Philosophy of Law & the State

Professor Solum

University of Illinois College of Law

 

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Tentative Syllabus

 

 

Reading

Topic

1/16

No Reading

Introduction to the Course

1/18

Web Reading

Lon Fuller, The Case of the Speluncean Explorers

or

PDF File

1/23

Web Reading

H.L.A. Hart, Positivism and the Separation of Law and Morals

1/25

Web Reading

Lon Fuller, Positivism and Fidelity to Law--A Reply to Professor Hart

1/30

Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics (NE) Books I & II

NE: pp. viii-xviiii, 3-49

2/1

Books III & IV, Book VI Chs, v, vii, vii

NE: pp. 50-111, 150-51, 152-54, 154-156

2/6

Book V

NE: pp. 112-143

 

Optional reading:

Richard Kraut, “Justice in the Nicomachean Ethics” from Aristotle: Political Philosophy.

2/8

Web Reading

Solum, Natural Justice &

Solum, Virtue Jurisprudence: A Virtue-Centered Theory of Judging (following the link to download the papers)

2/13

 

Special Event

Web Reading

 

All classes were cancelled due to snow.  The reading assignment remains.  See assgiment for 2/20.

Procedural Justice (follow the link to download the paper)

 

Read pp. 182-191 & pp. 237-273.

 

Note: the link was fixed on Saturday, February 10, 2007.

2/15

No reading.

No class.

2/20

Web Reading

Discussion of Van Arsdell lecutre & “Procedural Justice” (Pages assigned on 2/13).

 

Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals

 

Read Chapter One, pp. 1-13.

2/22

Web Reading

Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals

 

Read Chapters Two & Three, pp. 13-50

2/27

Web Reading

Locke, Second Treatise of Government

 

Chapter 2

Chapter 5

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 11

3/1

Rawls, Political Liberalism, Lecture One

Rawls, PL, pp. 1-46

3/6

Rawls, Political Liberalism, Lecutres Four and Six

Rawls, PL, pp. 131-172 & pp. 212-254

 

 

3/8

No new reading

Continue discussion of Rawls

3/13

Web Reading

 

Public Legal Reason pp. 1450-1485.

3/15

No reading.

No class, except for students taking the midterm.

 

The midterm examination is only for students for whom a midterm is required (undergraduate freshman only).

3/27

Web reading

Bentham, Principles of Morals and Legislation, Chapters 1, 2, pp. 14-26, Chapter 4, 5, pp. 31-41.

3/29

No Class

 

4/3

Web Reading

Bentham, Principles of Morals and Legislation, Chapter 7, pp. 61-68, Chapters 13, 14, pp. 134-146.

4/5

Web Reading

Kaplow & Shavell, Fairness versus Welfare, pp. 3-36.

4/10

Web Reading

Kaplow & Shavell, Fairness versus Welfare, pp. 36-62.

4/12

Web Reading

Kaplow & Shavell, Any Nonwelfarist Method, pp. 1-6.

(This may be tough going.  Scan, even if you find this article difficult.)

Public Legal Reason pp. 1485-1500.

4/17

Web Reading

Ronald Dworkin, Hard Cases, pp. 1-20.

4/19

Web Reading

Ronald Dworkin, Hard Cases, pp. 20-40; McPherson v. Buick Motor Co.

4/24

Web Reading

Pluralism and Public Legal Reason, pp. 7-23 & The Supreme Court in Bondage: Constitutional Stare Decisis, Legal Formalism, and the Future of Unenumerated Rights, pp. 176-186

4/26

No reading

Conclusion, Discussion of Take Home, Exam Distributed.

.

All assignments are from Constitutional Law: Cases in Context, unless otherwise indicated.