Legal vs Ethical Relationship between law and ethics Venn diagram ethical realm, legal realm Ethical but not legal civil disobedience intentionally breaking the law as you find it unjust (in hopes the law will go under judicial review and they may strike the law down) Legal but not ethical → slavery in the s, residential schools prior to 1990 Ethical and legal → marijuana, alcohol Neither ethical nor legal → Volkswagen cheating on their emissions test Why legal ≠ moral The group that is in control writes the laws politicians politicians do not always have the best interest of the public and can be influenced. Laws are necessary when moral practices breakdown and the govnt needs to step in and prop them up and state them as laws.