Mar 28, 2024  
2004-2005 Law Catalog 
    
2004-2005 Law Catalog [ARCHIVED BULLETIN]

Add to Personal Catalog (opens a new window)

LAW 2888 - Jurisprudence


The course examines the philosophy of law by focusing upon certain questions or problems of jurisprudence within the context of a number of contemporary legal and policy debates. It assesses the nature of and basis for legal rights, justifications for and critiques of rights, and the relationship between rights and responsibility. The course considers the relationships among law, liberty and morality, exploring diff e rent theories about toleration and pluralism and the extent to which law should embody a majority’s moral convictions and visions of the good life. The course materials consist of general theoretical legal works, judicial opinions and some non-legal materials, as well as specific analyses of such issues as the legal treatment of abortion , euthanasia, homosexuality, family and speech. The readings have typically included jurisprudential writings reflecting the perspectives of, for example, liberalism, communitarianism, civic republicanism, feminism, Critical Race Theory, natural law and pragmatism.

The format of the course is a combination of lecture and discussion. The course requirement may be satisfied either by a research paper (which will satisfy Writing Requirement I), several shorter papers (which satisfy Writing Requirement II) or by a final examination.

Credits: 3





Add to Personal Catalog (opens a new window)