Hart-Devlin Debate

The Hart-Devlin Debate centers on whether society should enforce moral standards through laws. Hart, a legal philosopher, argued that laws should reflect individual freedoms and only restrict behavior that harms others. Devlin believed that shared moral values are essential for social cohesion, so society has a right to impose laws to uphold moral norms. The debate questions whether morality is solely personal or a collective responsibility. In essence, it contrasts individual liberty against the importance of moral consensus in maintaining social order.