Law 687: Jurisprudence

“Jurisprudence” is a word with many meanings. As used in this course, “jurisprudence” refers to the philosophical study of the nature of law—the study of the sort of thing that law is and how it operates, regardless of jurisdiction or time period. Jurisprudence aims, among other things, to understand what law is, how law relates to morality or politics, the extent to which law is determinate or objective, how different sources of law—customs, precedents, statutes, etc.—make law, and how law enters into legal reasoning and the adjudication of legal disputes. Students in this course gain an appreciation for enduring puzzles about law that have perplexed legal thinkers for centuries and analyze various solutions to those puzzles. Readings include works by Thomas Aquinas, John Austin, H.L.A. Hart, Ronald Dworkin, Joseph Raz, and other writers. No prior experience with philosophy is required.

Sequence and Prerequisites: None

Evaluation: Exam