On what legal basis can one deny others the right to "choose" whatever pursuit of happiness they wish as long as it harms no one else?
by 
TIME
ANSWERS: 5
-
Wow, thats a tricky one! Not sure about the legal side, but from an amateurs' perspective you would really have to define "harms no one else". Take illegal drugs for example. Some would say that in their own home they affect no one, so it should be o.k. Others would say that someone doing drugs in the home will eventually become a burden to the state and the cost covered by taxpayers, therefore they are "harming" others. Same might go for moral things. Gay marriage might be interpreted by some to have an adverse moral effect, thus "harming" the moral health of a community, nation, or rising generation. And since most all laws to some extent legislate some kind of moral and ethical behavior it would probably come down to what the majority define as "harm", similar to the ongoing debate of the definition of "marriage"...........
-
As Her Majesty, we are thrilled to allay your fears. There is no legal basis to deny the happiness of any of our loyal subjects.
-
. Equality is something that has always been a hallmark of America, and no group should be deprived of it. What a national embarrassment that any group in the U.S. has to fight for what should have been a birthright. It's about time, let's be a beacon for the rest of the country: New York supports life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, it's as American as apple pie.
-
I would agree with ajb about the difficulty of defining "harm". Physical harm is easily defined, "moral harm" is dependent on your viewpoint or belief system. I don't think individuals have the right to deny others the right to choose whatever pursuit of happiness they wish as long as it harms no one else but due to the fact governments make the laws they do have a legal basis (because they make the laws) to deny that right. In free societies the people have the right to protest and campaign against that denial and in democracies the opportunity to vote for another government.
-
On the basis that it is prohibited by law is usually the legal basis for denying such.
Professor Yaffle RELATED QUESTIONS
Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC