where (I believe) the legal system was built for the purpose of assisting with right and wrong.
Sorry, still disagreeing. The justice system enforces a particular set of rules for a society. It’s purpose is not to assist, but to enforce which seems obvious to me. The purpose of enforcement is to shape the behaviour by providing strong disincetives to certain activities declared criminal.
There is, of course, a correlation between what most of the population considers to be morally wrong and what is illegal. But it’s only a correlation and not a perfect match. The justice system is also bent to serve the interests of the powerful at the expense of the powerless.
the subjective right and wrong at the time would have said that these actions are wrong
I don’t know about that. If it’s “subjective”, doesn’t it depend on the person? Are you willing to accept the moral opinion of the majority as “right”?
The legal system is not meant to be anything but in line with right and wrong
Surely it is. It is meant to provide a society with a set of rules to keep it running, keep certain social groups powerful and other powerless (aka keeping the proles under control), etc. etc.
Take, I don’t know, say, licensing laws which regulate which professions must have a license to practice and which need not. Is there really a moral distiniction there?
The laws are many and their number is literally uncountable. I am not willing to believe that all these thousands of laws and regulations stem from an attempt to “assist with right and wrong”.
Do the laws stem from an attempt to assist with right and wrong?
this question should be easy to answer; it would only be a matter of finding one that does not (from the uncountable set). I will not actively look; but keep my eye out as I encounter legalese and continue to ask the question.
While the law can have other goals i.e. control of people by other people. I don’t think this is a primary goal and might be a subversion of the purpose (just because someone could and did does not mean that is the way it should be.)
I sincerely hope I never find any active law that exists for purposes other than to assist with right and wrong. (otherwise I should be motivated to try to change it)
Sorry, still disagreeing. The justice system enforces a particular set of rules for a society. It’s purpose is not to assist, but to enforce which seems obvious to me. The purpose of enforcement is to shape the behaviour by providing strong disincetives to certain activities declared criminal.
There is, of course, a correlation between what most of the population considers to be morally wrong and what is illegal. But it’s only a correlation and not a perfect match. The justice system is also bent to serve the interests of the powerful at the expense of the powerless.
I don’t know about that. If it’s “subjective”, doesn’t it depend on the person? Are you willing to accept the moral opinion of the majority as “right”?
Surely it is. It is meant to provide a society with a set of rules to keep it running, keep certain social groups powerful and other powerless (aka keeping the proles under control), etc. etc.
Take, I don’t know, say, licensing laws which regulate which professions must have a license to practice and which need not. Is there really a moral distiniction there?
The laws are many and their number is literally uncountable. I am not willing to believe that all these thousands of laws and regulations stem from an attempt to “assist with right and wrong”.
Do the laws stem from an attempt to assist with right and wrong? this question should be easy to answer; it would only be a matter of finding one that does not (from the uncountable set). I will not actively look; but keep my eye out as I encounter legalese and continue to ask the question.
While the law can have other goals i.e. control of people by other people. I don’t think this is a primary goal and might be a subversion of the purpose (just because someone could and did does not mean that is the way it should be.)
I sincerely hope I never find any active law that exists for purposes other than to assist with right and wrong. (otherwise I should be motivated to try to change it)