Question

a)Briefly explain five differences between moral standards and legal standards (you may use table format).

b) In 2014, a Malaysian couple was charged in Sweden for allegedly abusing their four children. The case involving Azizul Raheem Awalludin and Shalwati Nurshal, surfaced after a teacher of the couple’s son discovered that he and his siblings were caned for misbehavior. The 12 years old boy had confessed to his teacher that they have been caned with a hanger, carpet beater and/or cane (rotan) as punishment for misbehaving (refusing to pray, among other things). Swedish authorities swiftly acted, placing the couple on remand- Azizul and Shalwati faced up to six years in jail if convicted. Meanwhile, back in Malaysia, people’s reaction to the case was more concerned with ‘saving face’ rather than saving the children, all of whom were understandably frightened and confused by this devastating disruption in their lives. Source: Adapted from Sitting on the Fence of ‘Cultural Relativism’, 2014. Required:

Discuss the above case by relating it to:

i. relativism theory

ii. deontological moral theory

iii. virtue ethics

please ans the question before 5.30 . thank you

Answer 1

Legal standards	Moral Standards
Legal standards are setforth ingovernmental law.strictly based on what is written in law.	It is based on the principle right and wrong.
The citizens are not permitted to do more than what prescribed in law.	It may sometimes raise the moral obligations to do morethan a legal one
All legal standards are enshrined in law	Morals are often not enshrined in law.
It mainly concentrates on the society and lays down rules relating to relationship of individual with other and with state	it is concerned with the individual and makes rules for moulding of one persons character.
It helps in the smooth functioning of the society	Moral standards are a matter of individual conscience.

2.1. Theory of relativism

It up holds that morality is relative to the values and norms of one persons culture.The element of right or wrong depends up on the moral standards of the society in which it operates. Some times particular action may morally right in one's society but it may be morally wrong to another society. This offence were wrong in Sweden but morally right in Malasiya.

2.The denotological moral theory is a normative theory. Here the morality of particular action is based o tbe right or wrong with in a series of set rules rather than its consequence. The moeal obligation may arising out of external or internal source, out ofethical set of rules or out of personal or cultural values. In this case the swedish government give importance to right or wrong in that particular action rather than its conseequnce. Besides th malasyian citizens considered the consequnces suffered by the parents alone.

3. Virtue Ethics.

It always emphasized the role of character and the morality theories rather than doing ones duty or make an act to bring good consequence. The virtious person has ideal personality traits. This case also it emphasized the morality or the right or wrong in the punishment made by the parents evenif their punishment for the wellbeing of children that is to make order in prayerand other things. But it physically and mentally hurted the children.