Respect for Law
This chapter seeks to address the question of what should be the attitude of a conscientious citizen to the laws of a society whose legal system is by and large good and just. It examines the implications and presuppositions of various moral attitudes to the law. It is often argued that there is an attitude to the law, generally known as respect for the law. Those who respect the law have general reasons to obey it; their reason is their attitude and it is morally permissible to respect the law in this way. The chapter also discusses the paradoxical claim of the respect for law wherein it is suggested that those who respect the law are subjected to an obligation from which others are exempt. It also provides analogies to provide a better understanding of the concept of the need to respect the rule of law. The chapter ends with a summarization of conclusions concerning the proper attitude to the law.
Keywords: attitude, laws, implications, presuppositions, moral attitudes, respect, obey the law, obligation
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