Legal Definitions - wedge principle

The wedge principle is a moral principle that states that an action is wrong in a specific situation if, when applied to a general level of conduct, it would harm humanity. This means that if an action is wrong in one situation, it is likely to be wrong in other similar situations as well.

For example, stealing is generally considered wrong because if everyone stole, it would harm society as a whole. Similarly, lying is generally considered wrong because if everyone lied, it would be difficult to trust anyone and society would suffer.

Another example is cheating on a test. While it may seem harmless in one instance, if everyone cheated on tests, it would undermine the value of education and harm society as a whole.

These examples illustrate the wedge principle because they show how an action that may seem harmless in one situation can have negative consequences when applied to a larger scale. The principle encourages individuals to consider the broader implications of their actions and make decisions that benefit society as a whole.