(May 8, 2016 at 10:26 am)Mr.wizard Wrote:(May 8, 2016 at 8:07 am)Excited Penguin Wrote: The goals are eliminating harm and maximizing happiness. Pretty straightforward and obvious.
Can you think of any situation in which the word "correct" could be applied?
Laws are meant to enforce morality, not to be it. I never said that.
Laws do not enforce morality, they are simply rules in place to try and optimize social benefits. In America its the law that you drive on the right side of the road, this is not based on any sort of moral decision. There are also Laws that at times produce outcomes that people would consider immoral, such as, laws that create loopholes or technicalities that allow a murderer to go free.
Laws are essential parts of underlying moral systems, I never said those systems are perfect though, in fact I specifically pointed out that they are continually changing.
Laws do enforce morality, they do so by telling you what you can and cannot do. Think of society as a moral authority, it tells you not to cheat, steal, kill, and so on. It also tells you that you have certain rights and prerogatives. This kind of morality may not be apparent to you because it's not arrived at by a single individual, but instead by certain empowered groups over time.
