Definition
- Morality consists of subjective principles and values that distinguish right from wrong.
Morality through the lens of the 3L Philosophy
- Many moral principles are widely accepted, like honesty, fairness, kindness and tolerance – these are reflected in 3L’s Aspirational Values, which can be summarised as ‘be an excellent human’.
- The common fundamental root of the moral values shared by all reasonable people is that we should not aggress against each other. The 3L Philosophy enshrines this in the Legal Principle, the only mandatory principle of the two.
- Beyond this, 3L’s Aspirational Values are neither prescriptive nor mandatory because there is no objectively ‘correct’ morality.
- Morality is a personal preference and situationally dependent, meaning that what is ‘right’ action in one time and place may be ‘wrong’ in another.
- Because of disagreements about what constitutes ‘moral’ behaviour, conflict arises when one group forcefully subjects their moral beliefs onto another.
- Democracy is being used as a tool for the majority to force their morality onto the minority; the tyranny of the majority. Even if we completely agree with the current majority, that majority’s morality changes over times, so its likely that you will one day find yourself in the minority being subjected to a moral framework that you disagree with.
- Achieving global peace requires that moral preferences are taken out of the law, leaving the law to be that which all reasonable minds agree on; that we ‘don’t aggress’.
- In absence of using force, we can still define, hold and promote our preferred morality via reasoned argument and living by example.
‘Be the change you want to see in the world’ – Mahatma Gandhi
Summary
- We have two choices regarding morality and law:
- We endlessly struggle for control of the law to force our moral judgements on other
- We resolve to keep out moral judgements outside the law
- We must permit people to live as they legally choose, even if we conclude their choices are immoral, unhealthy or unwise.
