PHIL 324 - Philosophy of Law

This course will focus on a number of questions in philosophy of law, including: (1) What is law? What distinguishes legal rules from the rules of a game or the rules of morality? And what is the status of a legal rule that purports to if it demands or allows immoral actions? (2) What is the nature of rights? Are there natural rights? Human Rights? Or should we reject the idea of rights altogether? (3) Can punishment be justified? Why? What must be true of the law before breaking it can be a reason to punish people? An important theme running through this course will be the relation between law and morality. (Offered every year.) 3 credits