Society and Law

The complex forms of living together in modern societies raise many ethical and legal questions. Debate centres on the fair distribution and guarantee of rights, duties and entitlements, as well as on fundamental questions about the interpretation of both the individual and the common good. Specific challenges arise, for example, when considering the right of particularly vulnerable groups to inclusion and self-determination. Other important questions concern living together within families, the status of religion within the secular state, or the appropriate treatment of animals. How to define the relationship between law and ethics is of fundamental importance. Ethical policy advice is based on the assumption that existing law can be criticised in the light of ethical principles and should be further developed. The idea that there are no longer any generally accepted ethical norms in pluralistic societies, is somewhat contradictory to this assumption. Today, many people consider the non-hierarchical public discourse to be the gold standard for dealing with social, legal and ethical problems. This discourse must be open, transparent and barrier-free in order to address and include the broadest possible spectrum of society. This is the only way to ensure future cooperation based on understanding, solidarity and fairness.