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Full Idea
Some laws have little grounding in morality. You may believe you have a moral obligation to stop at a red light at a deserted crossroads, but only because that is what the law tells you to do.
Gist of Idea
Following some laws is not a moral matter; trivial traffic rules, for example
Source
Jonathan Wolff (An Introduction to Political Philosophy (Rev) [2006], 2 'Goal')
Book Ref
Wolff,Jonathan: 'An Introduction to Political Philosophy (Rev)' [OUP 2006], p.38
A Reaction
I would have thought such a law was wholly grounded in the morality of teamwork. It is the problem of rule utilitarianism, and also a problem about virtuous character. The puzzle is not the law, but the strict obedience to it.
| 7403 | Grotius ignored elaborate natural law theories, preferring a basic right of self-preservation [Grotius, by Tuck] |
| 7573 | The legal positivism of Hobbes said law is just formal or procedural [Hobbes, by Jolley] |
| 20930 | The existence of law is one thing, its merits and demerits another [Austin,J] |
| 20931 | Hart replaced positivism with the democratic requirement of the people's acceptance [Hart,HLA, by Zimmermann,J] |
| 7592 | For positivists law is a matter of form, for naturalists it is a matter of content [Scruton] |
| 20492 | Following some laws is not a moral matter; trivial traffic rules, for example [Wolff,J] |