Can it be right to break the law?
Sometimes, becoming a criminal may be the right thing to do
Sometimes laws look like they protect the rich and the wealthy at the cost of the poor and disadvantaged. Sometimes laws may feel unjust. So is it true that sometimes a good person might need to break the law in the pursuit of what’s right? Can it be morally right to break the law? Or is ethics the same thing as the law?
Welcome to another episode of Lunchtime Philosophy! In this series, we’ll look at everyday problems, and how philosophy can help us make more sense of our lives and the world. Find all the posts here. I’m also posting philosophy videos on this and similar topics on YouTube!
Ethics and the law
Often you’ll hear the question: what do I need ethics for? I can just follow the law! The law is the way how society has formalised the ethical principles that we’re supposed to follow. Therefore, just following the law will make sure that I’m acting morally right!
But is this true?
This idea has obvious roots in the Christian tradition, which itself was originally a Jewish…
