What Makes the Illegal and Unethical (But Legal) Conduct Different

Or just take an example: If you were transporting a seriously injured person in a car at night and you ran into a red light and there was obviously no traffic, would you really stop or cross safely? That would clearly be illegal – would it also be unethical? I don`t think so. Please explain what you think is the difference. These words are used differently by different people and in different literatures. In at least one traditional use, they are interchangeable. And anyway, I don`t know of any use of the term “ethics,” according to which I would be wrong to say that lying is unethical. 04. Smoking cigarettes in public is legal in some places, but some find it disrespectful and unethical. But if the finance professor mentioned above was right, there would be no way to find a moral justification for a new law. Finally, in his opinion, if a behavior is legal (now), then it is ethically acceptable (now). On what basis could new laws ever be passed? Certainly not for ethical reasons, because the hypothesis is that if something is currently legal, it must be ethically correct. What happens if a terrible new toxin is discovered that would pose significant risks to workers or consumers if used by industry? Should it be banned? According to the finance professor, this is not possible.

After all, its use is legal, so it must be ethical; And if it`s ethical, you can`t make it illegal. Of course, it could be that the finance professor mentioned above did not make a general statement about the relationship between ethics and law at all, but rather a more subtle point about ethical standards in competitive fields. After all, ethical rules are different in contradictory situations, and it could well be argued that in the highly regulated world of commerce, companies should feel empowered to resort to strategies that are not explicitly prohibited. 03. The death penalty is also legal in many states, but many people consider it unethical. Another point I would like to address is the emphasis in the article on citizen behaviour. At this point, I would say that it is more important to keep a critical eye on the government`s behaviour. Chris, with all due respect, I think you`re underestimating the cases.” unscrupulous legislators who pass laws solely for their own benefit or that of their friends. This is the norm, not the exception. The huge lobbying industry confirms this.

We are talking about influence, which is legal but unethical. So if you want to claim that what`s legal is also ethical, you have to bite a lot of bullets and accept as ethics a lot of behaviors that you probably don`t want to accept. Think of Singapore, where it is illegal to sell chewing gum, not because it is immoral, but to promote public cleanliness. And until recently, it was illegal for women to drive in Saudi Arabia, in part because it was considered religiously immoral. This is in stark contrast to Western customs, where driving is commonplace, and in the United States, it is a rite of passage for all 16-year-olds, including women. Just because something is legal doesn`t make it ethical. You may think it`s obvious, but it`s not, as evidenced by the fact that a former student recently told me that his finance professor specifically told him that if something is legal, it`s ethical. Point. Of course, the student – my student – knew better and told me the story by rolling his eyes. Regulations are strict in any industry that has a direct impact on the environment, but compliance with the law is not always enough to satisfy people in affected areas. To understand the difference between something that is “illegal” or “unethical,” we need to understand what those terms mean.

“Unethical” defined as something that is morally reprehensible, while something that is “illegal” means that it is against the law. While I make an excellent point, I think the other side of the coin is more important these days, not everything that is illegal is unethical. There are so many laws governing our behavior that one author notes that we commit an average of 3 crimes per day in the United States (online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704471504574438900830760842.html). We certainly don`t commit the 3 unethical acts a day that reach the level of crime. There is something wrong here. Despite all this legal protection, the decision to report at work should not be taken lightly. In some situations, prominent whistleblowers have obtained important settlements after being illegally dismissed; others may participate in substantial cash rewards under the Federal False Claims Act. Imagine if an illegal organization copied the copyright mark and logo of bottled water and textile and clothing designs. What do you think would be the negative consequences and possible dangers for workers, consumers and the environment? […] Our exploration of the relationship between ethics and law. (Two weeks ago, we discussed why what is legal is not always ethical; last week, we looked at why it can be difficult to follow the law and therefore sometimes break the law… So speeding was illegal then, but can we consider it immoral today? What a great article. I am currently preparing a scientific article on ethical practice in real estate (in New Zealand).

There are a number of problems in this industry that are legal, but certainly anything but ethical. On the contrary, there are sometimes actions that I would consider ethically preferable, but not really legal. “It doesn`t take much imagination to see that these corporate structures can be used for nefarious purposes,” he added. “And, of course, they have all the legal protection of the United States.” While making an excellent point, I think the other side of the coin is more important these days, not everything that is illegal is unethical. There are so many laws governing our behavior that one author notes that we commit an average of 3 crimes per day in the United States (online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704471504574438900830760842.html). We certainly don`t commit the 3 unethical acts a day that reach crime level. There is something wrong here. The seriousness of illegal and unethical business practices cannot be overstated.

Everyone has a responsibility to promote a positive workplace and to conduct business ethically and legally. 01. I give a person a certain amount of money that is completely legal. Later, I ask him a favor, I`m one step away from being a snail. It`s completely legal, but if someone betrays me, it`s unethical. At the organizational level, it is important to explain the difference between “law” and “ethics”. In an organization, laws are the set of rules established and enforced by governments in power to discipline society. Here, “ethics” are the moral codes established by the organization on the basis of the culture of the company.

For example, in the world of computers, a person may write or design a system that will have a negative impact on the social system in the future. This may be unethical, but not illegal until the program is designed and implemented and has caused the negative effects. A number of behaviours that are considered ethical in one context may not be ethical in another. This is where the influence of culture comes into play. In countries with a unique and very conservative culture, behavioral ethics are comparatively stricter. However, if we take action, such as: Hiding your income from taxpayers and not filing your tax return is both illegal and unethical. Let`s take another example. There are countries where abortion has been legalized, but religion still considers it unethical and unmoral.