Philosophy of Law

Catalog description

In this course we will explore several issues central to the philsophy of law, including the following: (i) the nature of law and the connection, if any, between law and morality, (ii) the nature of a judge's role in the legal system, (iii) the nature of legal, and, especially, constitutional interpretation, (iv) the justification of the legal punishment, including the death penalty, and, (v) the requirements for legal responsibility, with a particular emphasis on the justification of some legal defenses and the appropriate role of the consequences of an agent's action in determining her responsibility.