Canh Morality Be Legislated?

According to Friedrich Nietzsche, “Morality is the herd-instinct in the individual.” Morality is “a doctrine or system of right or wrong conduct” (Merriam-Webster.com.). This system can vary according to culture and background. A moral is what is in one’s heart; it’s a person’s belief system. Morals make a person who they are; they are one’s character. One man’s beliefs may be different from the next man’s. This can cause problems. Many problems of modern society cannot be solved by laws and the legal system because moral behavior cannot be legislated. This is because to solve the problems would be to implement a hierarchy of beliefs, as if one person’s belief is inferior to another; almost as if this belief is unworthy of acknowledgment compared to that belief. In short, morals cannot be legislated, but behavior can.

One topic that supports this argument is abortion, the termination of pregnancy. Abortion is a touchy topic that has many different viewpoints. Some are pro-choice when it comes to abortion, meaning abortion is a personal choice. There is nothing wrong with the termination of a pregnancy, according to pro-choice activists.. The argument is “the state has no power over a woman's body” (Kissling). Others who are pro-life are in direct opposition to the idea of abortion. They may feel abortion is against their morals. For example, House Speaker John Boehner states, “I’ve never considered being pro-life a label or a political position. It’s just who I am” (Nuckols). In his mind, the choice to have an abortion is against his morals and beliefs. Both sides to the argument are deeply convicted to their stance. It is more than a health question; it is a question of morals.

Next, prejudice and racism brings up the question of morals, therefore it cannot be legislated either. Prejudice and racism are acts that are taught and engraved in one’s being. Racism and prejudice are two correlating ideas that are defined as “a set of negative and irrational...