Unlock document.
This document is partially blurred.
Unlock all pages and 1 million more documents.
Get Access
Legal and ethical issues both require personal decisions to be made regarding them, whether on
the personal or professional level. While both are important for establishing behavioral patterns,
legal requirements can both fall short and go beyond what is ethical. Often times, the legal
requirements only specify the minimum action that must be taken for a given situation. Although
the minimum may remove legal responsibility, to remain ethically responsible more may be
required. An example of a legally permissible but ethically wrong action in business occurred
during the filming of a reality show about alcoholism. The camera crew filmed as the subject
drank vodka and then got into a car to drive away (Weinstein, 2007). Instead of stopping the
individual, the crew allowed them to drive away. Legally, the crew were only considered
witnesses. This relieved them of any legal responsibility for stopping the individual from driving
drunk (Weinstein, 2007). The crew’s decision to standby and refrain from intervening was
ethically wrong. They allowed the individual to endanger themselves, as well as the lives of
other drivers on the road. While there are situations that legally right and ethically wrong, there
are also situations that are the opposite. An example of a legally wrong, but ethically right
decision comes from the medical field. A doctor that treats a minor without parental consent can
potentially be charged with assault if the injuries are non-life threatening. The doctor choses to
treat a minor with a severely broken ankle even though the parents cannot be reached due to
being out of town. The decision to do so was made to ensure the patient would retain full use of
the joint that would not be attainable if immediate treatment were not administered. Although the
doctor could face legal issues for providing treatment, the correct ethical decision was made.
Making ethical decisions may not always be on the same side of legality, but are still the correct
choice. “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18,
ESV).” We all have a responsibility to live at peace with those around us. The majority of the
decisions that influence this peace will be both legal and ethical. There are, however, scenarios
that will require us to choose. It is in those times that we will have to decide if it “possible” to act
both legally and ethically. Personally, I choose ethics over legality.
References
