Law And Morality Flashcards
Legal rules
Hart stated that legal rules are (4things)
- Enforceable
- Carry a sense of moral obligation
- Reasonable and relevant
- Carry a penalty
Legal rules
Twining and Miers
Defined a rule as
A general norm mandating or guiding conduct
Legal positivism
Hart
The validity of law no connection with morality as long as it is made in the proper manner by a recognised authority
Should be followed even if it conflicts with moral values
Morality is too subjective
Moral rules
Durkheim pointed out that although …
Many moral rules are similar there are not a set of moral values that everyone would agree on
Theory - absolutism
Plato, st Thomas Aquinas
Theory- absolutism
Plato, St Thomas Aquinas
Moral truths are fixed for all time and all people and do not change because of circumstance, culture or opinion
Theory- Relativism
Who ?
Hint English n maths
Aristotle
Protagoras
Theory- relativism
Aristotle , Protagoras
Moral truth varies according to culture, time, place, religion
Morals are subjective
Theory-natural law
Aristotle , Aquinas
Moral rules exist within the divine source of nature (Aristotle) with Aquinas believing the divine source was god
Theory - utilitarianism
Who 2 names
Bentham , Mill
Theory- utilitarianism
Bentham , mill
Based on the principle of utility which aims to maximise happiness
The rightness or wrongness of an action is determined by its usefulness (utility)
Greater good for greatest number (democratic)
Libertarianism
Who
Mill
Libertarianism
Mill
Individual freedom and autonomy
People are absolute owners owners of their lives and should be free to do whatever they want to their own bodies and property as long as it doesn’t harm others
Realism
Who
Oliver Wendell homes
Realism
Oliver Wendell homes
All laws are made by human beings and therefore are subject to human foibles, frailties and imperfections