible, acts one ought not to do, and acts one has a duty to refrain from doing. Morally right acts are activities that are allowed.

Are laws morally right?

Laws, or a legal system with a lack of adequate laws, can also have wrong or immoral consequences even if the contents of particular laws are not unjust. ... There is no reason to believe that just because a law passes, it is for the best or that it is right or moral , even if the people passing it think it is.

What is morally right but illegal?

The examples for ethical but illegal are generally lawmakers deciding to impose their own moral judgments in the law to prohibit some act when there is actually no identifiable public good being diminished by that act. An example in that regard would be consensual anal intercourse between male homosexuals.

What is the most common broken law?

Underage drinking is one of the most common laws broken. Studies put the number around 10 million. Aside from the law, while health experts would argue you shouldn’t even have them then til past 24, if at all. But it’s just the facts.

What punishments are there for breaking the law?

There are five main types: discharge, fines and compensation, driving disqualification or points, community orders and prison sentences . A suspended sentence is usually a community order on the condition that a breach will result in imprisonment.

What’s ethical but illegal?

The examples for ethical but illegal are generally lawmakers deciding to impose their own moral judgments in the law to prohibit some act when there is actually no identifiable public good being diminished by that act. An example in that regard would be consensual anal intercourse between male homosexuals.

Can a law be illegal?

When laws, procedures, or acts directly violate the constitution, they are unconstitutional . All others are considered constitutional until challenged and declared otherwise, typically by the courts using judicial review.

Can a person be moral but not ethical?

Someone doesn’t need to be moral to be ethical. Someone without a moral compass may follows ethical codes to be in good standing with society. On the other hand, someone can violate ethics all the time because they believe something is morally right.

What happen if there is no morality?

Without such rules people would not be able to live amongst other humans . People could not make plans, could not leave their belongings behind them wherever they went. We would not know who to trust and what to expect from others. Civilized, social life would not be possible.

What is the difference between legal right and moral right?

Human rights are those that emphasize the universal rights any person can enjoy and, legal rights refer to the rights a particular person is entitled to enjoy legally as enforced by the state/government whereas moral rights emphasize the universal ethical rights /guidelines the people can follow .

What does I’m legal mean?

@Asd2224 That you are of legal age or past legal age. The legal age in the US is 18 and you can practically do anything except drinking, you have to be 21 to drink.

Amira Khan
Author
Amira Khan
Amira Khan is a philosopher and scholar of religion with a Ph.D. in philosophy and theology. Amira's expertise includes the history of philosophy and religion, ethics, and the philosophy of science. She is passionate about helping readers navigate complex philosophical and religious concepts in a clear and accessible way.