This course examines fundamental issues in the philosophy of law, including the nature and content of law, its relation to morality, theories of legal interpretation, and the obligation to obey the law, as well as philosophical issues and problems associated with punishment and responsibility, liberty, and legal ethics. Philosophy of law is a branch of philosophy that examines the nature of law and laws relationship to other systems of norms, especially ethics and political philosophy. Philosophy of law a very short introduction raymond wacks this lively and accessible introduction to the social, moral, and cultural foundations of law takes a broad scope spanning philosophy, law, politics, and economics, and discussing a range of topics including womens rights, racism, the environment, and recent international issues. The concept of law lies at the heart of our social and political life, shaping the character of our community and underl. The philosophy of law is not separate from but dependent upon ethics and political philosophy, which it extends by that attention to the past of sources, constitutions, contracts, acquired rights, etc. Philosophy of law a very short introduction raymond wacks. A very short introduction raymond wacks oxford university press. Raymond wacks is emeritus professor of law and legal theory at the university of hong kong, where he was head of the department of law from 1986 to 1993.
An introduction to legal philosophy wadsworth publishing company, 1996 3. Referring to key thinkers from the classical world to the modern, he looks at the central questions behind legal theory that have always fascinated lawyers and philosophers, as well. In this very short introduction raymond wacks analyses the nature and purpose of the legal system, and the practice by courts, lawyers, and judges. A very short introduction by raymond wacks available from rakuten kobo. He has published more than twenty books and numerous articles on legal philosophy, the right of privacy, and human and animal rights. Feb 27, 2014 the concept of law lies at the heart of our social and political life. Which is the best book on philosophy of law to understand, broadly speaking, everything discussed in it.
It will be an excellent resource for undergraduate and law school courses in legal philosophy. The concept of law lies at the heart of our social and political life. The book navigates the reader through legal philosophys fundamental concepts, concerns, and controversies. Philosophy of law wadsworth publishing company, 1995. Booktopia understanding jurisprudence by raymond wacks. Aug 17, 2014 philosophy of law is a branch of philosophy, and therefore deals primarily with philosophy. Collected essays volume iv oxford university press 2011, published in the united kingdom in early april, and in the united states in early may 2011, introduces the volumes 22 published and unpublished essays, and follows the volumes division into four parts. Find materials for this course in the pages linked along the left. Law is at the heart of every society, protecting rights, imposing duties, and establishing a framework for the conduct of almost all social, political, and economic activity. Philosophy of law definition of philosophy of law by. What sets this book apart is how it conveys a greater narrative of legal philosophy that both evolves and transforms as the reader is confronted with new approaches of understanding the law.
Rawls, dworkin, hart, weber, and habermas are all fairly well done. Strictly speaking, however, jurisprudence concerns the theoretical analysis of law at the highest level of abstraction e. In contrast, philosophy of law is interested in the general question. Hart, a more recent positivist conception of law 36 h. In this very short introduction raymond wacks analyses the nature and purpose of the legal system, and the practice by. This is a highlevel seminarstyle course on philosophy of law. The plentiful discussion topics and wacks delightful style make this an impressive read. In this very short introduction raymond wacks analyzes the nature and purpose of the legal system, and the practice by courts, lawyers, and judges. A very short introduction, a juristic gem that not only shines with clarity but sparkles with insight on topics as diverse as natural law, rights theory, utilitarianism, the sociology of the law, critical legal studies and law andeconomics. Understanding jurisprudence an introduction to legal theory. Philosophy of law, also called jurisprudence, branch of philosophy that investigates the nature of law, especially in its relation to human values, attitudes, practices, and political communities. In other words, their operational base is different philosophy of law is within philosophy, whereas legal philosophy is within the legal academy.
A very short introduction by raymond wacks questions for thought and discussion is aquinass theory of natural law a restraint on unjust laws being enacted. A liberal critique princeton university press, princeton, new jersey 1990. Philosophy of law and jurisprudence are often used interchangeably, though. Professor wacks first novel white lies appeared in 2010. Students taking this course will learn how legal philosophers analyze important but poorly understood concepts in the law. Legal philosophy, or jurisprudence, explores the notion of law and its role in society. A very short introduction has been translated into many languages including chinese, japanese, greek, and arabic. We will discuss different views on the nature of the law, paying special attention to. A very short introduction, a juristic gem that not only shines with clarity but sparkles with insight on topics as diverse as natural law, rights theory, utilitarianism, the sociology of the law, critical legal studies and lawandeconomics.
The nature of law 1 the natural law tradition 8 brian bix, natural law theory 8 lon l. Reviews with an admirable and elegant economy of expression which compromises neither subtlety nor nuance ray wacks has written in philosophy of law. Traditionally, philosophy of law proceeds by articulating and defending propositions about law that are general and abstracti. The concept of law lies at the heart of our social and political life, shaping the character of our community and underlying issues from racism and abortion to human rights and international war. Fuller, eight ways to fail to make law 20 positivism and its critics 24 john austin, a positivist conception of law 24 h. A very short introduction, a juristic gem that not only shines with clarity but sparkles with insight on topics as diverse as natural law, rights theory, utilitarianism, the sociology of the law, critical legal. May 18, 2006 at best, when dealing with a subject matter as opposed to an individual thinker the vsis are concise intros. Bookmark file pdf philosophy of law a very short introduction raymond wacks philosophy of law a very short introduction raymond wacks what is the philosophy of law. Mar 24, 2012 he has published more than twenty books and numerous articles on legal philosophy, the right of privacy, and human and animal rights. This lively and accessible introduction to the social, moral, and cultural foundations of law takes a broad scope spanning philosophy, law, politics, and economics, and discussing a range of topics including. Hence, legal philosophical discourse must be close to and necessary to the practice of law. Admission is extremely competitive, and very few students are admitted. Philosophy of law is a branch of philosophy that examines the nature of law and law s relationship to other systems of norms, especially ethics and political philosophy. Pure theory of law, on law and justice, now im about to read institutions of law and the concept of law, but i think i need a book that explains the whole picture to better understand.
Legal philosophy, or jurisprudence, explores the notion of. Lecture 1philosophy of law introduction nomenclatural distinction at the outset, a cursory distinction must be made between philosophy of law and legal philosophy. As brian leiter 1998 points out, philosophy of law is one of the few philosophical disciplines that takes conceptual analysis as its principal concern. He was previously professor of public law and head of the department of public law at the university of natal in durban. Philosophy and constitutional practice 1989, words that bind. Legal philosophy is a discipline in law, and therefore deals primarily with law. Would mills harm principle permit the enactment of laws to restrict or control. The concept of law lies at the heart of our social and political life, shaping the character of our community and underlying issues from racism and abortion. Raymond wacks law a very short introduction pdf, pharmacy for the soul osho pdf, in this very short introduction raymond wacks analyzes the nature and purpose of the legal system, and the practice by courts, lawyers, and judges. Understanding jurisprudence an introduction to legal. This lively and accessible introduction to the social, moral, and cultural foundations of law takes a broad scope spanning philosophy, law, politics, and. Philosophy of law is a branch of philosophy, and therefore deals primarily with philosophy. An experienced teacher of jurisprudence and distinguished writer in the field, professor wacks adopts an approach that is easy to follow and understand without avoiding the complexities and subtleties.
Brand succeeds at doing justice to the complexity of the subject matter while making it accessible. While they both deal with philosophy and law, their field of emphasis is different. The philosophy of law garland reference library of the humanities vol. Feb 02, 2012 he has published more than twenty books and numerous articles on legal philosophy, the right of privacy, and human and animal rights. Revealing the intriguing and challenging nature of legal philosophy with clarity and enthusiasm, raymond wacks explores the notion of law and its role in our lives.
A very short introduction is an exceptionally lucid overview of the origins and critical debates behind legal tradition. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. But sometimes, as with the vsi to the philosophy of law the treatment seems shallow. Feb 27, 2014 legal philosophy, or jurisprudence, explores the notion of law and its role in society, illuminating its meaning and its relation to the universal questions of justice, rights, and morality. Understanding jurisprudence an introduction to the central issues of legal theory. We will focus on the role that the laws authority ought to play in our proper understanding of law.
A lively and accessible introduction to the social, moral, and cultural foundations of law. John arthur was a professor of philosophy and director of the program in philosophy, politics, and law at binghamton university. Introducing jurisprudence is an exceptionally clear, comprehensive, and engaging introduction to philosophy of law. Download course materials philosophy of law linguistics. An experienced teacher of jurisprudence and distinguished writer in the field, professor wacks adopts an approach that is easy to follow and understand without avoiding. Why did the nineteenth century see a quietus in natural law theories. What gives legal philosophy a special place even a kind of preeminence within the general realm of. He retired at the end of 2001, and now lives in britain.
The book navigates the reader through legal philosophy s fundamental concepts, concerns, and controversies. General jurisprudence, as this philosophical inquiry about the nature of law is called, is meant to be universal. In this very short introduction raymond wacks analyses the nature and purpose of the legal system, and the practice by courts, lawyers. A very short introduction very short introductions by wacks, raymond isbn. Edmundson, regents professor of law and of philosophy, georgia state university, atlanta an excellent text which explains complex and difficult ideas in an accessible way. Ucla school of law and the ucla department of philosophy offer a joint j. This general question about the nature of law presupposes that law is a unique socialpolitical phenomenon, with more or less universal characteristics that can be discerned through philosophical analysis. With an admirable and elegant economy of expression which compromises neither subtlety nor nuance ray wacks has written in philosophy of law. Understanding jurisprudence edition 4 by raymond wacks. Law, jurisprudence, jurisprudencia, droit publisher chicago. The first, longer part of the course is concerned with analytical jurisprudence. After holmess death, deweys my philosophy of law 119one of a series of papers in a 1941 anthology of the same title that also includes papers by such legal luminaries as pound, 120 lon fuller, karl llewellyn, and john wigmoregives us some clues as to what considerations might play a role in the experimental logic he had alluded to in 1924. Philosophy of law a very short introduction raymond. Legal philosophy, or jurisprudence, explores the notion of law and its role in society, illuminating its meaning and its relation to the universal questions of justice, rights, and morality.