moral law

American  

[mawr-uhl law] / ˈmɔr əl ˈlɔ /

noun

moral laws plural

1. a basic ethical rule or principle, or a set of such principles, regarded as intrinsic to human reason and conscience, given by God, or necessary for the survival of humankind and the planet.

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• moral laws
  plural

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

moral law

They established a republic acknowledging transcendent moral law as the foundation of human law.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 23, 2026

That insight of “the starry heavens above,” coupled with man’s innate moral law, filled Kant’s mind “with ever new and increasing wonder and reverence,” as Mr. Rosen quoted the philosopher.

From Washington Times ● Jul. 14, 2022

Kant suggested that we derive categorical imperatives through four formulations that serve as a standard or guide to test whether our reasons for acting conform to the standard of rationality and thus moral law.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 15, 2022

“I personally subscribe to Dr. King’s definition of an unjust law as being ‘out of harmony with the moral law.’

From New York Times ● Mar. 24, 2020

The moral law applies to rational, language-using creatures, and the law of nature binds all human beings by virtue of their capacity to recognize that there are moral obligations that are common to them all.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton