PHI 2700: Philosophy of Law (2023-2024)

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This course is a rigorous introduction to topics in the philosophy of law such as: (i) Why do we have laws? (ii) At what types of goods (e.g., fairness, liberty, wealth) should the law aim? (iii) What are rationales behind particular laws? How do race or discrimination figure in the establishment, or enforcement, of some laws? (iv) Are we ever obligated to follow (or oppose) the law? We’ll engage these topics primarily by looking at various answers to them as well as the legal and philosophical arguments for those answers. By the end of the course, you should be able to understand arguments for and against various answers to the questions above; support your own answers to these questions with reasoned reflection; and apply your analytical skills to other subjects. Typically offered: Alternate Years.