The Obligation to Obey the Law
It is generally agreed that there is no absolute or conclusive obligation to obey the law . Even the author suggests that there is not even a prima facie obligation to obey it.
Why do we have to obey the law?
Law: A rule made by local or national government. ... People have a general duty to obey the law because it is democratically decided . Legal duty: The obligations people have put upon them by the law. Moral responsibility: The personal obligations people feel based on their beliefs about what is right and wrong.
Why are we obligated to obey laws?
Economists credit deterrence, saying that legal sanctions influence behavior, and sociologists point to legitimacy, the idea that people obey the law because they see it as a legitimate authority . ... Your reason to obey the one-way sign is independent of sanctions or legitimacy — it’s simply to coordinate with people.”
Why is it important to obey rules and laws?
Following rules and regulations help employees understand what is expected of them and what will happen if they violate the rules. ... So, by having everyone follow properly communicated rules and regulations , the team does better; thus, the company makes more money.
Why should we always follow the laws?
Laws protect our general safety , and ensure our rights as citizens against abuses by other people, by organizations, and by the government itself. We have laws to help provide for our general safety. ... Speed limits and traffic laws exist so that we drive in a safe manner.
What is obey the law?
In order to obey the law a person must act with some recognition that she is in fact doing an action that the law requires . In a phrase, obedience requires knowingly doing the right thing.
Why do we obey God?
Why Obey. God created man to rule over the Earth . ... One answer is that God is calling us to obedience and relationship with him through obedience. By obeying his call to take care of this earth we learn more about him and can grow in understanding of his heart and desires for our lives.
Is there a prima facie to obey law?
(7) The Rule–Utilitarian Argument: There is a prima facie obligation to obey the law within a given society if and only if general acceptance of the rule “Obey the law” (as a rule of prima facie obligation), would have better consequences that if any other rule or no rule were generally accepted.
Are we morally obligated to obey an unjust law?
Martin Luther King, Jr.: We have a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. Today is Martin Luther King Jr. ... King says that we have a moral responsibility to obey just laws , and a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.
What are ethical obligations?
An ethical duty or obligation is a moral requirement to follow a certain course of action , that is, to do, or refrain from doing, certain things. ... From this definition we see that for a person to have some moral right all that is necessary is that the person’s claim be morally justified.
Why are rules so important?
Rules are regulations that the people under a government need to follow. Rules are important as families and citizens have to live their lives in a happy but safe state. Some aspects of why rules are important are: to maintain civil behaviour, be organised, more harmony in the community .
Why do we obey?
In everyday situations, people obey orders because they want to get rewards , because they want to avoid the negative consequences of disobeying, and because they believe an authority is legitimate. ... People justify their behavior by assigning responsibility to the authority rather than themselves.
What would life be like without laws?
If they didn’t, our society could not operate properly . There would be no laws, rules or regulations regarding the environment, traffic safety devices, or repair of streets and roads. Sidewalks wouldn’t be shoveled and open to the public. Crimes would be committed, and there would be no punishment or rehabilitation.
How does law affect our everyday lives?
Laws have a daily impact on our lives–whether they relate to social services, education, housing, nutrition, food safety, consumer rights or the environment . ... On the other hand, we tend to become more involved with public policy decision- making when a rule or regulation has a negative impact on our life.
What happened if you were not able to follow rules?
What happen if you were not able to follow the rules? Disobeying the rules leads to punishment. There is no discrimination in punishments for breaking the rules . In this way equality is the basis of rule.
What does Jesus say about obeying laws?
Romans 13:1-2 says: “ Obey the government, for God is the One who has put it there. ... So those who refuse to obey the law of the land are refusing to obey God, and punishment will follow.”
