Abstract

Hasnas is correct that ethicists should pay attention to law and be on guard for perverse effects from regulation and legal interpretations that may encourage or require unethical behavior. He is not correct that the business ethics literature assumes that law and ethics consistently pull in the same direction. Analysis of the relationship between law and ethics requires nuanced, in-depth treatment. An example is provided regarding the well-known case of United States v. Park. Ultimately, there is a need for more serious consideration of ethical principles and norms in legal policy making and practice.