In a CBC interview, a noted environmentalist said that if he were forced to choose between the lives of the last breeding pair of whales and those of a boatload of men who were out to kill them, he would sacrifice the men to save the whales. He cited the war-crimes trials after World War II for the principle that immoral laws should be resisted to protect "the higher good." This position exemplifies which one of the following?
A) Legal realism
B) Legal positivism
C) Natural law
D) The law of equity
E) The law of the sea

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The environmentalist's position is based on the principle of natural law, which holds that there are certain universal moral principles that are inherent in the nature of human beings and the world around us, and that these principles should form the basis of our laws and legal systems. In this case, the natural law principle at play is the idea that the survival of a species is a higher good than the individual interests of a group of human beings. This principle is not based on any particular legal system or positive law, but is instead grounded in a broader understanding of ethics and morality.

In a CBC Interview, a Noted Environmentalist Said That If