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Legislating Morality
#1
Legislating Morality
Have you ever heard someone say the following or something like it:

"You can't legislate morality?"

I have. Usually the context is a discussion of whether or not certain behaviors should be against the law. For example, one individual might argue that some behavior should be against the law because it is immoral and the other individual will respond and say "But you can't legislate morality." I have always thought that such a response doesn't make much sense because in my view laws are always codifying someone's morality.

From reading alot of the discussions here on the issue of morality, I know that many of you hold that morality is essentially adhering to what society has agreed upon as being acceptable behavior. (I hope I characterized this accurately. If I have not, please correct me.) In this case, it would seem to follow that you would also agree with me that the argument "you can't legislate morality" is not a good argument in such discussions because all laws are codifying some morality.

Am I correct in my conclusion? If not, I would appreciate hearing your take on the issue.
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Messages In This Thread
Legislating Morality - by rjh4 - July 19, 2010 at 3:26 pm
RE: Legislating Morality - by Scented Nectar - July 19, 2010 at 4:02 pm
RE: Legislating Morality - by The Omnissiunt One - July 19, 2010 at 4:35 pm
RE: Legislating Morality - by Paul the Human - July 19, 2010 at 5:00 pm
RE: Legislating Morality - by Minimalist - July 19, 2010 at 7:02 pm
RE: Legislating Morality - by Cego_Colher - July 19, 2010 at 11:08 pm
RE: Legislating Morality - by lrh9 - July 20, 2010 at 2:34 am
RE: Legislating Morality - by rjh4 - July 20, 2010 at 10:40 am
RE: Legislating Morality - by Paul the Human - July 20, 2010 at 1:44 pm
RE: Legislating Morality - by rjh4 - July 20, 2010 at 2:28 pm
RE: Legislating Morality - by Paul the Human - July 20, 2010 at 2:52 pm
RE: Legislating Morality - by rjh4 - July 20, 2010 at 3:29 pm
RE: Legislating Morality - by padraic - July 20, 2010 at 8:13 pm
RE: Legislating Morality - by Eilonnwy - July 23, 2010 at 11:19 am
RE: Legislating Morality - by padraic - July 23, 2010 at 6:40 pm

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