Deep Ties of Law in Conversations on Conscience
On September 14, 2024, we hosted lawyer, politician and author Ertuğrul Günay as part of the Conscience Conversations held at our Vicdan Foundation headquarters. Ertuğrul Günay is a prominent figure in the fields of law and politics in Turkey, and is also known for his sensitivity to social issues. Günay, who has produced valuable works on social responsibility and justice as a writer, gave an in-depth speech on law, conscience and social responsibilities in this conversation.
Ertuğrul Günay, while emphasizing the vital importance of law and justice within social structures, discussed the relationship between justice and conscience. He stated that conscientious responsibility is gradually weakening in the legal system in Turkey. He said that in this period when the points where conscience and law meet are mostly ignored, conscience is an important factor for justice to be truly served.
The Place and Importance of Conscience
As the Conscience Foundation, we aim to revive the concept of conscience in social life. Today, we see that polarized identities weaken the conscience in society and as a result, unconscionability is tried to be justified with various excuses. Ertuğrul Günay also drew attention to this danger and stated that the law should be evaluated on the axis of conscience.
Stating that conscientious responsibilities sometimes forced him to make difficult choices, Günay gave examples from his own life, and also gave examples from his experiences in politics. He stated that political decisions and legal processes would be insufficient to ensure social peace unless they were supported by conscience.
Universality of Law and Individual Conscience
Günay also opened up the delicate balance between the universality of law and individual conscience. He said that although universal legal rules shape society’s understanding of justice, it is of vital importance for judges to engage their own conscience when applying these rules. Günay stated that legal processes should be supported by social conscience, not cold rules, and emphasized that these two should work together for justice to truly be served.
Responsibility and Society
The contributions of the Vicdan Foundation to the awareness of social responsibility were also greatly appreciated by Ertuğrul Günay. Günay said that social responsibility is not an individual issue, and that a conscientious responsibility is one of the most important forces that moves society forward. In this context, he emphasized that law should be shaped not only by legal regulations but also by social conscience. Stating that society should develop a reflex not only for its rights but also against injustice, Günay stated that conscientious responsibility should be one of the basic social values.
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